Fall, A Season Of Transition And Preparation

Many of us think of Fall as the transitional period that denotes the end of summer, and the beginning of the school year.  It also signifies time to harvest some of our staple foods, such as Corn, Apples, Melons. If these foods sound like the beginning of a Holiday meal-there’s a reason, it is some of the last foods we are able to harvest before the hard frosts and winter arrive. It’s no different for the animals-they are busy collecting the last of the Acorns, berries, and even some of our favorites Pumpkin, Corn, and Apples!  Fall is a very dynamic time of year for Nature. There is a very complex and furious level of activity affecting everything  from Plants, Animals and yes…even us!

The change in the length of day translates into less hours of daylight. Along with the change in the angle of  the sun . This sets into motion preparations for the next season. Winter.  This affects ALL living things during this season, even us. Animals that can adapt-Start to change physically. The reduced amount of sun sets into motion chemical changes that encourage fat reserves to top off! Other changes include additional fur or feathers to cover vulnerable exposed areas such as feet, on ears and the extremities Food is stashed away for the leaner times to come. Animals that cannot adapt will undergo the same physical changes however, Mammals like Bears, cannot and do not have food caches, and are unable to migrate, so they Hibernate. There is some controversy over hibernation.  TRUE hibernation is an almost fatal slowing of metabolism-an almost undetectable heart rate. They do NOT awaken every few days to eat-their food supply has vanished. Waking during a hibernation-which sometimes occurs due to premature unseasonably warm weather-usually has a fatal outcome. Some animals do experience lethargic physical conditions, and sleep for long periods of time to conserve their reserves, but do awaken often to eat. That is not a true hibernation, but, a defense mechanism to stay alive-by sleeping for long periods, they lessen the demands on their fat reserves. Animals that find they are unable to adapt physically, do not hibernate, and are unable to sustain themselves on the diminished food supply- have no other choice but to migrate to more favorable conditions where their food source is sustainable. Here in Florida we benefit from these temporary visitors taking advantage of our climate. The migrating people usually aren’t too far behind!

Be on the lookout for unusual visitors in your neighborhood and at your birdfeeders!  Get out and join a Hawk or Bird watch birding experience! Many birds of Prey start to nest from December on. Prior to this, they make practice aerial displays-such as an Osprey, making wide almost corkscrew like circles and dives. Be on the look out for them flying with large sticks in their Talons, as maintenance gets underway in last years nest!  Many will arrive near their potential site and have been spotted staking it out as early as a couple of months ahead of mating! Keep your eyes open for Warblers.  For those of you that do not know what a Warbler is, I am sure you have probably seen one. Warblers are tiny birds that many mistake for baby birds. They are fully grown-so much so that many complete journeys of hundreds of miles to land in your back yard! Many arrive so exhausted, they slam into buildings often with fatal results, but, many with some TLC are back on their feet-given some quiet recovery time. Florida has about 12 species of Warbler that may migrate to visit us from as far away as Canada, and S America. The epic flight they undertake each year is astonishing when you see how truly small those little wings are! Many people have asked me why they migrate to here? Animals migrate for survival.  If they are unable to overcome adverse conditions that affect their survival, they migrate to a place with more favorable conditions. Bugs & warm temps put us near the top of the list!

During the late Summer to Fall, Warblers will begin to appear, many from south of the Equatorial belt, where weather there is very different to here this time of year. Some come from up north. Many crash into windows-as the reflection in the windows is of the sky, and trees behind them and disorients them.  Fatigue is also a factor.

IF you come across an injured bird, get a small box, poke ventilation holes in it, line with paper towels, and gently with your hand protected, place the bird into the box. WARM, DARK and QUIET is the key. Put in a closet, or quiet place-Human sounds cause stress. Due to it’s possible neurological damage, do not introduce food or water. Call your local Wildlife Authority. Do Not Open the box-Humans are viewed as deadly predators-stress can kill a healthy bird! If it has recovered, it may get loose in your home-then you will have a whole new set of problems.

For those of you in the colder climates- here it comes…The yearly debate on Hummingbird feeders. There’s always a question “When should we bring them in? “The food source may delay or stop the hummers from migrating.”  The length of day also affects Hummingbirds! They WILL migrate when they are physically ready, just like everything else. Withdrawing the food prematurely may take those last few precious calories away that will enable them to make their flight!  Here is another subject that comes up every year.  Birdbath heaters! Ever year there are reports of birds leaving heated birdbaths and dropping to the ground dead! Simple physics, if the ambient temperature-the atmospheric temperature WHERE your birdbath is near or below freezing-DO NOT USE ONE!! Birds have very fast metabolism and become hypothermic when their only defense against the cold-the thick short down feather undercoat they have is soaked and they come into contact with air that is at freezing temps! Use caution when temps start to drop below 40, and withdraw it!
Recommended Reading: 
Winter World By: Bernd Heinrich 
The Raptor Almanac By: Scott Weidensaul
See my other Environmental Articles @ UTalkNews.com
Wandering About Nature Today