Bare trees and autumn ferns in Beaver Lake Nature Center, New York, USA

© Chris Murray/Alam

Lakeside serenity

Some of the best things about many parts of America are the amazing colourful displays across the landscape – especially when autumn arrives on the other side of the globe. While the trees here in Beaver Lake Nature Center, near Syracuse, New York, are already bare, the ferns here cast a radiant reflection on the water. This 267-hectare natural area contains an 80-hectare glacial lake that draws migrating Canadian geese to its shores. Visitors may also see more than 200 species of other birds and over 800 varieties of plants. The popular location is also typically a destination for cross-country skiing in the winter, as well as kayaking and canoeing in the summer months.