Nature Happenings

• 
  Wintering sparrows, towhees and juncos arrive late in the month - they all love millet in a ground feeder.
  It's a good time to install bluebird winter roost boxes.
  Monarch migration reaches its peak late in month, sometimes in uncountable numbers.
  Sandhill Cranes arrive in small flocks late in the month.
  Waterfowl migration continues to build; lots of geese can be seen passing over at the end of the month.
  Bald Eagle nest building and maintenance begins.
  Great Horned Owl males begin hooting in nesting territory.
  Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers arrive.
  Orionids meteor shower is late-October.

Courtesy of UF IFAS Florida Wildlife Extension

Birds

Northeast Florida: Look for migrating Peregrine falcons in natural areas, especially along the coast as they follow shorebird prey.
Warbler migration peaks early this month.
Peak in chimney swift migrations in South Florida
Sandhill cranes that nested in more northern latitudes begin to move down to join our resident birds.
Ducks begin to arrive for the winter
Grosbeaks, warblers, tanagers, orioles, and thrushes begin migrating south for the winter

Mammals
Flying squirrels will be moving into pecan groves as the nuts ripen.
Black bears feeding heavily in preparation for winter
Amphibians
Flatwoods salamanders breed with the first rains of the October.

Insects
Monarch butterfly migration nears its peak along Florida's Gulf coast. Many can be seen at St. Marks Wildlife Refuge.

Fish
Redfish and trout move up creeks and rivers in north Florida
Fall spawning of redear sunfish
Largemouth bass activein cooler waters

Plants and Trees
Plant trees and shrubs, like holly and dogwood, that produce berries to feed wildlife.
Blazing star, summer farewell and other wildflowers bloom in pine uplands