December
Monthly Weather Review
Rainfall Total – 3.66 in
Highest Temperature - 79°F
Lowest Temperature - 16°F
Average Wind Speed – 6.8 mph
Tuesday, December 2
- The dormant grasses of the prairie wore a fiery palette of orange and burnished copper — who knew winter could be so colorful?
Wednesday, December 3
- Evidence of recent beaver (Castor Canadensis) activity was everywhere. Freshly chewed stumps and fallen trees near the creek testify to their tireless landscape shaping even as temperatures dip.
Thursday, December 4
- With overnight lows dipping below freezing, the paddocks froze solid.
Tuesday, December 9
- A small gathering of Hooded Mergansers (Lophodytes cucullatus) glided across Turtle Pond — sleek, black-and-white bodies contrasting with the water. Their presence shows the importance of small wetlands in providing refuge late in the season.
Tuesday, December 16
- A lone Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) stood motionless on the edge of a nearly dried pond, patiently scanning for prey — a reminder that waterfowl sometimes adapts to less-than-ideal conditions with remarkable poise.
- A persistent beaver (Castor canadensis) resurfaced through the ice, reminding observers that these industrious mammals maintain open water access even as winter tightens its grip.
- Another heron (Ardea herodias) was seen at a second body of water, illustrating local movements among low ponds as birds searching for sustenance.
- The staccato drilling of a woodpecker came from nearby trees, suggesting insects still hide beneath bark even in colder months — and that woodpeckers are still on the hunt.
Friday, December 18
- Dark-eyed Juncos (Junco hyemalis) hopped and flitted just outside the office window, their small, round bodies punctuating the gray day with quick flickers of movement — typical winter behavior from these ground-foraging birds.
Monday, December 22
- The day began with calm winds and sun reflecting off Fireworks Pond. The surface was still enough to mirror sky hues, offering one of the month’s most peaceful scenes.
- A rolling bank of clouds stretched overhead, casting shifting shadows across the prairie’s grass clumps and creating dramatic contrasts in the low winter light.
- The month closed with a radiant pink sunset, the sky glowing, a beautiful and unexpected end to a chilly day.
- There was a gathering of Mallard ducks at Dry Pond.
Tuesday, December 23rd
- A White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) jumped out of the brush and caught the CWF staff by surprise when conducing a prairie survey.
