As the beaver moon of November gives way to the full cold
moon of December, Cleveland Metroparks takes on a new appearance.
The browns of autumn gradually give way to patches of brilliant
white as winter snows begin to fall. Wildlife reckon with
the radical changes of the season by altering their behavior,
finding heavy cover, or like Cleveland Metroparks groundhogs,
ignoring the season altogether in a long winter's hibernation.
December is a time of reckoning, a time to look back at the
year and an exciting time to plan the new year to come. Overhead
in the night sky Orion the hunter rises in the east, signaling
the start of winter. The change in seasons creates many changes
in wildlife behavior, too, as feeding strategies are altered
by the cold and snow.
As the last of the migrating Canada geese move south, they
may be joined by snow geese, white geese with telltale black
wing tips.
Open water remains at most refuges and rivers until month's
end. Watch for late-migrating ducks such as shoveler ducks
and the fish eating red-breasted mergansers.
Bucks' antlers become brightly polished as the breeding
season continues from October and November. Territorial
battles are rare, but the rattling antlers of combatants
can sometimes be heard in Mill Stream Run and Brecksville
reservations. When you spot a deer, look for others nearby!
SECOND WEEK
Birds-
If winter hasn't been too harsh thus far, some of Hinckley
Reservation's buzzards may still be seen circling over
head at midday. As food becomes scarce, they will gradually
drift to more southerly locations for the winter.
Cedar waxwings begin to harvest the summer's crop of
over-ripe berries. The fermented sugars in the berries
turn to alcohol and the happily inebriated little birds
occasionally lose all sense of direction, propriety and
flight when the alcohol-laden berries warm their tiny
stomachs.
Tree-
Many oaks and beeches will hold dead leaves on their
branches all winter. Spring growth sheds the golden brown
mantle of old leaves, thus allowing the forest to gain
two layers of nutrients each year. The rustle of leaves
in the winter wind is a sharp contrast to the quiet of
snowy meadows.
Certain witch hazels in sheltered locations continue
to bloom this week.
THIRD WEEK
Birds-
Each year at this time the National Audubon Society sponsors
a nationwide "Christmas Count" of birds remaining on the
wintering grounds. Contact a Cleveland Metroparks nature
center for information on this year's Christmas Count.
If open water remains, ruddy ducks, common mergansers
and goldeneye ducks should be passing through this week.
These are generally the last of the fall migrants.
Mammals-
Cold, snowy weather and limited food resources mean the
temporary disappearance of winter-sleeping mammals like
the raccoon, opossum and skunk. They may awaken from time
to time to feed as winter passes.
Deer tracks in the winter snow tell tales of evening
adventures in Rocky River, Brecksville, Hinckley, Bedford,
and North Chagrin reservations. Follow a set of tracks
and try to imagine what the deer were doing there, and
why.
FOURTH WEEK
Birds-
Tufted titmice and chickadees should be willing to take
sunflower seeds from friendly hands at Brecksville and
North Chagrin nature centers from now until the end of
winter. Bring a pocketful of seeds and make a new bird
friend this week!
As winter begins officially this week, watch leafless
trees in deep Cleveland Metroparks forests for barred
and great horned owls.
Mammals-
Chipmunks have become scarce as they "hole up" for the
winter. These farsighted little squirrels depend on acorns,
seeds and nuts carefully stored in underground caches
for their winter food. They remain active underground
until March.
The last of Cleveland Metroparks groundhogs should be
carefully tucked away in their burrows and hibernating
until early spring.
