These kids are hiding in a huge pile of leaves.
I always feel that fall is a special time of year. Here are some fun fall facts and activities to help your family get the most out of this short, sweet season.
It seems like it wasn’t very long ago that the hot days of summer were here. During that time I was seeking high mountains, water, and shade to stay cool. But, now it is this marvelous time of year when the weather is cooling off and all nature is preparing for winter. Here are some fun fall facts and activities to enjoy this time of year.
Fun Fall Facts
Fall colors.
Fall Colors – Nothing says fall quite like the changing of the leaves to dramatic red, orange, and yellow colors. Deciduous trees stop producing chlorophyll in the fall because they are not going to do photosynthesis during the winter. This results in the leaves losing their green color and taking on the actual color of the pigment in the leaves. Read this past post that explains what causes the fall colors.
Bird migration. Photo John Carrel via Flickr.
Bird Migration – Many, but not all, birds migrate in the fall time. This means that their bodies sense the days becoming shorter and their natural instinct kicks in telling them that it is time to leave. Some birds migrate long distances from the Rocky Mountains to Central or South America, while others migrate short distances or not at all. You can read this other post to learn more about bird migration.
A brown trout is one of the fish that spawn in the fall.
Fish that spawn in the fall time – In the Rocky Mountains there are a few fish that spawn or reproduce in the fall. When fall arrives these fish instincts tell them it is time to make babies as opposed to migrating. They spawn and lay their eggs in the gravel of river beds throughout the Rockies. Then if all goes OK those eggs will hatch into baby fish in one to many months.
A black bear eats a lot in the fall to prepare for winter.
Mammals prepare for winter – many mammals that go into hibernation will spend the fall time eating as much as they can. They do this in order to put on fat, which their body will use to keep them alive during the winter. Some of the mammals that do this include bears, and small mammals such as marmots.
A western rattlesnake.
Reptiles begin to go to their dens – Reptiles are cold – blooded which means they get their body temperature from the surrounding environment. This means they can not survive the cold winter of the Rocky Mountains. So, in the fall time many snakes, including Rattlesnakes, begin to go to their winter dens.