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Previous Wildlife Reports
Winter Events at Oxley Nature Center
Butterflies Other Insects & Arthropods
Reptiles & Amphibians (Herps) Birds Mammals
Sky
| What's blooming? A few fall flowers like asters are still showing a brave bloom or two. Some spring flowers seem to believe that if there has been a freeze and a thaw, it must be time to flower. The usual December flowers are either already blooming or getting ready to bloom: dandelions (which actually bloom year-round), false rue anemone, dwarf nettle, and winter cress. | ||
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| On cold mornings, come out early in the day to look for "frost flowers." | ||
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| As the moisture reaches the cold air, it freezes. As the moisture freezes, it expands and bursts the plant's stalk; ice crystals are extruded through breaks in the plant's stem. They are so fragile that a touch of sun reaching the frost flower will cause its "petals" to sublimate directly into a puff of water vapor. |  |
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| Three species at Oxley Nature Center and Redbud Valley Nature Preserve are known or reported to produce frost flowers: Virginia crownbeard (Verbesina virginica), yellow wingstem (Verbesina alternifolia), and tinker's weed (Triosteum perfoliatum): | ||
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| Rattlesnake ferns managed to accomplish a second growing season after some of the fall rains, and you can find their foliage as well as some fruiting stalks. |  |
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| Fall foliage report: A few shrubs and trees are still putting on a show, even more spectacular against the drab grays and browns of the winter forest. Wahoo is living up to its nickname of "Flaming Wahoo" at the moment. You may notice some of the male Eastern red cedars looking very orange; a close look will reveal thousands of staminate flowers producing yellowish-orange pollen. Those of us with allergies to wind-borne cedar pollen don't need to look to know that the cedars have begun to bloom. The Eastern red cedars, a.k.a. junipers (Juniperus virginiana), that have small blue berry-like fruits are female trees. | ||
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| Butterflies: Believe it or not, we could still find freshly emerged Monarchs and Buckeyes! Some very tough and battered-looking Orange Sulphurs may still be out foraging, as well. Mourning Cloaks overwinter as adults, tucked into crevices in woodpiles and under decking, so it is not unusual to find them flying on mild winter days, searching for a dandelion flower or other nectar source. | ||
| Other insects and arthropods: The drought kept our mosquito population low this past summer and fall. However, if we get some rain or melted snow, December could be balmy enough to support a hatch. | ||
| The warmer days of late autumn and early winter are when we find daddy longlegs active. And as it turns cold, many cold-blooded creatures hunt for warm places to spend the winter. Sometimes they try to move indoors with us. If a few came in while you had the door standing open, don't worry about it; just scoop up the intruders in a jar and take them outside. However, a space large enough to admit dozens of daddy longlegs or several hundred ladybugs could be letting cold air in, too, this winter. Try to find out where they are coming in, and block the gap with caulking or weather-stripping. |  |
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| If you're looking out the window on a cold, frosty day, wondering if it would be a good day to go for a hike, remember that chiggers are not active below 60 degrees Fahrenheit! | ||
| Herps: A year ago in December, a Black Rat Snake was spotted during mild weather, hunting in the windbreak by the feeders outside the Interpretive Building's library window. It would not be surprising to hear frog choruses if the temperatures remain above normal. | ||
| Birds: Winter is a great time to bundle up warmly and go bird-watching. Oxley Nature Center hosts a free bird-watching hike on the first Saturday of each month, from 8:00 am to about 9:45 am. There is no registration, just bring your binoculars, if you have them, and join us. |  |
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| Many duck species have appeared on area lakes and ponds. Several kinds of gulls are either passing through on migration, or here to stay for the winter. December is also a good time to search the ragweed stands for newly arrived sparrows, and gamebirds like quail or turkey. |  |
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At the darkest part of the year, Great Horned Owls begin their courtship. After the winter solstice on December 21st, the nights will gradually begin getting shorter (although we may not notice it until January.) By mid-January, Great Horned Owls should be sitting on eggs or chicks.
Another winter nester is the Bald Eagle. In late fall or early winter they will begin fortifying a nest used in previous years, or will build a new one if the old one has fallen or has been taken over by a Great Horned Owl pair. Keep in mind that we have two populations of Bald Eagles in Oklahoma during the winter. One group lives here year-round, re-established by the efforts of the Sutton Avian Research Center. Another population nests in the northern United States and Canada and only comes to Oklahoma for the winter. The Bald Eagles that migrate to Oklahoma for the winter do not nest here; their winter sleeping areas are called "roosts." A good place to look for Bald Eagles is along any river or large lake, since their main food is fish and an occasional duck or goose. Bald Eagles are also scavengers and may be found hanging out with vultures near poultry operations. They do not prey on the healthy birds, but feed on the dead ones tossed out onto rubbish heaps.
| Mammals: Winter is a good time to look for tracks, either on bare ground or in the snow. See if you can figure out these clues left behind by Nature Center mammals. For the answer, run the cursor over the picture (this should work on all the photos) and a label will appear. | ||
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Sky: December's New Moon will happen at 1:34 am Central Standard Time (CST) on the 4th.
Look toward the constellation Gemini (eastward to overhead) on the nights of December 13th and 14th, when it might be possible to observe as many as 65 meteors per hour during the peak of the Geminid meteor shower. Of course, you will miss the tiny, faint ones unless you can find a very dark location for your meteor watch, 30 miles or more from city lights. The best viewing times will be after 1:30 or 2:30 am, after the waxing gibbous Moon has set. That's the best time for local viewing of a meteor shower anyway, because you are looking forward along the Earth's orbit, right into the cloud of debris.
December's Full Moon will occur on the 19th at 1:10 pm CST. Traditionally, the December Full Moon is called the "Long Night" Moon. What does a December Full Moon mean in your calendar?
The December astronomy program will be "Winter Stars" and is scheduled for Saturday, December 28th, from 6:00 to 7:30 pm. You may begin enrolling in this program on Sunday, December 15th.
Butterflies Other Insects & Arthropods
Reptiles & Amphibians (Herps) Birds Mammals
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December, 2002