Van Cortlandt Nature Group Walk

Take a slow walk in the park and learn about our local flora and fauna from naturalist Debbi Dolan. Debbi has a wealth of knowledge about nature that she enjoys sharing with everyone.

Walk will meet in front of Van Cortlandt Nature Center.

Space is limited.

What to expect in September:

September heralds the beginning of autumn as we say farewell to summer. Fall bird migration is underway, and Van Cortlandt Park is an important stopover for migrating birds and provides critical breeding habitat. Raptors, warblers, thrushes, sparrows, and other songbirds find Van Cortlandt Park to be a productive area. A number of factors determine when birds migrate from their breeding range to their wintering range in the fall. These include:Light: Light levels and the overall daily angle of the sun indicate a change in season. As the days grow shorter and light angles become shallower, birds know the time is right to begin migration.

Temperature and climate: Cooler temperatures are another sign of the change of seasons. In some climates, the onset of the rainy season is another factor that influences the timing of migration.

Food: As summer crops are consumed, and less food is regionally available, birds know it is time to move on to areas that have more resources available. In years of severe drought, or when other factors have reduced food sources, birds may migrate earlier than normal.Offspring: Birds will not migrate until their offspring are mature enough to care for themselves or to begin their first migration journey. Birds that breed later in summer will also typically migrate later. As the baby birds mature, the time for fall migration is at hand.Location: The location of birds will dramatically impact when they begin fall migration. Shorebirds that nest in the Arctic may begin their autumn journey as early as July, while passerines in areas closer to the equator may not start migrating until late September.Hibernating mammals like chipmunks and squirrels are hoarding for the winter months. Pollinating bees, wasps, butterflies are still going strong, and dragonflies are on the hunt for mosquitos. Rosehips, blackberries, elderberries, and acorns provide welcome food for chipmunks, squirrels, migrant and resident birds. In the meadows and woodlands, asters, sunflowers, ironweed, Joe-Pye and boneset flowers are still in bloom and attracting many nectar-feeding insects.