(9/2019)
September - a time where summer weather slows down and
begins to creep into the cooler fall weather. Take a
moment to look outside and listen. There are no wild
animals being born, flowers showing their brilliant colors
have disappeared, there are no more frogs calling, and the
pollen that makes so many of us sneeze is no longer piling
on our cars. To most, things seem quiet in the temperate
forests of Pennsylvania where the leaves are turning to
reds and yellows in fall. However, if you look closely
there is an explosion of activity.
Young and old together in massive
numbers are on the move from their breeding grounds to
escape the inevitable onslaught of snow that blankets the
forest floor. Some of this you can see as the animals
migrate in large groups during the day, while others like
to travel in smaller numbers during the night. Migration
is our chance to catch a glimpse at different animals and
their amazing journeys.
Let us first take a look in the
sky. There are two different paths for the sky, which are
transcontinental and transoceanic. Transcontinental takes
them over land, whereas transoceanic takes them over the
ocean for one non-stop flight. Soaring high above us
during the day, using updrafts of air to aid them in their
flights, are the birds of prey. Broad-winged Hawks are the
best of them when it comes to numbers. Thousands can fill
the sky in a single day, providing a mesmerizing sight
that blankets the sky. On a rare occasion one might be
able to see a Golden Eagle with its brilliant golden neck,
which is typically a western species, and rivals the Bald
Eagle in size.
If you take a look in the trees
you might catch a glimpse of small birds, songbirds,
jumping from branch to branch eating all the bugs they can
catch. These small birds went through a metamorphosis, or
molting in bird terms, from dazzling yellows, oranges,
reds, and blues that we all love to their more drab
colors, which makes them all appear somewhat the same.
These are a challenge and a sight to behold. Unlike the
birds of prey that migrate during the day, songbirds, like
warblers, migrate during the night and land to feed during
the day. You may only have a single day to witness certain
bird species that migrate.
Birds, of course, are not the only
species that rule the sky during migration. A certain
butterfly has to travel 3,000 miles from North America to
Mexico in order to survive. This butterfly is the Monarch.
Monarchs are one of the only butterflies to migrate and do
so typically in large groups. Even though they migrate
they still hibernate once they get to their wintering
grounds. The most unique aspect about a monarch’s
migration is that they will return to the same trees as
last winter, even though they are not the same
butterflies.
Flight is the best way to travel
long distances quickly, but when we take a look at the
ground level, some species find migration a bit too
difficult. Instead, they must find other means to survive
the impending winter. These animals must battle it out to
store or eat as much food as they can before it is gone.
This helps to build up their fat stores to keep them warm
throughout the cold winter months. By doing this they are
getting ready for hibernation. Hibernation is when an
animal’s heart rate, breathing rate, and metabolic rate
slows down to survive long periods of sleep. They only
have a couple of months to do so and September is the
start.
Most think of mammals as the only
ones to hibernate, however there are many more that do so.
Bears are one of the best examples of prime hibernators.
They start by foraging for food and eating whatever they
can find. Once they are filled to the brim they will
search for a hibernaculum, a place that they use to
hibernate in, and go into a deep slumber to wait out the
winter when there is nothing to eat. They use the fat they
built up as food for almost six months while they are
hibernating. Once the snow and the chill of winter fades
and the forests come to life, they re-emerge with
offspring that are born in January.
The lesser-known hibernators are
the frogs and snakes, which go through a prosses similar
to hibernation called brumation. Brumation is used by
cold-blooded species, and each have their own unique
methods. One species of frog, the Wood Frog, will start to
burrow beneath leaves to wait for the cold bite of the
winter frost. When the frost penetrates deep into the
ground it also penetrates into the frog and freezes it.
There is no heartbeat nor breathing. Everything is still.
However, there is life. The frog’s organs are intact with
their natural antifreeze in the form of sugar and special
cells. Once the frost thaws, so do the frogs, which hop
into spring for a new start. Unlike the Wood Frog, snakes
do not freeze. Snakes will go deep underground into caves
or holes in large numbers to escape the cold. They don’t
go in search of their own species either. All different
types of species can be found within a hibernaculum
huddling and waiting out the cold.
September - a time of action. Take
a walk outside and if you pay close attention you will see
and hear the commotion of animals scurrying around and the
shadows of birds soaring above you to collect food or move
south. September is the last month or so before most life
in our forests takes a break or leaves for the winter, so
take one last glimpse at the brilliant colors and animals
that surround you, or you will have to wait out the cold
just like the animals to get your next chance.
Read Other Articles by Danny Stoner
Strawberry Hill Nature Preserve
and Environmental Center is a non-profit environmental
education and conservation organization located in the
foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of south-central
Pennsylvania in Fairfield, Pennsylvania. To learn more
about all they offer, we encourage you to visit them at
1537 Mt Hope Rd, Fairfield, PA 17320, or visit them
on-line at
www.strawberryhill.org
