Most North American shorebirds breed in the Arctic and winter on southern coasts; exceptions include species that summer in the U.S., such as spotted sandpipers, mountain plovers, upland sandpipers and long-billed curlews. But the most widespread and conspicuous inland shorebird is the killdeer.
Killdeer are robin-sized plovers that are easily recognized by their two black breast bands and loud, piercing call; in flight, their white wing bars and rusty tail feathers aid identification. They are often seen on mudflats along reservoirs and large rivers but also favor short grass areas such as lawns, grazed fields, airports and cemeteries. State Parks with lakes or reservoirs, offering both mudflats and mowed grasslands, are usually the best place to observe them.
Breeding throughout most of the lower forty-eight and southern Canada, killdeer nest on the ground, keeping predators at bay with their aggressive and noisy displays; should this behavior fail, they often resort to the "broken wing act," hobbling away to divert the predator's attention. Usually seen in pairs, these plovers may gather on favored feeding grounds and often migrate in small flocks. Most winter throughout the southern half of the U.S. but some may be found as far north as the Great Lakes.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Tibet and Appalachia
At first glance, the Tibet and Appalachian Plateaus appear to have nothing in common. The first is a high, stark, arid landscape while the latter is a heavily vegetated, humid swath of ridges and valleys. And while the Appalachian Plateau covers a large area, from Upstate New York to northern Alabama, the Tibet Plateau, the largest highland region in the history of our planet, is equal to half the area of the lower 48 States.
But from a natural history perspective, the two Plateaus were formed in a similar manner and may have looked much alike at different times in Earth's history. During the Permian Period, about 250 million years ago, the North American and African Plates collided as the megacontinent of Pangea formed. This collision forced up the Southern Appalachians and the adjacent Appalachian Plateau. Much later, about 55 million years ago, the Indian subcontinent began to collide with southern Asia, a process that continues today. This impact created the Himalayas and forced up the Tibet Plateau.
Over time, erosion has taken a toll on the Appalachians, where maximum elevations are now below 7000 feet. By contrast, the young Himalayas harbor the highest peaks on earth and the Tibet Plateau has an average elevation over 16,000 feet. Of interest, the Tibet region was originally formed by four separate exotic terranes that merged (in sequence) with the southern edge of Central Asia; mimicking the assembly of the Western U.S., this process occured during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic Eras, well before the Cenozoic uplift.
But from a natural history perspective, the two Plateaus were formed in a similar manner and may have looked much alike at different times in Earth's history. During the Permian Period, about 250 million years ago, the North American and African Plates collided as the megacontinent of Pangea formed. This collision forced up the Southern Appalachians and the adjacent Appalachian Plateau. Much later, about 55 million years ago, the Indian subcontinent began to collide with southern Asia, a process that continues today. This impact created the Himalayas and forced up the Tibet Plateau.
Over time, erosion has taken a toll on the Appalachians, where maximum elevations are now below 7000 feet. By contrast, the young Himalayas harbor the highest peaks on earth and the Tibet Plateau has an average elevation over 16,000 feet. Of interest, the Tibet region was originally formed by four separate exotic terranes that merged (in sequence) with the southern edge of Central Asia; mimicking the assembly of the Western U.S., this process occured during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic Eras, well before the Cenozoic uplift.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Front Range Snow
Metro Denver sits in the southwestern corner of a broad, topographic wedge that is bordered by the Front Range, to the west, and the highlands of the Palmer Divide ridge, to the south and southeast. Drained by the South Platte River and its tributaries, this wedge slopes gradually downward to the northeast.
Winds that blow into Denver from the West, South or Southeast descend from higher terrain; since air compresses, warms up and dries out as it descends, the bordering high country keeps the Metro Area dry and sunny much of the time. Then again, March is the snowiest month in Denver as Pacific storms track across the Southwestern States, pulling in moisture from the High Plains and forcing it to rise as it nears the Rockies; rising air cools and expands, triggering precipitation. For Metro Denver to receive significant snowfall, the storm must create a wind field that pulls moisture in from the northeast; storms that produce this scenario generally track along the Colorado-New Mexico line.
Yesterday, as I drove into Colorado, a Pacific storm had pulled out of southern California and was moving across Arizona and New Mexico, producing heavy snows in the southwestern mountains. Ahead of this system, southeast winds were blowing across the High Plains and, by the time I reached Flagler, Colorado, a dense, icy fog had developed; this fog persisted through Limon and onto the south-facing slopes of the Palmer Divide. Once again, the moist flow was rising from lower terrain in southern Colorado and, as it reached its dew point, the dense fog developed. As I descended northward from the summit of the Divide, the fog dissipated and only high clouds obscured the sun.
Though the National Weather Service had predicted heavy snow for Denver, we ended up with only two inches. The heavy snow fell in the southern mountains (San Juans and Sangre de Cristos) and across the south side of the Palmer Divide. The storm had tracked across central New Mexico and a potent upslope flow never developed in Denver. Having lived in the area for 25 years, I have noticed that national forecasters often forget to consider the effects of the Palmer Divide when making their predictions!
Winds that blow into Denver from the West, South or Southeast descend from higher terrain; since air compresses, warms up and dries out as it descends, the bordering high country keeps the Metro Area dry and sunny much of the time. Then again, March is the snowiest month in Denver as Pacific storms track across the Southwestern States, pulling in moisture from the High Plains and forcing it to rise as it nears the Rockies; rising air cools and expands, triggering precipitation. For Metro Denver to receive significant snowfall, the storm must create a wind field that pulls moisture in from the northeast; storms that produce this scenario generally track along the Colorado-New Mexico line.
Yesterday, as I drove into Colorado, a Pacific storm had pulled out of southern California and was moving across Arizona and New Mexico, producing heavy snows in the southwestern mountains. Ahead of this system, southeast winds were blowing across the High Plains and, by the time I reached Flagler, Colorado, a dense, icy fog had developed; this fog persisted through Limon and onto the south-facing slopes of the Palmer Divide. Once again, the moist flow was rising from lower terrain in southern Colorado and, as it reached its dew point, the dense fog developed. As I descended northward from the summit of the Divide, the fog dissipated and only high clouds obscured the sun.
Though the National Weather Service had predicted heavy snow for Denver, we ended up with only two inches. The heavy snow fell in the southern mountains (San Juans and Sangre de Cristos) and across the south side of the Palmer Divide. The storm had tracked across central New Mexico and a potent upslope flow never developed in Denver. Having lived in the area for 25 years, I have noticed that national forecasters often forget to consider the effects of the Palmer Divide when making their predictions!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
High Plains Sandhills
On my trip back to Colorado, today, I observed a flock of migrating sandhill cranes in western Kansas. Heading for their staging grounds along the Platte River of central Nebraska, they were no doubt taking advantage of southeast winds ahead of the approaching Pacific storm.
After wintering in Mexico, Texas, and New Mexico, the cranes begin heading toward Nebraska in mid-late February, covering up to 500 miles a day. The Platte River Valley is their major staging area before moving on to Canada, Alaska and Siberia. Over half a million sandhills inhabit the Valley during the month of March, roosting in the River shallows and feeding on adjacent fields. Corn is their primary food but they also consume tubers, worms, insects and other invertebrates.
By the second week in April, most will depart for breeding grounds to the north. Lesser sandhill cranes, which make up 80% of the Platte River population, will summer in the Arctic, favoring the tundra of northernmost Canada, Alaska's North Slope and northeastern Siberia. Greater sandhills nest from northern Minnesota into Manitoba while Canadian sandhills (intermediate in size) breed across the mid latitudes of Canada.
After wintering in Mexico, Texas, and New Mexico, the cranes begin heading toward Nebraska in mid-late February, covering up to 500 miles a day. The Platte River Valley is their major staging area before moving on to Canada, Alaska and Siberia. Over half a million sandhills inhabit the Valley during the month of March, roosting in the River shallows and feeding on adjacent fields. Corn is their primary food but they also consume tubers, worms, insects and other invertebrates.
By the second week in April, most will depart for breeding grounds to the north. Lesser sandhill cranes, which make up 80% of the Platte River population, will summer in the Arctic, favoring the tundra of northernmost Canada, Alaska's North Slope and northeastern Siberia. Greater sandhills nest from northern Minnesota into Manitoba while Canadian sandhills (intermediate in size) breed across the mid latitudes of Canada.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Cold Rain
For those of us who enjoy the outdoors, cold rain is surely the least welcome weather. While we can dress for frigid days, maneuver through the snow with boots or skis and endure the summer rains with a simple parka, cold rains chill you to the bone and few humans choose to venture outside. Such is the weather today in mid Missouri, with intermittent rain and temperatures in the thirties.
Unlike modern humans, wild creatures have little choice but to carry on with their daily routines. Their food does not come packaged for indoor consumption! Our backyard feeder, offering high calorie food without the energy expenditure of foraging, is busier than normal. The usual songbirds are visiting and a mixed group of fox and gray squirrels are searching the ground for fallen seed. Downy wood-peckers, chickadees, nuthatches and a couple of Carolina wrens are working on the suet block, which will be targeted by starlings later in the day.
Of course, these creatures would do just fine without our handouts and plenty of their wild cousins are out there in the cold rain, scouring the fields and woodlands for sustenance. And though some humans still live off the land, most of us are free to sit inside, munch on snacks and complain about the weather.
Unlike modern humans, wild creatures have little choice but to carry on with their daily routines. Their food does not come packaged for indoor consumption! Our backyard feeder, offering high calorie food without the energy expenditure of foraging, is busier than normal. The usual songbirds are visiting and a mixed group of fox and gray squirrels are searching the ground for fallen seed. Downy wood-peckers, chickadees, nuthatches and a couple of Carolina wrens are working on the suet block, which will be targeted by starlings later in the day.
Of course, these creatures would do just fine without our handouts and plenty of their wild cousins are out there in the cold rain, scouring the fields and woodlands for sustenance. And though some humans still live off the land, most of us are free to sit inside, munch on snacks and complain about the weather.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Surfing the Fronts
Just as surfers ride the edge of an oncoming wave, waterfowl move northward on southerly winds that precede an approaching front. Boosted by these winds, they follow major rivers from their wintering grounds to the prairie "pothole" wetlands of the Northern Plains and Canada.
Along their journey, these geese, ducks and coot stop to rest and feed on lakes, marshlands and flooded fields. The tide of the migrants peaks in mid to late March, coinciding with flood season across the Heartland, triggered by heavy rains and melting snow. It is thus a good time to visit local reservoirs and wetlands; plan to bring warm, waterproof clothing, binoculars and, if available, a spotting scope. In areas accessed by graveled roadways, using your car as a blind is especially effective when viewing waterfowl.
Diving ducks such as buffleheads, ring-necks, canvasbacks, redheads, goldeneyes, mergansers and scaup favor the deeper waters of lakes and reservoirs. Surface feeders, including mallards, gadwall, shovelers, wigeon, teal and coot are best found in backwaters or shallow wetlands. Geese rest on lakes but spend most of the day feeding in meadows and cropfields.
Along their journey, these geese, ducks and coot stop to rest and feed on lakes, marshlands and flooded fields. The tide of the migrants peaks in mid to late March, coinciding with flood season across the Heartland, triggered by heavy rains and melting snow. It is thus a good time to visit local reservoirs and wetlands; plan to bring warm, waterproof clothing, binoculars and, if available, a spotting scope. In areas accessed by graveled roadways, using your car as a blind is especially effective when viewing waterfowl.
Diving ducks such as buffleheads, ring-necks, canvasbacks, redheads, goldeneyes, mergansers and scaup favor the deeper waters of lakes and reservoirs. Surface feeders, including mallards, gadwall, shovelers, wigeon, teal and coot are best found in backwaters or shallow wetlands. Geese rest on lakes but spend most of the day feeding in meadows and cropfields.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Voyeurs of Pain
Religious people believe that man is inately good, instilled with God's divine spirit. I am inclined to believe that we are a product of our genes and our experience; the latter includes the influence of our families, our friends and our enemies alike.
One disturbing aspect of human culture is our fascination with suffering. Like the Romans and their Colisseum, modern societies exploit the misfortunes of others, offering entertainment that focuses on their pain. Cage fighting, "cop shows," reality series and the obsession with the dysfunctional lives of celebrities are just a few examples. Cable news websites invite you to "listen to the 911 call" or "watch as the parents plead for their son's life."
Whether man has a divinity that other animals lack is a matter of faith and speculation. All I know is that other creatures are not nearly as mean, vindictive and intolerant.
One disturbing aspect of human culture is our fascination with suffering. Like the Romans and their Colisseum, modern societies exploit the misfortunes of others, offering entertainment that focuses on their pain. Cage fighting, "cop shows," reality series and the obsession with the dysfunctional lives of celebrities are just a few examples. Cable news websites invite you to "listen to the 911 call" or "watch as the parents plead for their son's life."
Whether man has a divinity that other animals lack is a matter of faith and speculation. All I know is that other creatures are not nearly as mean, vindictive and intolerant.
Seasonably Erratic
Through this second week in March, our average high was about 50 degrees F in central Missouri. While fairly normal for this time of year, that average included one day in the 70s and a couple in the 30s. Over the years, meteorologists develop all kinds of "averages" for any date but, in any given year, the variance may be dramatic.
For a month like March, it is purely academic to use phrases like "unseasonably warm" or "much colder than average." Typified by frequent Pacific fronts which move across the country every few days, March is a roller coaster of warm and cold periods. Ahead of each front, warm, humid air streams northward from the Gulf of Mexico while, behind the front, cold, Canadian air plunges into the Heartland. By late March, as the higher sun angle and more northerly jet stream begin to moderate these erratic swings, warmer temperatures prevail. As a consequence, storm systems associated with the fronts become more potent and we enter the season of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms.
For a month like March, it is purely academic to use phrases like "unseasonably warm" or "much colder than average." Typified by frequent Pacific fronts which move across the country every few days, March is a roller coaster of warm and cold periods. Ahead of each front, warm, humid air streams northward from the Gulf of Mexico while, behind the front, cold, Canadian air plunges into the Heartland. By late March, as the higher sun angle and more northerly jet stream begin to moderate these erratic swings, warmer temperatures prevail. As a consequence, storm systems associated with the fronts become more potent and we enter the season of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Life in Motion
Sitting on a park bench and reading a book on a calm, spring day, one might relish the peace and stillness. But they would be mistaken.
The bench and its patron are firmly held to the Earth which, itself, is rotating at 1000 miles per hour. At the same time, our planet is hurtling through space at 67,000 miles per hour, on its annual journey around the sun. Not to be out done, our home star is circling the center of the Milky Way Galaxy at 486,000 miles per hour, taking about 225 million years to complete its circuit.
Of course, we Earthlings are oblivious to all of this motion, tied to the planet by the force of gravity. Only the spring breeze, moving through our protective atmospheric envelope, hints at the natural forces that govern our lives.
The bench and its patron are firmly held to the Earth which, itself, is rotating at 1000 miles per hour. At the same time, our planet is hurtling through space at 67,000 miles per hour, on its annual journey around the sun. Not to be out done, our home star is circling the center of the Milky Way Galaxy at 486,000 miles per hour, taking about 225 million years to complete its circuit.
Of course, we Earthlings are oblivious to all of this motion, tied to the planet by the force of gravity. Only the spring breeze, moving through our protective atmospheric envelope, hints at the natural forces that govern our lives.
Monday, March 10, 2008
The Mellow Bird
Most songbirds are nervous creatures, flitting among the shrubs and trees as they search for food, ever wary of the predators that stalk them from the ground or sky. A striking exception is the mourning dove, our placid, long-tailed neighbor with the melancholy song.
A common resident throughout the U.S. and southern Canada, smaller populations are found as far north as southern Alaska. Though they leave northern sections of their range during the colder months, these doves are hardy, managing to survive the winter on weed seeds and waste grain. Their soft, sad tune is heard by mid March and they are one of the earlier songbirds to nest, usually constructing a crude platform of sticks and straw on a low branch, window sill or directly on the ground. At least two broods are raised in the course of the spring and summer; their young, unlike the squawking, demanding offspring of many species, sit patiently on a tree limb, waiting for mom or dad to arrive with a meal of regurgitated seeds.
Common at backyard feeders, mourning doves lounge contentedly on nearby branches as other songbirds zip back and forth, chasing one another from the feeder perch. Now and then, they will drop to the ground, searching for morsels scattered by the frenzied mob. Despite their mellow nature, they are capable of very rapid flight and are legally hunted in a number of States.
A common resident throughout the U.S. and southern Canada, smaller populations are found as far north as southern Alaska. Though they leave northern sections of their range during the colder months, these doves are hardy, managing to survive the winter on weed seeds and waste grain. Their soft, sad tune is heard by mid March and they are one of the earlier songbirds to nest, usually constructing a crude platform of sticks and straw on a low branch, window sill or directly on the ground. At least two broods are raised in the course of the spring and summer; their young, unlike the squawking, demanding offspring of many species, sit patiently on a tree limb, waiting for mom or dad to arrive with a meal of regurgitated seeds.
Common at backyard feeders, mourning doves lounge contentedly on nearby branches as other songbirds zip back and forth, chasing one another from the feeder perch. Now and then, they will drop to the ground, searching for morsels scattered by the frenzied mob. Despite their mellow nature, they are capable of very rapid flight and are legally hunted in a number of States.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Snows over Gans Creek
Draped across a scenic gorge just south of Columbia, the Gans Creek Wild Area is a 750 acre refuge of forest, immature woodlands, meadows and cedar glades. On this first day of recovery from the recent winter relapse, I headed down to the preserve, equipped with my binos, as usual.
There seemed to be little rebound from the big chill. Though the topsoil was thawing and the trails were muddy, there was a winter-like silence on this early afternoon. Greenery was limited to the cedars, patches of moss and scattered outcrops of grass. The occasional feeding group of chickadees and titmice provided some background noise, which was dominated by the rustling of last year's oak leaves, dangling from barren limbs. The distant drumming of woodpeckers could be heard from time to time and a pair of pileateds moved among the mature forest atop the gorge. Cardinals and a lone mockingbird fed in the cedars while a trio of turkey vultures drifted above the limestone bluffs.
Though my visit was planned to check out the sights and sounds of this sprawling woodland, the highlight proved to be in the skies overhead. Several flocks of snow geese, no doubt delayed by the massive winter storm, headed north on a southerly breeze, restoring my faith that spring is nigh.
There seemed to be little rebound from the big chill. Though the topsoil was thawing and the trails were muddy, there was a winter-like silence on this early afternoon. Greenery was limited to the cedars, patches of moss and scattered outcrops of grass. The occasional feeding group of chickadees and titmice provided some background noise, which was dominated by the rustling of last year's oak leaves, dangling from barren limbs. The distant drumming of woodpeckers could be heard from time to time and a pair of pileateds moved among the mature forest atop the gorge. Cardinals and a lone mockingbird fed in the cedars while a trio of turkey vultures drifted above the limestone bluffs.
Though my visit was planned to check out the sights and sounds of this sprawling woodland, the highlight proved to be in the skies overhead. Several flocks of snow geese, no doubt delayed by the massive winter storm, headed north on a southerly breeze, restoring my faith that spring is nigh.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
March Monster
The latest winter storm was centered over West Virginia this morning and its cold front stretched from southern Florida to New England. Large and powerful, it raked the Southeast with severe thunderstorms and tornadoes and is now pulling in Atlantic moisture, dumping heavy rains across the East Coast States. Behind the front, heavy snow, up to two inches per hour, is falling sideways, whipped by north winds of forty miles per hour. Two feet of snow will eventually blanket the snowbelt, from northeast Ohio to Upstate New York, and some accumulation will occur as far south as Alabama and Georgia.
Back in Missouri, following a night in the low teens, the sun has returned and the wind has shifted to the southwest. We might reach forty today and should be in the low fifties by tomorrow afternoon. After another brush with winter, spring has regained control. We are experiencing the calm after the storm.
Back in Missouri, following a night in the low teens, the sun has returned and the wind has shifted to the southwest. We might reach forty today and should be in the low fifties by tomorrow afternoon. After another brush with winter, spring has regained control. We are experiencing the calm after the storm.
Friday, March 7, 2008
North of Winter
Over the past few days, a deep trough has formed across the Central U.S. as the jet stream took a broad dip to the south. Dropping from the Northern Rockies to the Southern Plains and then northeastward across the mid Mississippi Valley, it has been directing storms along its path. Since the heaviest precipitation develops at and near the interface of cold, dry air and warm, moist air, the greatest impact of the trough has occurred along its southern margin.
As a result, heavy snow fell across eastern Texas, northern Arkansas and southeastern Missouri while areas to the north have received little precipitation. Though temperatures have been very similar, we have enjoyed partly cloudy skies in Columbia while St. Louis, 80 miles to our southeast, received ten inches of snow; even heavier amounts fell in the Ozarks of northwest Arkansas, well to our southwest.
After another blast of Canadian air tonight, the trough is expected to flatten out, the winter conditions will push off to the northeast and warm air will move in from the southwest. Just another round in the fickle month of March.
As a result, heavy snow fell across eastern Texas, northern Arkansas and southeastern Missouri while areas to the north have received little precipitation. Though temperatures have been very similar, we have enjoyed partly cloudy skies in Columbia while St. Louis, 80 miles to our southeast, received ten inches of snow; even heavier amounts fell in the Ozarks of northwest Arkansas, well to our southwest.
After another blast of Canadian air tonight, the trough is expected to flatten out, the winter conditions will push off to the northeast and warm air will move in from the southwest. Just another round in the fickle month of March.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
The Natural Exercise
Aerobic exercise is an important component of a healthy lifestyle. It is essential to the prevention and management of heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity and type 2 diabetes; it can also play an important role in the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis, tension headaches, depression, constipation and a variety of stress disorders.
With all due respect to marathon runners, triatheletes and extreme sports enthusiasts, walking is the natural form of exercise. And while I appreciate and enjoy competitive sports, having been on swimming and baseball teams for most of my youth, many of them (especially contact sports) can produce a lot of wear and tear over the years. By contrast, man was designed to walk and, unless the individual is careless, walking provides plenty of benefits with minimal risk of injury.
The health benefits of walking are often underestimated. More than an exercise for the leg muscles, walking requires the use of abdominal, back, neck, foot and shoulder muscles, utilizes numerous tendons, ligaments and joints, has positive, weight-bearing effects on bone calcification and triggers a cascade of neuromuscular activity that is necessary for proper balance and coordination. Add to this the aerobic benefits of walking and you begin to appreciate the value of this activity. Finally, though surely not least important, is the stress-reducing effects of this exercise, a benefit that is accentuated in quiet, natural environments.
With all due respect to marathon runners, triatheletes and extreme sports enthusiasts, walking is the natural form of exercise. And while I appreciate and enjoy competitive sports, having been on swimming and baseball teams for most of my youth, many of them (especially contact sports) can produce a lot of wear and tear over the years. By contrast, man was designed to walk and, unless the individual is careless, walking provides plenty of benefits with minimal risk of injury.
The health benefits of walking are often underestimated. More than an exercise for the leg muscles, walking requires the use of abdominal, back, neck, foot and shoulder muscles, utilizes numerous tendons, ligaments and joints, has positive, weight-bearing effects on bone calcification and triggers a cascade of neuromuscular activity that is necessary for proper balance and coordination. Add to this the aerobic benefits of walking and you begin to appreciate the value of this activity. Finally, though surely not least important, is the stress-reducing effects of this exercise, a benefit that is accentuated in quiet, natural environments.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
The Drummers of Spring
Throughout the year, the tapping of woodpeckers is a common sound in woodlots, forest preserves and residential areas. Pecking at bark and dead limbs, these specialized feeders search for beetles and other insects, playing a major role in the protection of our woodlands.
Come March, the intensity of their drumming begins to peak as their mating season draws near. Using hollow limbs, wood siding or even metal downspouts, the males rely on percussion to attract females and to claim their territory. Some species, including flickers and red-bellied woodpeckers, combine this drumming with loud, vibrant calls, making them especially conspicuous throughout the early weeks of spring. For birders, March is the ideal month for woodpecker watching; their noisy behavior reveals their presence and the barren trees yield unobstructed viewing.
Midwestern suburbanites are most likely to see northern flickers and both downy and red-bellied woodpeckers in their yards. While hairy woodpeckers can be regular visitors to suet blocks, they tend to prefer more extensive woodlands. Red-headed woodpeckers are best found near lakes and major rivers, where they nest in colonies, usually in stands of drowned cottonwoods. Pileated woodpeckers, our largest North American species (unless the ivory-bill is still around) tend to inhabit forested areas but occasionally wander through the open woods of suburban parks. Finally, yellow-bellied sapsuckers, not yet moving on to more northern breeding grounds, are fairly common in a variety of habitats.
Come March, the intensity of their drumming begins to peak as their mating season draws near. Using hollow limbs, wood siding or even metal downspouts, the males rely on percussion to attract females and to claim their territory. Some species, including flickers and red-bellied woodpeckers, combine this drumming with loud, vibrant calls, making them especially conspicuous throughout the early weeks of spring. For birders, March is the ideal month for woodpecker watching; their noisy behavior reveals their presence and the barren trees yield unobstructed viewing.
Midwestern suburbanites are most likely to see northern flickers and both downy and red-bellied woodpeckers in their yards. While hairy woodpeckers can be regular visitors to suet blocks, they tend to prefer more extensive woodlands. Red-headed woodpeckers are best found near lakes and major rivers, where they nest in colonies, usually in stands of drowned cottonwoods. Pileated woodpeckers, our largest North American species (unless the ivory-bill is still around) tend to inhabit forested areas but occasionally wander through the open woods of suburban parks. Finally, yellow-bellied sapsuckers, not yet moving on to more northern breeding grounds, are fairly common in a variety of habitats.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
We are Star Dust
Current evidence indicates that the Big Bang occured 13.7 billion years ago and scientists believe that the first stars ignited within 200 million years. These original stars, forming from clouds of hydrogen and helium, were giants, thousands of times larger than our sun. Within their furnaces, heavier elements (oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, etc.) were formed during the process of fusion and, when these monster stars exploded as supernovae, even larger, heavier elements were created.
Over time, the formation and explosion of giant stars has enriched interstellar space with the building blocks of other stars, comets, asteroids, planets and life itself. As new stars formed within these clouds of debris, their gravity captured smaller remnants, leading to the development of solar systems; our sun ignited 5 billion years ago and the Earth formed 400 million years later.
All of the elements that make up the rocks, soil, air, fluids, fuels, metals, plants, animals, structures and fabrics of our planet are products of intrastellar or supernova fusion. We are star dust!
Over time, the formation and explosion of giant stars has enriched interstellar space with the building blocks of other stars, comets, asteroids, planets and life itself. As new stars formed within these clouds of debris, their gravity captured smaller remnants, leading to the development of solar systems; our sun ignited 5 billion years ago and the Earth formed 400 million years later.
All of the elements that make up the rocks, soil, air, fluids, fuels, metals, plants, animals, structures and fabrics of our planet are products of intrastellar or supernova fusion. We are star dust!
Monday, March 3, 2008
A Telling Wind
Yesterday, a strong southerly wind brought summer-like conditions to Missouri; persisting throughout the day, the gusty flow produced highs in the mid seventies. Unless a hurricane is nearby (very unlikely in the Midwest), such persistent winds herald the approach of a potent cold front. Flowing from an area of high pressure to a zone of low pressure, the winds sweep northward ahead of the advancing front; the greater the pressure gradient, the stronger the winds.
The front arrived last night, accompanied by thunderstorms and heavy rain. This morning, the wind has shifted to the northwest and regional temperatures will fall through the day, from the mid thirties to the mid twenties. Snow should develop by early afternoon as the center of low pressure moves along the front, from the Southern Plains to the Mississippi Valley; 2 to 4 inches is expected in our area.
Such dramatic swings in the weather are typical of March, when spring battles with winter. By later in the month, a higher sun angle and a more northerly jet stream will tip the balance and spring will gain control.
The front arrived last night, accompanied by thunderstorms and heavy rain. This morning, the wind has shifted to the northwest and regional temperatures will fall through the day, from the mid thirties to the mid twenties. Snow should develop by early afternoon as the center of low pressure moves along the front, from the Southern Plains to the Mississippi Valley; 2 to 4 inches is expected in our area.
Such dramatic swings in the weather are typical of March, when spring battles with winter. By later in the month, a higher sun angle and a more northerly jet stream will tip the balance and spring will gain control.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Harbingers of Spring
Though the equinox is still almost three weeks away, the early signs of spring are abundant across Missouri. Morning birdsong has returned in force, the topsoil is thawing and a variety of early bulb plants (winter aconites, snowdrops, crocuses, hyacinths) are beginning to appear. Earthworms are returning to the surface, attracting robins to our greening lawns and munching down the leaf litter that clogs our gardens and hedgerows.
Out in the wetlands, waterfowl are gathering to rest and feed on their journey to the north and the earliest frogs (chorus frogs and peepers) are singing from the shallows. In the fields, cottontails have produced their first litter of the season, just in time for the initial crop of dandelions. And in the woodlands, robins, cardinals and morning doves are pairing off while downy, great horned owlets are already peering from the nest.
While man concentrates on his calendar, counting the hours until the "first day of spring," wild creatures are more in tune with nature's cycles. They don't need an official decree to know that the season of renewal has begun.
Out in the wetlands, waterfowl are gathering to rest and feed on their journey to the north and the earliest frogs (chorus frogs and peepers) are singing from the shallows. In the fields, cottontails have produced their first litter of the season, just in time for the initial crop of dandelions. And in the woodlands, robins, cardinals and morning doves are pairing off while downy, great horned owlets are already peering from the nest.
While man concentrates on his calendar, counting the hours until the "first day of spring," wild creatures are more in tune with nature's cycles. They don't need an official decree to know that the season of renewal has begun.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Messy March
In the American Midwest, March is the messiest month. Cool, cloudy, breezy weather is the rule, with frequent rain or wet snow. At the same time, the ground is too cold to absorb this moisture and most of the shrubs and trees are still in their winter dormancy. The combination of these factors leads to flooded streams, soggy fields and muddy trails. Furthermore, the winter cold has put nature's housekeepers on hold, leaving plenty of leaves and dead vegetation to clog the woodlands and thickets.
But nature thrives under these conditions. While many humans prefer manicured lawns, clutter-free gardens and dry, even pathways, wild ecosystems depend on the seasonal buildup of nutrient-rich debris, which will fuel the growth of spring and early summer. Flooded fields offer vital rest stops for migrant shorebirds and waterfowl while ephemeral pools are the favored breeding sites for insects and amphibians. Without the mess of March, we could not enjoy the glorious landscape of May!
But nature thrives under these conditions. While many humans prefer manicured lawns, clutter-free gardens and dry, even pathways, wild ecosystems depend on the seasonal buildup of nutrient-rich debris, which will fuel the growth of spring and early summer. Flooded fields offer vital rest stops for migrant shorebirds and waterfowl while ephemeral pools are the favored breeding sites for insects and amphibians. Without the mess of March, we could not enjoy the glorious landscape of May!
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