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Phenology for December:
A Reminder |
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| Today's Reminder Includes:
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Autumn
in North America is winding down, and the winter solstice is just
3 weeks away. Brrr. Observers in northern states say the first snows
of the season have fallen. Someone in Atlanta, GA, reported "large
flocks of robins feasting on dogwood berries." What clues does
that give us that the seasons are changing? As temperatures drop,
earthworms burrow deeper in the soil, so robins switch from their
wormy diet to a fruit-filled one. Also, robins don't mingle much
during the breeding season. If they're flocking, winter must be
approaching! |
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| During
your monthly observations of outdoor changes, what have you noticed
about the shadow of your meter stick, flag pole, or other object?
Be sure to take a measurement at noon on the winter solstice: December
22 this year. What do you think might happen to shadows after that
date? It begins slowly. But check back each month, and you'll soon
figure it out! Don't forget to add your December observations to your Phenology Checklists. |
 Young people in Montreal wave to their shadows on the winter solstice! (Photo: Owen Rose) |
| What
is the Winter Solstice? |
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| The word solstice means “sun stop.” On our winter solstice, the sun appears to reach its most southerly point in the year. (It's summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere.) From there, it appears to head north again . . . for a while. The sun doesn't really move, but it looks like it does to us. That's because our Earth is tilted as it revolves around the sun once a year. |  Click for a larger image. |
| Phenology Resources to Explore | |
| Phenology
for December: A reminder will be posted on January 1, 2008 |
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