Liquid Gold

What a great time of year! The holidays are in full swing, the ski resorts are open and tourists are coming to ski, snowboard and frolic in our wonderful snow. We are all aware of what benefits this winter weather provides us and the state of Colorado but what does it do for the natural world?

Snow, the other highly prized mineral in this area, is important to plants, animals and humans as well.

When the snow blankets the ground, air gets trapped and becomes a perfect insulator for the plants, denning animals and humans. Have you ever made or been inside a snow cave? Some igloos in the north can be 100 degrees warmer on the inside than the outside being heated only by the bodies inside, that’s great insulation!

As the snow melts and pools, it provides drinking water. One of the major benefits to the earth is that snow provides 80% of fresh water which we all rely on. In the summer months it provides water for drinking, recreating and irrigation including our neighbors in Utah, New Mexico and Arizona to name a few. In drier years we can see the impact this smaller snow level has on our lives and nature. Humans will need to implement water conservation, water storage and in some cases we will see a decrease in crop production. Nature has to adapt to drier conditions finding other water sources and even eating different food.

Colorado still holds two records for the most snow. On December 4, 1913, the most snow to fall in a single calendar day was in Georgetown on I-70 with 63” in a 12-hour period, that’s over 5 feet of snow! The second record we hold is for the most snow fall in a 24-hour period. In Silver Lake, near Nederland in Boulder County, 76” of snow fell, that's a lot of shoveling!

Enjoy the season and when you build the snowman in your yard, remember as he melts in the winter sun, that this liquid gold, will be a refreshing glass of water in the spring.

Frosty Frogs

Have you ever wondered what happens to the frogs in winter?  The snow last weekend reminded me of how incredible these creatures are.  When temperatures drop, our amphibian friends have ways to cope with this seasonal change.

One of the most common species in Colorado is the Striped Chorus Frog (Pseudacris triseriata).  This is the most common frog we hear in the spring and summer near bodies of water.  It has a loud call, for such a little frog, as if you were running your fingers over a comb.  Try it!

As winter sets in, these frogs will slowly sink to the bottom of a lake or pool and lie on top of the mud.  They go into torpor, a dormant or less active state, allowing them to slow their breathing and heartbeat and conserve energy.

Another amazing coping mechanism is that frogs produce an “anti-freeze” in their body.  High concentrations of glucose in the blood and vital organs prevent them from freezing.  Even if the frog freezes completely, stops breathing and has no heartbeat, in the spring when the temperatures warm this creature will thaw and be as good as new.  It’s good to know that our amphibian friends will live to croak another day.

The Nature of Halloween

When I think of Halloween, chills run up my spine, my teeth tingle with the thought of all the candy that will be consumed and my superstitions are heightened as the holiday approaches.

This month is Halloween, one of my favorite holidays. It is filled with ghosts and goblins and witches and warlocks and all things “scary” and “spooky”, however, the original roots of this holiday are built around all things nature. How many nature things can you think of?

One of the first things that come to mind is the traditional orange and black colors. These colors originated from a celebration of the harvest and fall, with orange representing the crops that have ripened and the black representing the end of summer or “death of a season”.

Another orange colored tradition is the Jack O' Lantern, originally, this carved vegetable with a frightening face was the turnip. This lantern, with a small candle inside to make it glow, was to scare away evil spirits. As time went on, it was replaced by the pumpkin, which are more numerous, hopefully still scaring off evil spirits lurking in the dark.

Apples are another traditional fruit used in Halloween celebrations also representing the bounty of fruit at harvest time. Long ago, the candy apple was given instead of candy when trick-or-treating door to door. Bobbing for apples is a common game at parties and originally was played as a fortune telling game. One version is played like this: If you bite the apple you are going to have romance and marry, putting it under your pillow would allow you to dream about your true love, if after three times no apple was bitten then the relationship was doomed.

Black cats, bats and spiders are all symbols of Halloween and create a common feeling of dread. The bad luck associated with these creatures came from stories that the devil gave them to witches as companions. What do you believe?

When enjoying the traditions of Halloween this month, keep in mind the nature side of this holiday. Boo!

The Other Ground Squirrel

In recent weeks, I have noticed a large number of small rodents on the roads as I commute to work. I ask myself, “what are those cute little creatures doing so close to the road?” In this area, we have a lot of snow on the roads and besides plowing, some chemicals are used to melt the ice. These chemicals contain salt and who loves the salt? You got it, the Black-tailed Prairie Dog.

These ground squirrels have an interesting and important role in nature, the most important, being a keystone species. A keystone species is so integral to an ecosystem that if it were to decline or disappear, the animals in the food chain above and below would decline or collapse.

Other interesting behaviors I have observed include the “jump-yip” display, kissing, and barking. The “jump-yip” display is when one prairie dog throws it front legs in the air, arches it's back and makes a “whee-ooo” sound. It is believed that this display is done to see if other members of the colony are paying attention. When the members are alert the “jump-yip” can look like the “wave” at a football or baseball game. “Kissing” is a very important social behavior. When the prairie dogs touch their lips together and sometimes front teeth they appear to kiss, this helps them recognize each other. The most common behavior to observe is the “bark” that occurs when we get to close to the colony. This bark alerts the members of the town that danger is near.

Now that you know a little about the Other Ground Squirrel, enjoy them, they are a sign of a healthy habitat.

Woodland Park Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting for GTG

Had a great turn out for our Ribbon Cutting, thanks for your support Woodland Park!

Great Backyard Bird Count 2015

Mountain Chickadee

 

Guides-To-Go will be hosting a workshop and survey to celebrate the birds this week.  Show our feathered friends you love them too!  Learn about the Great Backyard Bird Count and Basic Birding skills and then go into the field at Manitou Lake to count.  Hope to see you there.

Wednesday, February 11, 7:00 – 8:30 pm. Join Guide Dee DeJong, from Guides-To-Go, to view a short presentation about the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), an Annual Event sponsored by Cornell Lab of Ornithology. We will go over how to participate in the count and learn some bird identification tips. The event will take place at the Woodland Professional Building, 400 W Highway 24, Suite #200, Woodland Park, CO, 80863. Cost: Free. Contact: Dee DeJong (720) 838-3277 or dee@guides-to-go.com.

Saturday, February 14, 8:00 – 10:00 am.
 
Join Guide Dee DeJong, from Guides-To-Go, at Manitou Lake on Hwy 67, 7.5 miles north from Hwy 24. We will take an easy, 1.5 mile walk to count the birds. Dress for the weather and bring your own binoculars and water. Cost: The guided hike is free but a day-use fee of $6 per car is required to park at Manitou Lake. Ages: 6 through adult (children must be accompanied by an adult). Please RSVP to save a spot! 
Contact: Dee DeJong (720) 838-3277 or dee@guides-to-go.com.

Guides-To-Go Has a New Den

Wow, 2014 turned out to be the year of moving. Guides-To-Go has finally found its home at the Woodland Professional Building in Woodland Park, Colorado. This area abounds with nature and wildlife which makes it the perfect location for GTG. We take tourists, as well as locals, out to explore this special place. We are excited and proud to also have a facility to hold classes both indoors and out with a beautiful view of Pikes Peak. If you would like to explore and learn more about the natural world Go-To www.guides-to-go.com and let us know. Also visit our blog of past adventures. Go-To www.guides-to-go.blogspot.com or we are on Facebook, Guides-To-Go Nature Where You Are.