Sapling oaks (Quercus sp.) and various herbs prepare for fall on the bank of the Nashua Canal, while the surface of the canal is littered with fallen leaves. Notice that in addition to the leaves of hardwoods, the litter includes many needles of pitch pine (Pinus rigida). Pitch pine is strongly seasonal, losing nearly half its needles in the fall. Fall, Mine Falls Park

Various shrubs and saplings in vibrant fall colors decorate the shore of the Mill Pond. Fall, Mine Falls Park

A red-brown oak (Quercus sp.) forms a perfect backdrop for a yellow-leafed white birch (Betula papyrifera). Fall, Mine Falls Park

A red-brown oak (Quercus sp.) forms a perfect backdrop for a yellow-leafed white birch (Betula papyrifera). Fall, Mine Falls Park

A pair of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) cross the pond as the evening darkens the fall foliage. Fall, Mine Falls Park

Red-brown leaves of oaks (Quercus sp.) stand out in contrast against the deep green pines (Pinus sp.). Fall, Mine Falls Park

A fallen white pine (Pinus strobus) slowly decays into the Mill Pond as oaks (Quercus sp.) on the far shore put on their fall colors and white birches (Betula papyrifera) have already lost their leaves. I used to stand under this leaning pine on rainy Sunday afternoons, until it fell over a couple of years ago. Now I've found another leaning pine to shelter me. Fall, Mine Falls Park

A pair of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) cruise through the reflected fall colors on the Mill Pond, fall, Mine Falls Park

The footbridge where the Mill Pond Trail crosses one of the little distributary streams, immersed in fall colors. Fall, Mine Falls Park

The blazing colors of the white birch (Betula papyrifera) are reflected in the Mill Pond as it upstages a more drab oak (Quercus sp.). Fall, Mine Falls Park

A pair of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) swim in formation, looking for late-season fodder, fall, Mine Falls Park

Looking northeast across Saco Lake, early fall, Crawford Notch

Looking east across Saco Lake, early fall, Crawford Notch

Looking north from the top of Elephant Head to Saco Lake and the AMC Highland Center. Early fall, Crawford Notch

Coliseum Falls on Bemis Brook, late summer, Crawford Notch

View from a secret cove, fall, The Mill Pond, Mine Falls Park

View from the point on the southwest shore, fall, The Mill Pond, Mine Falls Park

The bridge over the canal, fall, Nashua Canal, Mine Falls Park

White pines flank the canal, fall, Nashua Canal, Mine Falls Park

A sugar maple in fall colors leans precariously over the canal, fall, Nashua Canal, Mine Falls Park

The road along the north shore of the pond, fall, The Mill Pond, Mine Falls Park

Looking east along the Mill Pond from the height on the southwest shore, fall, The Mill Pond, Mine Falls Park

Maple trees across the pond, fall, The Mill Pond, Mine Falls Park

Birch trees across the pond, fall, The Mill Pond, Mine Falls Park

Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) on white pine (Pinus strobus), fall, Mine Falls Park

A small clump of bushes in the middle of the big meadow north of Crawford Notch. Early fall, White Mountain National Forest.

Looking north across the big meadow north of Crawford Notch. The forest beyond is a typical mix of green spruce and oak with blazing red beech, while most of the birches have already lost their leaves. In the meadow are wilted black-eyed Susans, lupines, and goldenrods holding their seeds until the winter winds scatter them. Early fall, White Mountain National Forest.

An unusual hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium). It is unusually tall, and an unusual color. Most of them turn a deep burgundy in late summer and early fall, but this one ranges from scarlet to orange. Even as these tattered leaves turn color and fall off, the plant is putting forth new leaves to catch the autumn sun after the forest canopy opens up. Early fall, Elephant Head Trail, Crawford Notch State Park.

Calico aster (Aster lateriflorus). Fall, Mine Falls Park

Sapling oaks (Quercus sp.) and various herbs prepare for fall on the bank of the Nashua Canal, while the surface of the canal is littered with fallen leaves. Notice that in addition to the leaves of hardwoods, the litter includes many needles of pitch pine (Pinus rigida). Pitch pine is strongly seasonal, losing nearly half its needles in the fall. Fall, Mine Falls Park

Reindeer lichen (possibly Cladonia sp.) near the summit of Pack Monadnock. Fall, Pack Monadnock

An epiphyte unknown to me, probably a mistletoe of the family Santalaceae, possibly Phoradendron sp., on a rhododendron. Fall, Pack Monadnock

Shining clubmoss (Lycopodium lucidulum) in the leaf litter, fall, Pack Monadnock

A large bracket fungus of the family Polyporaceae on a rotten log, fall, Pack Monadnock

A cluster of ferns around a fallen log, fall, Pack Monadnock

A white-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) in an American beech near the Marion Davis trail, fall, Pack Monadnock

A partridge berry plant remains green among the brown autumn oak leaves, fall, Mine Falls Park

A fallen white pine (Pinus strobus) slowly decays into the Mill Pond as oaks (Quercus sp.) on the far shore put on their fall colors and white birches (Betula papyrifera) have already lost their leaves. I used to stand under this leaning pine on rainy Sunday afternoons, until it fell over a couple of years ago. Now I've found another leaning pine to shelter me. Fall, Mine Falls Park

A pair of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) cruise through the reflected fall colors on the Mill Pond, fall, Mine Falls Park

The footbridge where the Mill Pond Trail crosses one of the little distributary streams, immersed in fall colors. Fall, Mine Falls Park

A tiny seedling maple (Acer sp.) holds onto its fall colors amid the brown litter of earlier fallen leaves. The rhododendrons will remain green all winter. Fall, Mine Falls Park

The blazing colors of the white birch (Betula papyrifera) are reflected in the Mill Pond as it upstages a more drab oak (Quercus sp.). Fall, Mine Falls Park

A ground cedar clubmoss (Lycopodium complanatum puts up its fruiting body to scatter its spores before winter sets in. Late fall, Mine Falls Park

A pair of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) swim in formation, looking for late-season fodder, fall, Mine Falls Park

Reindeer lichen (possibly Cladonia sp.) near the summit of Pack Monadnock. Fall, Pack Monadnock

In this one picture, we see seedlings of eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis at left) and red pine (Pinus resinosa at right), as well as shining clubmoss (Lycopodium lucidulum mostly in front of the hemlock) and ground cedar clubmoss (L. complanatum mostly in front of the pine). Fall, Pack Monadnock

Ground cedar clubmoss (Lycopodium complanatum, mostly right and background) and shining clubmoss (L. lucidulum, front, center, and left). The ground cedar on the right, with three tiers of branches, is among the largest I've seen. Fall, Pack Monadnock

An aster (Aster sp.) has set seed and is waiting for the wind to carry them away. I don't know the species. Fall, Pack Monadnock

Many times, I've come close to deleting this picture of a chickadee (Poecile atricapillus), but I always stop myself. Is it an awful picture, or a serendipitous study of motion? How the bird's head markings elongate into streaks of black white and chestnut! How the forward motion and the downstroke of the wings transforms the primary flight feathers into neat diagonal gray bars! If you don't like it, don't download the full-size version. In any case, it shows why I don't have a proper picture of a chickadee: Little buggers won't sit still! Fall, Pack Monadnock

Oak leaf (Quercus sp.) on a water-smoothed glacial erratic. Fall, Pack Monadnock

A few sprigs of partridge berry and leaf litter on a bed of moss. Fall, Pack Monadnock

A honeybee (Apis sp.) on New England aster (Aster novae-angliae), early fall, White Mountain National Forest

A honeybee (Apis sp.) on New England aster (Aster novae-angliae), early fall, White Mountain National Forest

Honeybees (Apis sp.) on New England aster (Aster novae-angliae), early fall, White Mountain National Forest

A bee (family Apidae, possibly Nomada sp.) on a stiff aster (Aster linariifolius), late summer, Crawford Notch

New England aster (Aster novae-angliae), early fall, White Mountain National Forest

Close-up of New England aster (Aster novae-angliae), early fall, White Mountain National Forest

Showy goldenrod (Solidago speciosa) setting seed in the meadow north of Crawford Notch, early fall, White Mountain National Forest

Close-up of a black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) seed head. This is one of the uncommon variety that has violet-colored rays instead of the more usual yellow. Early fall, White Mountain National Forest

A stand of black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) setting seed in the meadow north of Crawford Notch, early fall, White Mountain National Forest

Lupine (Lupinus perennis) seed pods in the meadow north of Crawford Notch, early fall, White Mountain National Forest

Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) has managed to grow and set fruit in the cracks among the boulders behind the beaver lodge in Saco Lake, early fall, Crawford Notch

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) along the shore of Saco Lake, early fall, Crawford Notch

Pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) along the shore of Saco Lake, early fall, Crawford Notch

Orange jewelweed (Impatiens capensis), also known as touch-me-not. The leaf, which normally obscures the flower stalk, has been eaten, allowing you to see clearly the odd structure of this flower. The stalk attaches near the front of the flower, leaving the "base" of the flower hanging in mid-air, curving back on itself. Late summer, Mine Falls Park

Mixed undergrowth on the sunlit northern bank of Bemis Brook above Arethusa Falls, including stiff aster (Aster linariifolius), bunchberry (Cornus canadensis), wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis), hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium), and numerous ferns and grasses, late summer, Crawford Notch

Stiff aster (Aster linariifolius), late summer, Crawford Notch

Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) in fruit, summer, Presidential Range

Blue-bead lily (Clintonia borealis) in fruit. This is why this yellow flower is called the "blue-bead" lily. Summer, Presidential Range

Blue-bead lily (Clintonia borealis) in fruit, summer, Presidential Range

Violets (Viola sororia), late fall, Mine Falls Park

Violets (Viola sororia) on the banks of the canal, late fall, Mine Falls Park

This odd lichen looks dead, but a little water turns it soft and green, early fall, Crawford Notch

Basalt bedrock on Elephant Head Trail. Near the bottom of the picture, about a third of the way from the left-hand side, is an odd depression that we've always called "the fossil." I don't really know what it is, but I'm sure it's not an actual fossil in basalt. Early fall, Crawford Notch

Bakeapple berries (Vaccinium macrocarpon). This is actually a wild cranberry, also called bear berry, and distinct from the bakeapple berry of Newfoundland (Rubus chamaemorus), also called cloud berry. But it tastes like a baked apple, complete with cinnamon. They grow in the bogs on the northern slope of Mount Jackson, and this was a banner year. Most years, I only find two or three ripe berries. Late summer, Presidential Range

Nearly-bare branches of oak against the steely sky, late fall, Mine Falls Park

Leaf litter and a red mushroom, fall, Mine Falls Park

Pear-shaped puffballs (Lycoperdon pyriforme), early fall, Crawford Notch

Pear-shaped puffballs (Lycoperdon pyriforme), early fall, Crawford Notch

A sapling silver maple (Acer saccharinum) preparing for winter, early fall, Mine Falls Park

Berries of glossy buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula). I had previously misidentified this plant as black gum, so that is what the picture file name says. Early fall, Mine Falls Park

Berries of glossy buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula). I had previously misidentified this plant as black gum, so that is what the picture file name says. Early fall, Mine Falls Park

A sapling red maple (Acer rubrum) preparing for winter, late summer, Mine Falls Park

Same sapling red maple (Acer rubrum) a week later, early fall, Mine Falls Park

No, nobody lost their ruffled underwear in the woods, at least not in this instance. It's an unripe pig's ear gomphus mushroom (Gomphus clavatus). Late summer, Mine Falls Park

Low-bush blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium), late summer, Presidential Range

In late summer, the leaves of the hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium) turn deep burgundy and fall off, but the plant puts forth a new crop of leaves for the fall, late summer, Crawford Notch

Sometimes, the leaves of the hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium) turn red instead of burgundy. This plant is growing in a clearing on the cliff beside Arethusa Falls, so it stands taller than most of its species. Late summer, Crawford Notch

Rarely, the leaves of the hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium) turn orange! Birds have eaten all the berries from this one. Late summer, Crawford Notch

Hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium) in fruit, late summer, Crawford Notch

Close-up of hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium) berries, late summer, Crawford Notch

A maple seedling preparing for winter, late summer, Crawford Notch

Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) on white pine (Pinus strobus), fall, Mine Falls Park