Nature News
Kettles Full of Hawks
Autumn is the perfect time to look up and appreciate the creatures above us who have been triggered by the colder temperatures and shorter days to do the seemingly impossible: fly thousands of miles to a new land with no guarantee of good weather, rest, or food along the way. October 12 marked the 25th annual International Migratory Bird Day, a celebration meant to further migratory bird conservation by centering a worldwide campaign around the world's major migratory bird corridors.
Hunting in Plain Sight
Barn Owls are a globally distributed species, with some individuals exhibiting a reddish-brown color, while other members are white. For a nocturnal hunter, you might predict that being all white would make it difficult to sneak up on prey, especially on nights when the moon is full. That's the hypothesis put forth by researchers Luis M. San-Jose and Alexandre Roulin. Surprisingly what other researchers found was the opposite!
Migration! It's not Just for Birds & Butterflies
When you think of migration, most individuals think of birds and butterflies making arduous journeys to warmer places with abundant food. Many are amazed to hear that migration also encompasses species of whales, fish, bats, sea turtles, and surprisingly, dragonflies. The migratory behavior of dragonflies is something that has been documented since the 1880's. However, as with most migration phenomena, the process is poorly understood including what prompts migration, its southernmost reach, and the paths taken to arrive at wintering grounds.
Small, Slimy Signs of Spring
The start of spring brings swaths of yellow to the Nature Center--daffodils, forsythia, and the intrusively ubiquitous celandine all are in glorious bloom. Also, highly anticipated in the spring is the revival of Nanderwhere Pond, the Nature Center's largest standing body of water. Despite its surface stillness, the pond begins to seethe with internal life as the months get warmer.
A Day to Reflect on the Past, Present, and Future of Our Earth
Earth Day was established on April 20, 1970. This annual event was created to draw attention to environmental issues and create meaningful, legislative action regarding our natural resources. The impact of Earth Day spread to a global scale in 1990, as a way to mark the 20th anniversary of the holiday. Today, almost 200 countries participate in Earth Day, with 1 billion people working to impact global strategies and individual behaviors to protect our planet.