Halls are decked, days are short, and nights are brightly lit by a sky full of stars and twinkling holiday decorations. Welcome to the December issue of Nature Notes! Scroll down to learn more about our winter night sky, event news, and to see the smiling faces of the 2021 Nature Program!
Cheers,
Kiawah Nature Team
|
|
Photo of the Month:
Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata)
Photo Credit: Tom Gidez
Description by: Naturalist Katy Beth
|
Don't let the word "common" in the name fool you - this bird is superb. Easily spotted in most ponds around Kiawah Island year-round, these birds resemble ducks in size and shape, and adults are recognizable by the festively red shields on their faces (see above). They have funny "chicken feet" with long, spread out toes - feet you might not expect for a bird that spends so much time swimming across ponds. Those long dinosaur toes act like snowshoes that help them walk across marshy, mucky terrain. Kind of chickeny, kind of ducky, entirely wonderful. |
|
Winter SOULstice Searching |
|
Time to do a little SOULstice searching with Naturalist Destiney! |
What is the Winter Solstice?
The Winter Solstice is a natural phenomenon that happens every year, that us Earth Dwellers in the Northern Hemisphere would consider the shortest day. This year, the event falls on December 21st. We can expect the sun to rise at 7:18AM (EST) and to set at 5:18PM (EST), giving us a total of 10 hours of sunlight. For reference, this is 4 hours and 18 minutes shorter than the longest day of the year, known as the Summer Solstice.
What Causes the Shortest Day of the Year?
According to Finnish Mythology, the shortest day of the year was caused by a witch stealing our sunshine. This is an interesting suggestion, but upon further investigation, scientists have been able to discover what's really behind this annual event!
When the Earth rotates around the Sun, it sits on a natural tilt of about 23.4 degrees— meaning it’s slightly crooked. During this most wonderful time of the year, that tilt nudges the Northern Hemisphere farther away from the Sun (creating shorter days), and the Southern Hemisphere closer (creating longer days)— see the picture above for a visual of what this looks like! On December 21st, the Sun will appear to take the shortest path across the sky as we tilt away. Although this may limit your time for outdoor exploring, many people look forward to the Winter Solstice as it assures longer days are ahead!
|
|
THANK YOU for making 2021 memorable! |
|
A word from our new manager, Peter |
Happy happies everyone! It has been a wild year (hey, I said the same thing last year), but I am forever grateful for the fantastic people I work alongside and the gorgeous wildlife I get to see and enjoy every year! Winter is just as exciting as summer here on Kiawah. The spartina has changed its color and our winter birds have arrived! Just last week I saw my first Buffleheads and Hooded Mergansers! I look forward to a lovely winter with some great friends and coworkers. |
|
|
|
|
Fall 2021 Nature Team
Back row, left to right: Thomas, Peter
Front row, left to right: Katy Beth, Destiney (holding Harper the very cute pup), AK, Stephen
|
|
Thank you to all the 2021 Naturalists! |
|
Nature Team at Mingo Point
Left to right: Brad, Sam, Meredith, Peter, AK, Kristen, Jake G.
|
|
Christmas Bird Count
Left to right: Meredith, Peter, Jake G., Kristen
|
|
Naturalist Katy Beth holding a live Lettered Olive snail |
|
Summer Naturalist Aidan with some future herpetologists and box turtle Mike |
|
Naturalist Sam with beautiful blooming azaleas |
|
Summer Kayak Staff
Back row: Beck
Front row, left to right: Turner, Nick
|
|
Summer Naturalists
Back row, left to right: Emmi, Heaven
Front row, left to right: Abby, Bailey
|
|
Follow-Up: Triathlon 2021
We wanted to send out a BIG THANK YOU to all of our volunteers, athletes, first responders, staff, and spectators for pushing through the rain and making this year’s Triathlon such a fun and exciting event!
CONGRATULATIONS to all of our athletes! Listed below are our top three times for 2021:
- Kiel Burr (36) from Savannah, GA - Finish time 2:02:15.40
- Cole Andrew (34) from Columbia, SC - Finish time 2:14:49.96
- Jerome Rothschild (53) from Columbus, GA - Finish Time 2:16:31.14
Thanks again everyone! We hope to see you all back next year for another exciting Triathlon!
|
|
Audubon's 122nd Christmas Bird Count
December 14, 2021 - January 5, 2022
|
"You can add to a century of community science by joining a count near you."
The Christmas Bird Count is a massive coordinated effort that fuels Audubon bird research for the whole year! Click here to learn more about it and how to get involved.
Even if you decide to stay cozy inside, you can sign up to receive information and results through their newsletter, American Birds!
|
|
Naturalist AK during the 2020-2021 Christmas Bird Count |
|
Be sure to check out our Event Calendar to see what nature activities we have planned in the future! |
|
Heron Park Nature Center
843.768.6001
Recreation Reservations available daily 8:30am - 3:00pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
