Nature Happenings
- Nov. 1: Daylight Savings Time ends - "fall back"
- Nov. 2: Full Moon, Nov. 16: New Moon
- Nov. 7: Project Feeder Watch starts and extends until April.
- Nov. 17-18: Leonid Meteor showers.
- Peak of deer breeding season. Use caution while driving.
- Feeders get busier as the month progresses. Keep them full to attract migrants.
- Waterfowl migration peaks this month.
- Open water is important if there's an early freeze. Put out heated birdbaths for a winter water source.
- Sweet William and some thistles are still in bloom.
For the Monmouth County, New Jersey region:
- Cold weather should arrive this month. If your feeders have been quiet, they'll start getting more active now.
- You should start seeing White-throated Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos in large numbers. Also watch out for Song Sparrows and Fox Sparrows this month.
- Look for uncommon (irruptive) visitors to your feeders. Last year was a great year for Pine Siskin. Perhaps we'll see Common Redpolls, Purple Finches, or Red-breasted Nuthatches this year.
- Raptor migration continues. Sharp-shinned Hawks or even a Northern Goshawk can show up in your backyard. Red-tailed Hawks, Red-shouldered Hawks and migrating owls such as Saw-whet, Long-eared and Short-eared will be moving as well. Great Horned Owls will be calling at dawn and dusk.
- Waterfowl migration will be evident at Sandy Hook, on the shore ponds along the coast, and on the ocean.
- Project FeederWatch starts November 7 and continues until April. Click here to learn more about this important citizen-science project.
