One of my favorite sights of the fall is about to occur. I have not yet heard reports of snow buntings, but they will be here soon. These buffy brown, white and black birds will be observed on the beaches as they walk and run around beach grass plants. Woe be to any small bug that accidentally makes itself visible to these birds! They also will land on a stalk of beach grass to eat the seeds, their weight bending the grass-blade almost all the way to the ground in the process.

Morton is a mystery man, a gentleman whose identity has been lost in the annals of history and the forgetfulness of an eclectic scientist. Unfortunately, neither I nor you, my good reader, are destined to unravel the mystery of who he was.

The Morton in question is the namesake of a small clam, Morton’s egg cockle. This bivalve has washed up in large numbers on the shores of Sengekontacket Pond.

The Polly Hill Arboretum welcomes back Matt Lobdell who began a yearlong internship in September. As the arboretum’s first collections management intern, Matt will have the opportunity to develop his horticultural skills while gaining an in-depth understanding of the maintenance and management of the living collection. Matt is a certified arborist and brings with him a solid background in hands-on horticulture and arboriculture as well as experience managing invasive exotic plants.

Visited by increasing numbers of migrating birds and marine mammals, both rare and common, Noman’s Land is increasing in value as a wildlife refuge.