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Journey South News will be posted on Fridays: Sep. 10, 24, Oct. 8, 22, Nov. 5, 19 Background As the fall season progresses, watch for stories about the same migratory species you'll track next spring with Journey North! Note how each creature responds to the fall season, and prepare to greet their return in Spring, 2000. You're also invited to share your own observations about nature's preparations for winter. To contribute, report "Fall Nature Notes" from your region. Ornithologist Laura Erickson will contribute a fall nature journal, featuring the various migratory species she observes on their Journey South. Journey South News Fall's Journey South: November 19, 1999 Right now gray whales are leaving the cold Bering Sea, just ahead of the ice. Get the latest news from students who watch the whales depart every fall. Gray whales migrate a distance of up to 6,000 miles TWICE every year. Where do they go? Why? Find out how you can watch the ice pack as it freezes now and melts in the spring. Fall's Journey South: November 5, 1999 Loon families are close-knit for about four months. But then the parents take off for their winter homes and leave the chicks behind to fend for themselves! Why don't they all leave together? How will the chicks know when and where to go? And who will return next spring? Fall's Journey South: October 22, 1999 Crunchy leaves aren't the only signs of fall underfoot. Worms love the cool, moist conditions of fall, and there's a lot of activity in the soil you're standing on. How do scientists bring worms to the surface in order to observe them? Fall's Journey South: October 8, 1999 Kermit had it right when he said "It's not easy being green!". Northern leopard frogs will soon begin their fall migration. Volunteers are standing by with buckets, ready to lend a helping hand. Why do these frogs need help as they hit the migration trail? Fall's Journey South: September 24, 1999 Could there be hundreds of hummers at a single backyard in Texas? Read about the hummingbirds that "stack up" in Texas before they take the big leap over the Gulf of Mexico. Do you think hurricane Floyd affected their migration? Fall's Journey South: September 10, 1999 Hasta la Vista--Orioles! The last orioles left my yard on September 7, headed for Central America. Did Tuesday's cold front from Canada play a role in their departure? Plan to put an oriole feeder outside your classroom window next spring, and greet them when they return. Nighthawk Migration: September 8, 1999 The name "nighthawk" sounds like it must belong to a tough predator, but the only animals nighthawks can kill are flying insects. They leave before cold weather hits so they won't run out of flying insects, which fuel their long journey to South America. Copyright 1998 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form