Although the wind blows colder and daylight wanes, November is a fascinating time of year to walk through the woods. See animals collecting food, migrating or preparing for hibernation. By the end of the month, leaves are mostly gone from the trees, revealing a stark and beautiful landscape.
While outside be sure to look for:
Wintering ducks such as buffleheads, scaup, mergansers and goldeneyse arriving at Bayshore Waterfront Park, Port Monmouth.
- Snow geese migrating.
- Chipmunks descending into their burrows. They plug up the entrance and spend the winter sleeping or eating.
- Groundhogs moving into dry, wooded areas to build a den to hibernate during the winter. See if you can spot them in Holmdel Park, Holmdel.
- Squirrels, mice and beavers gathering extra food and storing for the winter. Look for them around the Manasquan River Greenway.
- Rising wisps of steam from ponds during early mornings, showing the water’s loss of heat to the cold fall air.
- Cranberry leaves turning burgundy color.
- Holly berries turning red after frost in Thompson Park, Lincroft.
This month:
- Water temperatures drop to about 46 degrees by month’s end.
- Daylight decreases by 54 minutes.
- The average precipitation is 4.3 inches.
- Snow might fall early in the month followed by more warm days.
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