Autumn Leaf Watch, Weekly Report

REGION 1: Evangeline Trail

Pockets of brilliant colour remain to be enjoyed along the Evangeline Trail. Look for individual trees dazzling against the soft tones of the bare branches or shuffle through a delightful carpet of leaves.

• Site 1, Arcadia: Take in a gentler autumn as you walk along Arcadia's Uktobok Trail. At the look-off, absorb the serenity of autumn in this panoramic view of the marsh with its yellowing grasses and warm copper-toned ferns.

• Site 6, Bear River: The maples along the River Road in Bear River remain a glorious mass of yellow and orange, thanks to the sheltering effect of the ravine. When the wind is calm and the tide is high, look for this splendour mirror-imaged on the river.

• Site 9, White Rock Ravine: Fall continues to put on a good show at White Rock Ravine where only five to 10 per cent of the leaves have fallen. Bright splashes of yellow and orange scattered amidst the evergreens make it a must-see. Birders take note, a barred owl was recently observed there!

• Near Site 10, Halls Harbour: Patches of autumn foliage sparkle on the hillside as you ascend North Mountain from Highway 221, vivid against the soft tones of the bare branches. In Halls Harbour, walk along the eco-trail where half of the maple and birch leaves remain to delight the eye while the other half create a colourful carpet underfoot.

• Site 11, The Look-off (North of Canning): From the Look-off, see how autumn continues to sew colour into the patchwork quilt of the valley. Bring your binoculars to spot the deer grazing below. You won't need them to watch the eagles seen recently soaring at eye level!

• -REGION 2: Glooscap and Sunrise Trail

Autumn beauty can still be found along the Glooscap and Sunrise Trail even though peak colour has passed. Look for a mosaic of golds, yellows and orange-rusts in the hardwoods, radiant reds in the blueberry fields and glowing russet tones in the marsh grasses.

• Near Site 13, Gore: Bright yellow spilling over the hills as far as the eye can see. That's the rewarding view awaiting you at the top of Courthouse Hill in Gore. Although maples are losing their leaves, birch and aspen are still at their peak. Brilliant red blueberry fields are a joy to behold.

• Site 16, Shubenacadie: The rolling farmland of Shubenacadie is a patchwork quilt. Orange, yellow, gold and flecks of red make the stitching around the green and brown fields. Come and enjoy the fabric before the leaves fall!

• Site 19, Kirkhill: The blueberry fields at Kirkhill are aglow with red. Yellow sugar maples, highlighted against the deep green conifers, lends the last bit of autumn colour to the surrounding hills.

• Site 21, Amherst: A rippling sea of russet grasses is almost mesmerizing. Tantramar Marsh at Amherst is in lustrous, peak colour.

• Site 24, Wallace: A palette of autumn colour adorns the shoreline of Wallace Harbour. Admire the reds in the maple and mountain-ash, bright yellows in the birch, aspen and ash, orange in the sugar maple and golden grasses before the moment passes.

For a ghostly good time, bring the kids to the Halloween Tole Painting Workshop at the Fundy Geological Museum in Parrsboro, Saturday, Oct. 30, from 10 a.m. to noon. Then dress up for the Halloween Party from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Bring a food bank item for your entry to the fun!

REGION 3: Cape Breton Island

Oranges and yellows dominate the autumn colour in Cape Breton. Although peak fall foliage has passed at most sites, there is still a wealth of warm colour to admire. Plan your trip to catch the last of autumn gold.

• Site 31, Mabou Salt Marsh: The grasses of Mabou Salt Marsh shimmer with rusty orange. Splashes of yellow from the birch and aspen contribute to the tempered glow.

• Site 36, Cape North: The shades of yellow -- lemon, canary, gold and amber -- are the colours of the moment at Cape North. With leaves wafting down, a lattice-work of branches appears in the heart of the forest, providing artistic texture to the last flash of autumn.

• Site 39, Long Island: As you look across St. Andrews Channel, with Boularderie Island in the distance, delight in the warm peak colour now engulfing Long Island. It's a gentle blend of yellow and rusty orange.

• Near Site 41, Island View: Soft oranges and yellows clad the islands in Lake Bras d'Or near Island View. Across the lake, the rolling East Bay Hills are decked in the same palette of peak colour.

• Site 43, Martinique: The scenic vista at Martinique overlooking Isle Madame and Lennox Passage provides a lovely view of wetlands, water and hardwoods which are now a blend of orange and yellow, spiced up with a small dash of red. Catch the colour while it lasts.

• Site 46 to 45, Salt Mountain to Marble Mountain: All stages of autumn are on display as you drive from Salt Mountain to Marble Mountain. Alders and apples are still green; larch have just begun their transition to yellow; aspen are at their peak in radiant yellow; while white ash and red maple are bare. You'll find most of the colour low on the mountain slopes where beech, sugar maple and aspen glow with golden hues.

REGION 4: Marine Drive and Halifax-Dartmouth

Vivid patches of colour against muted barren trees, tufts of yellow goldenrods amid the reclining orange grasses of the salt marsh are the contrasts of tones and texture delight the eye along Marine Drive. The tree-lined streets of Dartmouth and Halifax create brilliant fall corridors.

• Site 49, Stillwater: While driving through Stillwater, you will find individual trees with spectacular colour in the low lying areas and along the edges of the lakes and rivers. They are brilliant against the structural beauty of the softly hued, barren hardwoods.

• Site 57, Chezzetcook: The marsh along Highway 104 at Chezzetcook is a rusty-orange blanket embroidered with the yellow bloom of goldenrods. It's a perfect foil for the blue sky mirrored in Chezzetcook Inlet.

• Site 60, Dartmouth: Take in the fresh autumn air on a walk along Lake Banook's multi-use trail to catch autumn's last fling in Dartmouth. Exuberant peak colour spills across the lake from the rolling wooded hillside, especially stunning in the early morning sun. Extend this beautiful walk by following the trail underneath the Micmac overpass into Shubenacadie Park.

• Site 60, Halifax: Visit the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History and be additionally rewarded by the vibrant trees around the grounds. Walk over to the Public Gardens where you'll find wonderful colour in an assortment of exotic trees. Take a moment to watch the swans gliding through a paint pot of reflections.

Transform autumn leaves into lions, owls or peacocks with designer David Carter during the Animal Leaf Workshop, Saturday, Nov. 6, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History. Call 424-3563 to register now so your kids won't be disappointed!

Come to Oakfield Park for the Orienteering Association's Harvest Crunch, Saturday, Nov. 20, at noon. Use a map and compass to find your way through the fallen leaves.

REGION 5: Lighthouse Route

The last gems of autumn colour along the Lighthouse Route include the glorious deep reds in the shrubs, gold and bronze in the hardwoods, and yellow in the beach and marsh grasses. Although peak colour has past, lovely colours still abound.

• Site 61, Prospect: Burgundy cloaks the barrens around scenic Prospect. Immerse yourself in the gorgeous colours of bearberry, crowberry and cranberry on a coastal hike. Meet at the church at the end of the paved road in Prospect on Sunday, Nov. 7, at 9:45 a.m., or join a car pool at the Museum of Natural History staff parking lot at 9 a.m. The rain date is Sunday, Nov. 14.

• Site 68, Kejimkujik: Yellow aspen and birch shine against the deep green of the conifers in Kejimkujik. It's the last bright colour of autumn. In the meadows, a gentle purple spreads through the shrubs. Brilliant red and orange leaves lie scattered along the paths creating nostalgic pleasure of a season passing.

• Site 69, Milton: The sugar maples beside the cascading waters of the dam on the Mersey River in Milton are every shade of yellow. Enjoy the golden feel of fall's farewell at a site of special beauty.

• Site 70, Port Joli: Golds, burnished oranges and yellows in the birch, oak and aspen are now the prime colours in the hardwoods at Port Joli. Splashes of ruby can still be savoured in the highbush-cranberry and huckleberry.

• Near Site 71, Crescent Beach: In the back harbour of Crescent Beach, yellow marsh grasses quiver in the sea breeze. Although most trees around the picturesque town of Lockeport have shed their leaves, low shrubs still glow with a rich, deep red.

Meet a witch, get spooked in a haunted house and join the costume parade at the Halloween party in the East Chester Recreation Hall on Saturday, Oct. 30, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Autumn Leaf Watch highlights are on the web at http://explore.gov.ns.ca/leaf and on the North American toll-free Leaf Line at 1-877-353-5323 (LEAF).

For additional information, call Autumn Leaf Watch at 902-424- 3727.