Thank you to Mulletar for this super photo of an American Robin in Winter

The American Robin is a migratory bird.  After all, we’ve named it Turdus migratorius. Or is it?

Birds gather in flocks in the fall and fly to Texas or the Gulf states, often as far as Bermuda or Guatamala.  They go to find adequate nourishment.  Check any field guide and it will show you winter range and summer range.

Yet New Englanders like me, Wisconsin-ites, cold-hearty Canadians and others in cold northern climes report more and more frequent sightings of American Robins in winter. What is going on?  Has something changed, or are there just crazy birds who linger?

Some of these winter birds might be more northerly populations that come southward to what is still a pretty snowy, cold place.  If you see some robins with a nearly black back, brighter red breast, more prominent white eye ring and white throat streaking, you are probably seeing the northern race of the American Robin, coming down from Labrador or Newfoundland.

Also, research suggests that some resident robins simply decide to hang out for the winter if there is adequate food.  They then have first dibs on the best territories before everyone else comes back.  Fifty to 100 birds may flock together seeking food sources.  Chances are, when you see robins in the winter, it isn’t just one or two, it’s a whole flock.

One thing going for these resourceful birds is their flexible diets.  Summertime’s abundance of worms and insects suits their needs completely then.  In the winter, robins change to an herbivorous diet, eating berries and other available fruits.  Bittersweet, crabapples, rose hips, mountain ash, sumac, hawthorne, and other berries are eaten. If you put strawberries, raspberries, raisins, blueberries, apple pieces and other fruits out in the winter, robins might happen upon them and enjoy your bounty.

March is when the migrants generally return.  Watch the weather and notice when the weekly temperature averages 37 degrees Fahrenheit. You’ll soon see robins if the snow cover is gone.  Robins tend to appear with warm fronts, when rain drives worms from the thawing ground.

Cars on Cades Cove Loop Road

Are you a Cove-ophile?  If you just can’t get enough of Cades Cove in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and go  back time and time again, you’re a Cove-ophile.  Maybe its the mountain vistas, the tranquil cabins, the prospect of seeing a bear or two, graceful deer grazing in the mist, or an appreciation of days gone by.  There is certainly a mystique here.  Like eating a single potato chip, one taste is often simply not enough.

Alas, starting March 1st, the Cades Cove Loop Road – one of the busiest roads in the National Park System – will be getting a face-lift.  After having served an average of 2 million visitors every year for the past 30 years, the road has been sorely in need of major maintenance. No one, not even Cove-ophiles are allowed.The complete loop road, all the land inside the loop and up to a quarter mile outside the loop, including trails, will be closed from March 1st until May 21st. or so.  Contractors are tilling the old pavement into the underlying roadbed to repave the entire eleven miles.So what is a Cove-ophile to do?

I have a suggestion.

Rich Mountain Loop Trail is still open. This is a good hiking choice roadwork or not, and is one of our favorites. The trail starts at the entrance to the Cades Cove Loop.  Although it is within the ¼ mile exclusion zone, the NPS insists hikers will be allowed to use it.

Using your Cades Cove NaturePod to accompany you, you can get a rich Cove experience as you hike. After traversing about 1/4 mile from the parking lot, you’ll spot a big mound across the field. Many refer to this as the “Indian Mound.” A diviner once doused the mound and claimed there were 150 natives buried there.  Archeological digs endeavored to substantiate graves in the mound but have determined it is nothing but dirt.

A native American known to have inhabited the Cove is Chief Abrams.  Some claim that Cades Cove was named for his wife Catie even though there appears to be no historic record of her existence.

Moving along, you will come to the John Oliver Cabin at mile 1.3.  As you investigate his cabin listen to the story of the Olivers on your NaturePod.  It is much like the story of many Americans.  The Olivers moved here in the early 1800s to begin a new life.  Times were hard, especially that first year, but with grit and determination they not only flourished but helped establish the ensuing community.  John helped build the Primitive Baptist Church where he and Luraney were quite active.  The couple is buried in that cemetery.  Although you won’t be able to access the church this spring, you can use your NaturePod to listen to a Harp Sing that may have filled the church’s rafters with a joyful noise.

The next quarter mile takes you past a chimney on your right.  Look sharp because the forest is absorbing it.  As the trail climbs Cave Ridge, listen to the story of Joe Gregory’s Cave that lies deep below you.  Legend has it the cave was used for all sorts of purposes, some of which were better suited for underground activity – literally and figuratively.

As you approach the junction with Indian Grave Gap Trail, you will catch a glimpse across the Cove.  You are now standing on the land once owned by Peter Cable and later his son-in-law Dan Lawson.  Both men became wealthy land-wise and were prominent figures in this community.

So many stories to tell and so many people to “meet” in this Cove.   Although the NPS has chosen this spring to undertake much needed road repair, it should not discourage you from learning more about the magic of the Cove.  This valley is a spectacular place, and with your NaturePod, you can have a ranger with you as you travel in the footsteps of Chief Abrams, the Olivers, Gregorys, Cables, Lawsons and so many more.

Ethnogeology is a branch of science that explores the link between traditional stories from native peoples and the geological processes that built the landscape in which they lived. Sunset Crater National Monument is the perfect place to embark on this endeavor.

For more than two centuries people lived in the Sunset Crater area. Their name has been lost, but their stories have been passed on orally to the descendant cultures of the Hopi, Zuni, and Navajo. The Hopi still tell the story of the wind spirit, Yaponsta.

Yaponsta liked to blow strong gusts and dust devils across the landscape. This made life very difficult for the people. These winds would knock down the corn or cover the young plants with dust so that they could not grow. The people grew weak and frightened. They gathered in the kiva to discuss what should be done to stop Yaponsta. It was decided that they would need help from the twins, Palongawhoya and Pokunghoya. The two war gods were summoned and agreed to help.

They told the elders to prepare a number of pahos, prayer sticks, while they went and sought the advice of Grandmother Spiderwoman. Grandmother told the boys that they would need to seal Yaponsta into his cave if they were to stop the winds. She told them to use a corn mush to seal the cave. So Palongawhoya and Pokunghoya returned to the kiva, gathered the pahos and corn mush, and hurried off.

At the base of the crater, they found Yaponsta’s cave. They quickly ran to the cave and threw in the pahos. As Yaponsta turned to retrieve the sticks, the boys quickly sealed the cave. Now Yaponsta was trapped inside.

Many days passed and the people became worried. Without the winds, no clouds came to their land and so also no rain. Crops began to die. No cooling breezes blew down from the volcano and the people began to suffocate under the oppressive heat.

The elders gathered again in the kiva to debate their fate. It was again decided to call Palongawhoya and Pokunghoya. They asked the twins to go back to the volcano and release Yaponsta for it was better to deal with his winds than live in the situation they had created. The boys returned to the cave, but instead of removing all the corn mush, they created just a small hole from which only some of Yaponsta’s winds could be released.

Today, you can visit Yoponsta’s cave by walking the to the end of the trail at Wupatki Pueblo. When you stand before it, you may feel air moving in or out. Geologists call this a blowhole. Connected to this opening is a vast underground passageway. In the morning when cave air is cool and dense, air pressure is lower than the outside air, so air moves into the cave. During the day, as the sun warms the air outside the blowhole, it becomes less dense and air pressure outside the cave drops. Now the air in the cave has higher pressure and comes out.

Passing storms affect air pressure too and can therefore influence the cave’s “breathing.”

Back in 1965 spelunkers lowered themselves 18 feet down the blowhole. They found the passages too narrow to continue, but calculations suggest that the passageway system has a volume similar to a cave 165 feet high and wide by 50 miles long.

NaturePods shares many stories to help you appreciate inhabitants of these special places. Don’t miss Yoponsta’s cave when you visit Sunset Crater National Monument. Sunset Crater, Walnut Canyon anNature Tracksd Wupatki National Monuments are all featured in the upcoming Flagstaff Area Monuments NaturePod, due out this summer.

Treetops jostle. Snow twisters whip up and dance away. Snow skitters across the flats like smoke. This cold and blustery January day requires refuge. I’m here in a heated home, but how are our wild creatures faring out there in wind chills dipping into the negative numbers? Need I be concerned? Where are they?

The grey squirrel is active all winter, except on cold days like this. On such days, he can be found high in a tree. There he has made a drey, or nest out of twigs and deciduous leaves in the fork of sturdy branches. He may have bunkmates for extra body warmth or he may go it alone. Lined perhaps with soft grass, the squirrel lies curled up with his bushy tail wrapped around him like a blanket. On a day not quite so harsh, he’ll climb down and search for a buried nut or two to snack on, and then retire again to his winter abode. His summer house may be higher up, between branches that sway in the wind on such days as this. These dreys are easily seen now that the leaves are no longer hiding them. If the squirrel has made a sturdy drey packed with lots of insulating leaves, has a decent layer of fat and a thick winter coat, he should make out just fine.

Black bears don’t hibernate either. They’re too big. A bear has too much body mass to heat up when it comes time to wake in the spring. Body temperature, breathing and heart rate drop dramatically in true hibernators like ground squirrels, jumping mice, and ground hogs. Not so in bears. It is more correct to say black bears are in a state of “carnivorous lethargy”. Let’s just say they’re groggy.

A black bear will most probably stay in a well-chosen den for many weeks at a time. The den-of-choice is a big tree cavity. Pregnant females prefer these sites, which are safest from predators and weather. Otherwise, a den site on the ground will do the job – under a windfall, in a brush pile or in a rock crevice. A cave would not be ideal because there is too much space to heat. A den big enough for a curled-up bear to move around a bit is just right.

Black Bear Mom and cub in den

As I sit here on this blustery, bone-chilling January day, I cannot help but think about how black bears are faring.  Snoozing away in their dens, I hope their fat, fur and den location helps fend off the negative-degree wind chill.

Pregnant females are more picky than males in selecting a den.  If large trees with cavities are available, that’s high-rent district right there.  If not, then under a windfall, brush pile, or a rock crevice will do.  A suitable den provides safety from predation and protection from the elements.  It should not be much bigger than the size of a curled up bear.  Don’t expect to see a bear huddled up in a cave – too much space and not enough security.

Females are in dens by mid December and males by mid January in the southeastern US. In more northern latitudes, make this a month or so earlier.

Black bears are too big to hibernate.  If you want to be accurate, call a bear’s winter sleep “carnivorean lethargy”.  If a bear’s body temperature were to drop to the extent a true hibernator’s does – a few degrees above freezing – it would require too much energy to bring all that bulk up to normal again.  Heart rate decreases only slightly, as does breathing, so a bear is quite capable of responding if disturbed.   I would not advise poking a groggy bear in its den.  He’s likely to poke you back.

Although a bear’s gastrointestinal tract shuts down completely, a bear still consumes between 3,000 and 4,000 calories a day during their winter inactivity.  This comes from their store of fat.   If only I too could sleep my fat away and wake up slim and trim. Another enviable ability is their lack of deterioration of muscle and bone during months of inactivity.  You and I would experience extensive bone loss and muscle weakness should we lie still for that long. In the spring, bears give a stretch and a yawn and off they go to find something to eat.

So, you go bear. You’re adapted to this merciless weather.  I’ll just continue to sit inside my heated home on this January day, exercise, breathe normally and eat all winter long.

Grey Squirrel heading down tree

Grey Squirrel with a mouthful of leaves

Yet another trip full of leaves

This fellow was certainly focused.

Scampering down, heading under the deck, emerging with a mouthful of brown leaves, scampering back up.

This happened time and time again. I’m thinking this is not exactly the time of year to be building a drey, or squirrel nest. Usually a squirrel has a snug nest before winter’s onslaught. Maybe some leaves blew away and it needed refurbishing. Perhaps this fellow’s drey was damaged and he needed to make a new one.   No matter the reason, it is not unusual for a grey squirrel to build several dreys.

A couple of squirrel dreys

The basic framework consists of twigs and lots of deciduous leaves. It could be lined with dried grass or even feathers. Looking skyward in the branches of deciduous trees you can easily see dreys. The topmost cluster of brown leaves are the summer houses.

Grey Squirrel's winter drey

The more sturdy winter drey is usually located lower, in the fork of a tree. This winter abode is bigger, well insulated and lined. It is a good place to curl up on the coldest of winter days.

Take a count of these leafy abodes on your next winter walk and think of our industrious friend curled up inside snug as a squirrel in a drey.

Spring Wildflowers NaturePod Author

Julie Forkner and Nancy Condon (Narrator too) bring decades of experience and vast knowledge to the subject of spring wildflowers. Both our authors are sought for their expertise and regularly lead wildflower walks. They share with you their wealth of knowledge and true love of these amazing little plants.

Julie Forkner, Author

Julie Forkner

Julie Forkner first fell in love with wildflowers trailing along behind her father as he called out “trillium, trillium” on spring hikes in the mountains of Tennessee. Earning a bachelor’s degree at Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, NC, Julie learned to identify and love native wildflowers. Her love for plants and all things dirt-related eventually landed her in the native plant propagation business, and she urges everyone interested in growing native plants to buy from nurseries that propagate their own stock responsibly. Having recently graduated with a Master’s degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Julie now gardens and writes in Sweetwater, Tennessee.

Nancy checking in with Peterson

Nancy Condon

Nancy was fortunate enough to grow up in an outdoor-loving family. She fondly remembers leisurely hikes in which Dad would pause to take beautiful photographs and Mom would give a name to everything they saw. The fun was trying to figure out if Mom was telling the truth or not. Gosh darn if the bird book actually showed a yellow-bellied sapsucker!

Soon Nancy’s interest went beyond naming, and discovering anything and everything about nature became a passion. Camping, canoeing and photography were natural extensions and continue to be.

Nancy has a BS in Biology from Hope College in Holland Michigan, where she took every biology class time permitted before graduating in 1982.

She has been an environmental educator ever since, having taught at various venues and states including a residential environmental education center in Texas, a nature center in New York, Science museum in Massachusetts, and a Zoo in Massachusetts. It was at Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont in Tennessee where her love of wildflowers and the Smokies blossomed – excuse the pun. There she was awarded “East Tennessee Teacher of the Year” for 1994. Her fascination of pollination biology took off while there.

During her tenure in the Smokies she made 2 trips to Russia to train national park managers and teachers there in environmental education techniques. With her husband, Tom, Nancy still leads groups of wildflower enthusiasts on trips for a pilgrimage to the Smokies, a spring wildflower paradise.

Nancy and her husband adventurously set out by canoe to paddle across the United States in order to raise awareness about water conservation. The 14-month and 5,000 mile long venture was called, “Paddle for Water”. She encourages young people to take life by the horns and be adventurous.

Nancy now lives in western Massachusetts where she is Vice President of the Springfield Naturalists Club, former conservation director of the local Boy Scout Council, and served for a short time on the Massachusetts Environmental Education Society board. Nancy is the proud co-founder of NaturePods™. Even still, she continues to teach children in the out-of-doors.

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Photos of Spring Wildflowers

Fun Facts About Spring Wildflowers

Shenandoah NaturePod Authors

Portrait of Ann and Rob Simpson, Authors and Photographers of the Shenandoah National Park NaturePod Tour Guide.

About the Authors, Ann and Rob Simpson

Ann and Rob Simpson are well known and highly sought after nature and wildlife photographers and writers. Long known for their stunning images of the natural world their work has been widely published in magazines such as National Geographic, Time Magazine and Ranger Rick as well as many calendars, postcards and books including Birds of Shenandoah National Park.

Their photography business, Simpson’s Nature Photography, keeps their staff busy with photo requests from agents around the world. Their work can be seen at www.agpix.com/snphotos.

Dedicated to teaching others, the Simpsons have shared their vast knowledge of the natural world and photography to tens of thousands of eager learners across the country. Their expertise in teaching methods enables others to be able to understand easily and clearly, the often-complex principles that they need to explain. They are regular contributors to the American Park Network publications that share information free to the public about National Parks across the country. They have led Canon photography workshops in some of the major national parks including Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Great Smokies.

Their dedication to changing lives through education finds an outlet at Lord Fairfax Community College in Middletown, Virginia where they are both Biology professors. They were instrumental in developing a unique Outdoor and Nature Photography Program at the college. Their nature photography courses at the college have given many novice photographers the confidence and ability to realize their dreams of becoming successful nature photographers.

Touching lives throughout this country and many other countries throughout the world, their dedication to environmentalism and ecotourism has shown many individuals the importance of sustaining the world’s precious environment for future generations. Their natural history tours have included trips to Africa to photograph the great migration across the Serengeti in Kenya and Tanzania, into the tropics of Costa Rica, Venezuela and Belize to explore the fast-vanishing rainforest inhabitants, and to the islands of Galapagos, Trinidad and Tobago to share the appreciation of delicate island habitats and their unique ecosystems.

Their most recent books for FarCountry Press include Born Wild in the Smokies, Born Wild in Shenandoah and Shenandoah National Park Simply Beautiful. They are currently working on a new series of national park travel guides for FalconPress including Grand Teton, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

Surrounded by wildlife habitat, their home in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia attracts wild birds and mammals typical of the Appalachian region to their backyard. Their four grown children share their love of the outdoors, nature and photography. Their two beautiful granddaughters, Georgia and Gracie, love being photographed by their doting grandparents.

About the Narrator, Beth Ann Rothermel

Beth Ann Rothermel is a professor of writing and rhetoric at Westfield State College. Although now living in western Massachusetts, she first became acquainted with Shenandoah National Park when her family moved to Virginia in the 1980s. She enjoys traveling with her husband Mike, especially to national parks, where they often hike and backpack.

Check Out Some Photos

Learn Some Fun Facts From The Shenandoah NaturePod

Here’s What You Get in Your Shenandoah NaturePod

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Grand Canyon NaturePod Author

Stewart Aitchison

Stewart Aitchison is a zoologist and geologist by training and a naturalist by passion. He has been exploring, photographing, teaching, and writing about the Colorado Plateau for more than forty years, ten of those as a field biologist for the Museum of Northern Arizona.

Besides leading trips for Grand Canyon Field Institute, he also escorts educational excursions for National Audubon Society, Smithsonian, Lindblad Expeditions, National Geographic Expeditions, Elderhostel, and other educational groups across the globe.

Some of his latest publications include: Grand Canyon’s North Rim and Beyond, Grand Canyon: Window of Time, A Traveler’s Guide to Monument Valley, A Guide to Southern Utah’s Hole-in-the-Rock Trail, and The Desert Islands of the Sea of Cortés. A complete list of his books can be found at Stewart’s homepage.

When not out in the field, Stewart lives in Flagstaff with wife Ann or can be found working on a straw bale building project in Bluff, Utah.

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Cape Cod NaturePod Authors

Jody Anastasio

Jody Anastasio

Jody Anastasio lives in Provincetown, Massachusetts and works for Cape Cod National Seashore. She enjoys the diversity of habitat and rich cultural history of the Cape. Jody earned a B.A. in modern culture and media from Brown University, and an M.S. in environmental studies from Antioch University New England. Prior to Cape Cod, she worked for several environmental education organizations across the country, sharing the outdoor world with children as part of school curricula.

Bridget Macdonald

Bridget Macdonald

Bridget Macdonald spent her first summer on Cape Cod just weeks after she was born, and has returned every year, working for the past six as an interpretive ranger at Cape Cod National Seashore.

Bridget received her B.A. in art history from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in 2005, and is currently earning an M.S. in journalism from Northwestern University, focusing on natural resources and environmental policy.

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Cape Cod NaturePod – Here’s What You Get

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Learn Some Fun Facts about Cape Cod