COINTEST! Migrations coin...

[+mamoreb]

Part A:

 

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green Sea Turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North American Caribou

 

For part B, I'd like to talk about the Mountain/European reindeer.

 

I can't find a photo that I am sure is not copyrighted, but I believe that I am allowed forward you to this AMAZING album that I found: https://picasaweb.google.com/lin.picasaweb/WcQISK#5559383635980964498

 

The Mountain/European raindeer are related to the North American Caribou that are mentioned in A, but they are not the same species. North American Caribou probably refers to rangifer tarandus pearyi or rangifer tarandus caribou, while the Mountain/European raindeer are named rangifer tarandus tarandus L.

 

The European reindeer are central to the ecosystem in Finnmark, the northernmost county of my country, Norway. The total population of reindeer in Finnmark was estimated to approximately 160 000 animals a few years ago. In spring and fall, most reindeer herds are moved between inland winter pastures and coastal summer pastures via specific migratory routes.

 

The summer season is generally from June through September. During the summer the herds are along the coast or on islands just off of the coast. The reindeer swim out to the islands. Some herds will stay more inland in the forest but this is a small minority.

 

The autumn season is from September through October and is a very intense time for the herders. The reindeer herds start their migration inward from the coast feeding on grasses and mushrooms. The reindeer have become accustomed to the freedom of the summer and can be difficult to control. The males will wander off in search of food and the calves are becoming more independent. The reindeer will search for vegetation and during the night the herder will lose control of the reindeer.

 

The winter season lasts from October through April and two months of the season are total darkness. The separation of the herd into smaller herds is completed during winter. This is important because of the snow. The reindeer pack down the snow and make it difficult to get under the snow for food. Large herds of reindeer make the situation worse, so; smaller herds have less impact on the environment. The herds have migrated inward from the coast to their winter areas but the winter is the season most affected by the climate. The snow conditions will affect where the herd lives for the winter and the herder is always prepared for alternative plans.

 

The spring season marks the movement outward and back towards the summer pastures. The reindeer will start heading toward the cost for several reasons. One, they will be searching for new grasses to replace the diet of lichen. They are also searching for salt, which can be found on the coast. Finally, they are returning to their calving areas from the year before. Calving is the primary activity of the spring season.

 

Textual sources:

http://www.ub.uit.no/munin/bitstream/handle/10037/2615/thesis.pdf?sequence=2

http://www.utexas.edu/courses/sami/diehtu/siida/herding/herding-nr.htm#seasons

http://alaskatrekker.com/alaska_caribou.htm

http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/29742/0

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reindeer

[+GATOULIS]

Part A

 

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon (local to me)

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North american Caribou

 

Part B

 

One of the most famous Migrating birds is the Swallow! there are many different speecies in the swallow family and most of them have the V shaped tail to identify them! I will talk about the common swallow!

 

They are migrating to warmer areas and you can find them in almost all the world!

 

In greece (as I know more...) they are comming on March or april and their comming is the sign that spring has come! Humans like swallows and that it is bringing spring!

 

they are travelling in groups... We have a saying that one swallow doesn't bring the spring! and I will answer....."but a group does!"

 

they are coming here to make babies! they are making their nests in outer walls, under the roof of buildings, in opening of a rock... and the shape of their nest is like a cup or round with an opening for entrance!

their nests are made with feathers, dry wild greens and spittle! every year they are coming and they are searching for their old nest (so do not ruin them!)! the nest fits 6-8 egges and the male is responsible to find food! mama swallow is bussy!!!

 

they are hunting for insects that are on the leaves of trees! It is very rare to see swallows hunting on the ground!

While they are travelling.. they can travell up to 600Km per day! Just because they eat the insects... people like them more!

 

swallows are excellent parents!!! when the baby swallows are out of the eggs, and for the first days, their parents are feeding them with slamm insects but later they are teaching them how to fly and how to hunt for their food!

 

When automn comes insects are becoming less and less so Swallows are concentrating on the roofs of houses or on telephone cables, they are making groups and fly to warmer areas.... mostly to Africa! This also brings saddness to humans... who know that Automn has come!

the swallow is a bird that is connected to the humans like no other bird! People here do not believe that it can travel long distances and in their fantacy.. swallows are travelling on the back of other bigger birds like cranes..

in older times it was believed that the body of a swallow can heal some deseases!

 

In the ancient times and at the beggining of Spring children used to sing special songs called Chelinodismata (chelidoni is the greek name of the swallow) in houses! by that way they were taking money as present! it was a celebration that swallows were coming so was spring! This is still active in some areas until today!!!

 

there is a song, a Chelidonisma song about it... saying

 

Ήρθε, ήρθε η χελιδόνα ήρθε πάλι η χελιδόνα κάθισε, και λάλησε και γλυκά κελάηδε..

 

Έφυγα κι αφήκα σύκα και σταυρό και θημωνίτσα κι ήρθα πύρα και βρήρα φύτρα χόρτα, σπάρτα, βλίστρα βλίστρα, βλίστρα, φύτρα, φύτρα.

 

a general translation is.... to tell you the truth I do not know some of the words... in greece many places have a different way of speaking... and even if it is greek...

 

It came, the swallow came again, the swallow sat downand spoke and started singing in a sweet way..

I left and left figs and a cross and stack?) and I came back and found germs, wild green, crops....

 

probably meaning that I left food and things for the swallow to use and when I came back I found its nest!

the cross means that the coming of the swallow is something blessed...

[+GATOULIS]

hahahaha salmon is not local to me!!!! paste problem!!!

 

The only salmon I know is the smoked one!

[+LewisClan77]

1A...

 

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green Sea Turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North American Caribou

 

1B... The Locust

 

Long distance migration is an important strategy for surviving in an environment where resources (food and habitats suitable for breeding) are highly unpredictable in time and space. Locusts often undertake nocturnal, wind-assisted migratory flights at heights up to 1000 m. But migration is also risky and sometimes many locusts die in the process.

 

When locusts migrate long distances the direction of movement is largely determined by the upper level wind direction. The winds may take them into areas of suitable habitat where rain has or is about to fall, but swarms may get blown into areas that are totally unsuitable or too dry for breeding. When this occurs they will continue to migrate until they reach suitable habitat or until their fat reserves are depleted.

 

During major plagues it is not unusual to receive reports of locusts being found washed up along the beaches of southern Australia or in the guts of fish after swarms were blown out to sea. Offshore migration was considered to be a major factor leading to the collapse of the 1973-74 Australian plague locust outbreak.

 

picture courtesy of Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)

[+yanagi]

I love this coin, so thank you for the cointest to get one of these beauties!!!!

 

Part A

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North American Caribou

 

Part B:

Bar-tailed Godwit

 

It makes the longest known non-stop flight of any bird and also the longest journey without pausing to feed by any animal, 11,680 kilometers (7,258 mi) along a route from Alaska to New Zealand - isn't this unbelievable?!

 

The Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) is a large wader in the family Scolopacidae, which breeds on Arctic coasts and tundra mainly in the Old World, and winters on coasts in temperate and tropical regions of the Old World.

 

[+mpilchfamily]

1. Monarch Butterfly

2. Coho Salmon (local to me)

3. Grey Whale

4. Canada Goose

5. Green sea turtle

6. Arctic Tern

7. North American Caribou

 

Today we will learn a bit about the Pronghor. The Pronghorn is a species of artiodactyl mammal, endemic to interior western and central North America. Though not an antelope, it is often known colloquially in North America as the Prong Buck, Pronghorn Antelope, or simply Antelope, as it closely resembles the true antelopes of the Old World.

 

Pronghorns live primarily in grasslands but also in brushland and deserts. They eat a wide variety of plant foods, often including plants that are unpalatable or toxic to domestic livestock (sheep and cattle) though they also compete with these for food. In one study forbs comprised 62% of the diet, shrubs 23%, and grasses 15%, while in another, cacti comprised 40%, grass 22%, forbs 20%, and shrubs 18%. An ongoing study by the Lava Lake Institute for Science and Conservation and the Wildlife Conservation Society, shows an overland migration route that covers more than 160 miles. The migrating pronghorn start travel from the foothills of the Pioneer Mountains through Craters of the Moon National Monument to the Continental Divide. Dr. Scott Bergen of Wildlife Conservation Society says, "This study shows that pronghorn are the true marathoners of the American West. With these new findings, we can confirm that Idaho supports a major overland mammal migration--something that is becoming increasingly rare in the U.S. and worldwide."

Image From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[+MoonCatKDT & Peanut]

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green Sea Turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North American Caribou

 

The Flamingo

 

 

Flamingos are generally not a migratory bird, but certian factory including water levels, freezing and draught can force them to find more favorable conditions. When flamingos migrate, they do so mainly at night. They prefer to fly with a cloudless sky and favorable tailwinds. They can travel approximately 600 km (373 miles) in one night at about 50 to 60 kph (31-37 mph). When traveling during the day, the flamingos fly at high altitudes, possibly to avoid predation by eagles. Also, most flamingos that migrate will return to their native colony to breed. However, some may join a neighboring colony.

 

Sources:

Travel and Leisure

Sea World

[+SoloSeekers ヅ]

Day 3 but no longer need to guess so for Part A this is:

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green Sea Turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North American Caribou

 

Now for part "B" I would like to highlight an elusive little bird called the "Whip-Poor-Will"

 

I had only heard the Whip-poor-will's calls in old movies before moving to Texas 5 years ago. I am originally from Oregon (Native) and we moved to Texas for the SO's Job. So I first heard the call of the Whip-poor-will (in the middle of the night) I had no idea what it was. Since then, I look forward to every Spring to hear the Birds call. It's kind of a omen that Summer is just around the corner. In the Summer the Bird's call are almost drowned out by the Cicada's.

 

The Whip-poor-will is the classic nightjar, named for its distinctive song and made famous in poetry and song. Although its song is familiar to many people, few have actually seen a Whip-poor-will because of its cryptic plumage and nocturnal habits. This species breeds in eastern North America from southern Canada to the southern United States and from west Texas to Arizona and south into Central America. The primary winter range lies in Central America, but a few individuals may winter along the Gulf Coast in the United States.

 

Most of the Whip-poor-wills found in Texas are migrants. In Texas, the Whip-poor-will occurs in the eastern half of the state and in the high mountains of the Trans-Pecos region. In the east, the few records indicate that the Whip-poor-will should be considered a rare and very local breeding bird. This nightjar is fairly common in the Trans-Pecos region above 1676 m (5,500 ft) where it is associated with pine-juniper-oak woods in brushy canyons and mountain slopes. The Whip- poor-will is a difficult species to confirm, with no confirmed breeding records of the 15 total records obtained by the TBBAP. This largely nocturnal nightjar is difficult to find without an observer being audibly alerted to its presence. While roosting or incubating during the day, the Whip-poor-will is beautifully camouflaged and thus is rarely seen. TBBAP records reflect this. All of the records represent some form of vocal activity. An observer is even less likely to find a nest than to see a Whip-poor-will. An incubating adult is reluctant to flush and give away its nest location. The breeding season of the Whip-poor-will in Texas is long, extending from mid-April (Oberholser 1974) to early August.

[+manu luq]

A.-

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon (local to me)

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North american Caribou

 

B.-

Migratory birds follow established routes

 

Migration often is concentrated along well-established routes known as flyways, which are shaped by geographical, ecological, and even meteorological factors. Flyways typically follow mountain ranges or coastlines, and may take advantage of updrafts and other wind patterns, or avoid geographical barriers, such as (in the case of land birds) large stretches of open water.

 

Theoretical analyses, summarized by Alerstam (2001), show that detours that increase flight distance by up to 20 percent will often be adaptive on aerodynamic grounds—a bird that loads itself with food in order to cross a long barrier flies less efficiently. However, some species show circuitous migratory routes that reflect historical range expansions and are far from optimal in ecological terms. An example is the migration of continental populations of Swainson's Thrush, which fly far east across North America before turning south via Florida to reach northern South America; this route is believed to be the consequence of a range expansion that occurred about 10,000 years ago. Detours may also be caused by differential wind conditions, predation risk, or other factors.

Some large broad-winged birds rely on thermal columns of rising hot air to enable them to soar. These include many birds of prey, such as vultures, eagles, and buzzards, as well as storks. Migratory species in these groups have great difficulty crossing large bodies of water, since thermals form over land only. The Mediterranean and other seas therefore present a major obstacle to soaring birds, which are forced to cross at the narrowest points. Massive numbers of large raptors and storks pass through areas such as Gibraltar, Falsterbo, and the Bosphorus at migration times.

 

By following established routes, some species risk predation during periods of peak migration. For example, the Eleonora's Falcon, which breeds on Mediterranean islands, has a very late breeding season, coordinated with the autumn passage of southbound passerine migrants, which it feeds to its young. A similar strategy is adopted by the Greater Noctule bat, which preys on nocturnal passerine migrants (Dondini et al. 2000; Popa-Lisseanu et al. 2007; Ibáñez et al. 2001).

 

Despite the genetic and environmental factors that guide them along specific routes, migrating birds can still lose their way. In a phenomenon known as the "spring overshoot," birds returning to their breeding areas overshoot their destination and end up further north than intended. "Drift migrations" of birds blown off course by the wind can result in "falls" of large numbers of migrants at coastal sites.

 

---------

New World Encyclopedia

Photo: Calo Bescós

Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License

[+The Flying Ks]

A.

 

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon

3) Gray Whale (it is actually spelled with an 'a')

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North American Caribou

 

Part B... EARTHWORMS. Yes... earthworms migrate. The migration is vertical!

 

'In his book North With the Spring, naturalist Edwin Way Teale describes the "vertical migration" earthworms undergo each fall and spring.'

 

"Earthworms, in the fall, migrate deeper into the earth, below the frostline. Sometimes they ball up to reduce moisture loss—as many as a hundred worms being bunched together—and thus spend the winter in inactivity.

 

"When spring comes and frost leaves the soil, the earthworms become migrants again, tunneling upward. They appear at the surface, leaving the first castings of the new seasons, as soon as the average temperatures of the ground reaches about 36 degrees.

 

"At the same time, the robins return from the South. This is part of the endlessly meshing gears of nature's machine—the appearance of both earthworm and robins when the thermometer rises to a given point. All over the North, the return of the humble earthworm, the completion of its vertical migration, is a symbol of the arriving spring."

[+mpilchfamily]

1. Monarch Butterfly

2. Coho Salmon

3. Grey Whale

4. Canada Goose

5. Green sea turtle

6. Arctic Tern

7. North American Caribou

 

Being Saturday i thought i'd have a little fun with part B today. Its not so much an animal but it does enable animals of many species to migrate to areas they may otherwise never be able to reach. Thanks to these majestic fliers animals of all kinds are ferried across the world. If this flier was an animal it could be said to have the largest migration in the world. But since it travels to nearly any location on the world it easily holds this title.

 

If you haven't guessed it we are talking about a Airliner. Specifically i have the Boeing 747 in mind.

 

But to stay in line with the rules and not waste a post we'll cover the Emperor Penguin today.

 

Emperor Penguins Start there migration when breading season starts. They travel to colonial nesting areas, often walking 50 to 120 km (31 to 75 mi) inland from the edge of the pack ice. Thats a very long way to go waddling. The start of travel appears to be triggered by decreasing day lengths.

 

After the mother lays her egg she is exhausted and travels back to the sea to feed. While the father stays behind to tend to the egg. Around the time the egg hatches or several days after the female will return to take care of the baby allowing the male to travel to the sea for food. In the four months of travel, courtship, and incubation, the male may lose as much as 20 kg (44 lb), from around 38 kg to just 18 kg (84 lb to 40 lb).

Image From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[+GATOULIS]

Part A

 

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon (local to me)

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North american Caribou

 

part B

 

SWORDFISH (Xiphias gladius)

 

The Swordfish, Xiphias gladius, is a fast-swimming fish that has a long, sharp bill. Swordfish may swim up to 60 mph (100 kph). They are found worldwide in all tropical, subtropical, and temperate seas, from the surface down to 400 or 500 fathoms. Swordfish migrate from rich feeding grounds to spawning grounds each year. Their life span may be about 9 years.

 

Diet: Swordfish are carnivores (meat-eaters). They eat squid, octopus, fish, and crustaceans. Swordfish often kill their prey by swinging their sharp bill from side to side in a school of fish. They then eat the dead and wounded fish.

 

Predators: Swordfish have very few predators. Orcas, sperm whales, some large sharks, and people eat swordfish.

 

Anatomy: The biggest swordfish are about 14.5 ft (4.5 m) long, and 1190 pounds (540 kg) in weight. Females are larger than males.

 

Reproduction: Females produce tens of millions of eggs and fertilization is external.

 

Classification: Class Osteichthyes (bony fish), Order Perciformes, Suborder Scombroidei (barracuda, mackerel, tuna, billfish), Genus Xiphias, Species gladius.

[+yanagi]

Part A

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North American Caribou

 

Part B:

Plankton (yes, they do migrate, but not in way we first think of!)

 

Plankton typically flow with ocean currents. While some forms are capable of independent movement and can swim hundreds of meters vertically in a single day (a behavior called diel vertical migration), their horizontal position is primarily determined by the surrounding currents. (Taken from Wikipedia)

 

Diel vertical migration, also known as diurnal vertical migration, is a pattern of movement that some organisms living in the ocean and in lakes undertake each day. Usually organisms move up to the epipelagic zone at night and return to the mesopelagic zone of the oceans or to the hypolimnion zone of lakes during the day. The word diel comes from the Latin dies day, and means a 24-hour period. (Taken from Wikipedia)

 

Here is a picture taken also from Wikipedia:

[+LewisClan77]

1A...

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North american Caribou

 

1B...

 

The Great White Shark.

 

A new study is shattering old beliefs about the great white shark -- one of the largest, most awe-inspiring predators in the sea.

 

Scientists studying white sharks along the California coast have long believed that these powerful carnivores spend most of their lives relatively close to shore, pursuing seals and sea lions.

 

But a study in the Jan. 3 issue of the journal Nature reveals that white sharks can range across vast stretches of the open ocean. In fact, one male tagged along the Central California coast migrated thousands of miles to the warm waters off Hawaii -- and remained there for nearly four months.

image from Wikipedia, the FREE encyclopedia

[+SoloSeekers ヅ]

Part A:

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North american Caribou

 

 

Part B: Mexican Free Tailed Bat: Mexican free-tailed bats in southeastern Nevada, southwestern Utah, western Arizonia and southeastern California form a unit that migrates westward and southward into southern California and Baja California.[6] Those in southeastern Utah, southwestern Colorado, western New Mexico and eastern Arizona migrate into Jalisco, Sinaloa and Sonora along the western side of the Sierra Madre Oriental. Bats that summer in Kansas, Oklahoma, eastern New Mexico and Texas migrate southward to southern Texas[3] and into eastern central and perhaps western Mexico.[6]

 

 

Emergence of the bats of the Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin, Texas at dusk.

In Austin, Texas, a colony of Mexican Free-tailed Bats summers (they winter in Mexico) under the Congress Avenue Bridge ten blocks south of the state capitol. It is the largest urban colony in North America with an estimated 1,500,000 bats.[7] Each night they eat 10,000 to 30,000 lb (4,500 to 14,000 kg) of insects. Each year they attract 100,000 tourists who come to watch them. In Houston, Texas, there is a colony living under the Waugh Street Bridge over Buffalo Bayou. It is the home to 250,000 bats and also attracts viewers. The Mexican Free-tailed Bat is the official "flying mammal" of the state of Texas.[8]

 

Bats ranging eastward from eastern Texas do not migrate but local shifts in roost usage often occur seasonally.[6] Also, a regional population that ranges from Oregon to California, maintains year round residence.

 

One of the largest Mexican Free-tailed Bat populations inhabits, during the spring and summer, Cueva de la Boca, a cave near Monterrey, Mexico. In 2006, the Mexican environmental conservation NGO, Pronatura Noreste purchased the property. Because of a reduction of more than 95% of the original 20 million bat individuals population, as a result of vandalism, pollution, and uncontrolled tourism, the organization decided to buy the property in order to place it under conservation. Other species of high ecological value that inhabit the cavern are also being protected.

 

Credit: Wikipedia

[+GATOULIS]

Part A:

 

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North american Caribou

 

Part B

 

LADYBUGS!!! (I love that insect!!!)

 

Ladybugs (also called lady birds or lady beetles) are small, oval-shaped winged insects. These shiny insects are usually red with black spots or black with red spots on the wing covers. The number of spots identifies the type of ladybug. Most ladybugs are less than 1/4 inch (4-8 mm) long. As ladybugs age, the spots fade.

 

There are about 5,000 different species of ladybugs throughout the world. A common species is the two-spotted ladybug (pictured above); it is orange-red with two black spots.

 

The ladybug, like all beetles, undergoes a complete metamorphosis during its life. The life stages of the ladybug are: egg --> larva --> pupa --> adult.

 

These tiny predators (Family Coccinellidae) are helpful in gardens because they eat many garden pests (including mealy bugs and aphids). Birds are the major predator of the ladybug.

 

I heard that there are "farms" now with ladybugs... where you can buy ladybugs to "clean" your infected plants (from the animals that ladybug eats), instead of using chemicals that are bad! I do not know if that is true... but it is surelly a good thinking....

 

When not flying, the wings are covered by a pair of modified wings (called elytra). When flying, the elytra open up. Like all insects, ladybugs have: 6 jointed legs (black), two antennae (black), and an exoskeleton made of chitin (a material similar to our hair and fingernails). Their three-part body consists of a head (with the mouthparts, eyes, and antennae), thorax (where the legs and wings attach), and the abdomen (containing the reproductive and most of the digestive organs).

 

Ladybugs migrate too! They are mostly in groups and when there is a lack of food and some start to die or a change in the temperature (can not live in low temperatures), their leader takes them in other places!

 

In america ladybugs are migrating to North America in the Summer and in south America in the winter!

 

Four ladybugs were sent into space in 1999 on NASA's space shuttle led by Eileen Collins. Ladybugs and their main food, aphids, were sent to a zero-gravity environment to study how to aphids could get away from the ladybugs without being able to jump using gravity.

 

the greek name of the ladybug is Πασχαλίτσα (paschalitsa). Pascha is Easter!!! Probably that is because of their colour.... red and black... and because they appear when we have Easter... (spring)!

 

It is consider as a good luck if a ladybug lands on you!!! But it is also a bad lack if you throw her away, force her to leave...!!!!

[+goosefraba1]

I wish we could send all of the orange ladybugs that we have here into deep space. They are a pain in the fall.

[+yanagi]

Part A

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North American Caribou

 

Part B:

 

Frogs

 

They migrate between breeding ponds and lakes where they overwinter. In Spring and in fall, when the migration takes place, they sometimes have to cross roads. here in Germany animal protectionists build fences to keep them from jumping onto the streets and help them to get to the other side. I'm sure that this happens in other countries as well. We even have traffic signs to warn car drivers.

 

(Picture taken from Wikipedia)

[+LewisClan77]

Part A...

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North American Caribou

 

 

Part B...Moose

 

In late March and early April, 1995, 57 moose were captured and equipped with radio- collars. 15 moose were collared along each of three Refuge rivers: the Sheenjek (green circles), Coleen (yellow circles), and Firth (blue circles); and 12 were collared in the Kongakut River area (pink circles).

 

Biologists immobilized the moose using standard dart/drug techniques. The moose were handled carefully, and all animals survived these capture activities.

 

Each moose was examined and measured to find out how healthy it was. Blood, hair, and pellet samples were collected. A small hole- punched circle was removed from the ear for moose genetics (DNA) research at the University of Alaska. A colored ear tag was installed so the moose could be more easily spotted again in the field. A radio collar was placed around each animal's neck. These collars send out radio signals that help biologists relocate moose. The radio-collar will provide signals for up to 4 years.

 

Because the moose move across a wide region of mountians and rivers, biologists flew in small airplanes to search for the animals in the study. This Cessna 185 was equipped with tracking antennas and a special radio receiver that picked up the sounds from each moose collar. The biologist and pilot used these signals to relocate each moose.

 

By mid April, moose were moving from the Kongakut River area (most northern capture site), and some of the Sheenjek River moose had moved south down the Sheenjek River valley.

 

In early May, many moose were moving to the south and east. Some had already arrived in Old Crow Flats.

 

By the end of May, many moose had arrived in Old Crow Flats. Moose calves are born at about this time, so most young were born in Canada.

 

During this study, 75% of the moose collared in Alaska migrated to Old Crow Flats. Most moose remained in Old Crow Flats during the summer.

 

Old Crow Flats are ideal summer habitat for moose. There are many shallow lakes and ponds with aquatic vegetation (plants that grow in water), a common food item for moose during summer. In addition, there are several partially drained lake basins which have lots of aquatic vegetation as well as willows, another important food item for moose.

 

According to data collected during this study, moose begin moving out of the Old Crow Flats in fall, and the movement to Alaska is completed by early winter.

 

Up to 196 kilometers (120 miles) separate summer and winter areas for some of the marked moose. This is the farthest that any moose are known to migrate in Alaska.

 

The moose remain in the valleys of the Brooks Range throughout the winter.

[+The Flying Ks]

A.

 

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon

3) Gray Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North American Caribou

 

B.

 

Nightingale - the famous nightime warbler...

 

"It has long been known that British Nightingales spend the winter in Africa, but what hasn't been known until now is where exactly in Africa this is. The British Nightingale breeding population has undergone a dramatic decline, so it is vital to look at the pressures these birds face on migration and during the winter months.

 

For the first time, a Nightingale has been tracked by BTO scientists on migration from its breeding site near Methwold Hythe, Norfolk, to its wintering area. The bird, caught in April 2009, was fitted with a geolocator — that records the times of sunrise and sunset — that it would carry down to Africa and back to Britain again in the spring. Analysis of these daylight times allows scientists to calculate both latitude (from day length) and longitude (from local time of sunrise and sunset)." ~http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=2198

[+goosefraba1]

Part A

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North American Caribou

 

Part B:

 

Frogs

 

They migrate between breeding ponds and lakes where they overwinter. In Spring and in fall, when the migration takes place, they sometimes have to cross roads. here in Germany animal protectionists build fences to keep them from jumping onto the streets and help them to get to the other side. I'm sure that this happens in other countries as well. We even have traffic signs to warn car drivers.

 

(Picture taken from Wikipedia)

 

I like that sign.... that would be a great one to have on the wall... I mean if I was the type of person that would do that. Anywho... even your signs are artsy over there. The most we get around here is a watch for deer sign.

[+mpilchfamily]

1. Monarch Butterfly

2. Coho Salmon

3. Grey Whale

4. Canada Goose

5. Green sea turtle

6. Arctic Tern

7. North American Caribou

 

Today- Elephant Seal

 

Elephant seals make one of the longest migration of any marine mammal, with females migrating a total of 11,000 miles in semi-annual trips to the North East Pacific and the males migrating for a total of 13,000 miles for their semi-annual trips to the Aleutian Islands. They only come on land for breeding and molting. Molting takes place in several waves, with juveniles and adult females molting in April and May, the adult males in summer, and juveniles molting in fall. They undergo a “catastrophic molt” meaning they lose their hair and the upper layer of skin all at once, replacing it with new fur.

 

Prior to the 20th century, elephant seals were almost hunted into extinction by humans for their oil rich blubber. By 1892, there were only 50 to 100 seals left in a colony on Guadalupe Island off of Baja California. In 1922, Mexico granted them protected status, and the United States soon followed suit. The elephant seal population has bounced back to roughly 160,000, close to the estimation of their original numbers. The Sanctuary supports more than 1500 individuals in Point Reyes and 500 individuals at South East Farallon island.

Image From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[+LadyBee4T]

 

 

The Canada Geese is what I would like to discuss...

 

Ok so that isn't really about their migratory patterns but I had to say that and would really like the Canadians to take them back!!

 

Submitted by Roland Hulme on Mon, 2011-05-02 15:57

 

 

I'm got back last night from the Midwest Geobash. While there I chatted with several cachers from this forum (and traded also of course!) Laval K9 offered to help me and said she would take some of these geese back home to Canada. They were no where to be seen! Can you believe that!!!!

[+Fiery Searcher]

This cointest is what I do! I study avian migration, specifically, the loss of neotropical migratory songbirds at communication towers.

 

First, the list of migratory organisms on the coin:

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon (local to me)

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North american Caribou

 

Second, a migratory organism that has not been mentioned yet: Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera)

Photo by: Christian Artuso, Viewed at: Golden-winged Warbler Working Group

 

The Golden-winged Warbler breeds in northeast North America and winters in Central and South America. The completely separate breeding and wintering grounds places this species in the category of long-distance Nearctic-Neotropical migrants. These birds migrate between breeding and wintering grounds primarily at night, using the day to eat and rest in between bouts of migration.

 

One of the threats to this and other long-distance migrants is collision with tall, man-made objects during their evening journeys. I have found members of this species at my study sites, and they are one of the more common casualties at communication tower sites in the north. The American Bird Conservancy has summarized peer-reviewed studies of communication tower fatalities, available HERE.

 

I hope to add to this body of knowledge when I finish my dissertation this fall. Thanks for a coin dedicated to migration! It is amazing that a bird weighing 10-15 grams flies thousands of miles twice a year simply to breed in a food-rich environment.

 

Thanks especially for designing a cointest that makes people do a bit of research and learn something.

[+Where'sMyMarbles]

BEAUTIFUL!!!

[+yanagi]

Part A

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North American Caribou

 

Part B:

Spider (oh man, learned some very interesting facts about migration because of this cointest!)

 

For their migration they use a technique which is called ballooning and with that they can fly in the jet stream thousands of kilometer and they survive without food 25 days and longer!

 

Here is what I found in Wikipedia about Balloning:

Ballooning is a term used for the mechanical kiting that many spiders, especially small species, as well as certain mites and some caterpillars use to disperse through the air. Many small spiders use gossamer or especially fine silk to lift themselves off a surface or use the silk as an anchor in mid air. The very fine silk used for ballooning has been called "gossamer" since 1325 and was not originally known to be produced by spiders; by extension, the same word is used metaphorically for any exceedingly fine thread or fabric. Biologists also apply the term "balloon silk" to the threads that mechanically lift and drag systems.

 

A spider or spiderling after hatching will climb as high as it can. The spider then stands on raised legs with its abdomen pointed upwards. This is known as "tiptoeing". After that, it starts releasing several silk threads from its abdomen into the air, which automatically form a triangular shaped parachute. The spider can then let itself be carried away by updrafts of winds, where even the slightest of breeze will do. Most rides will end a few metres later, or a spider can be taken up into a jet stream, which depends on its mass, posture, the convection air current, drag of silk and parachute to float and travel high up into the upper atmosphere.

 

Many sailors have reported spiders being caught in their ship's sails, over 1600 km from land. They have even been detected in atmospheric data balloons collecting air samples at slightly less than 5 km above sea level. Apparently it is the most common way for spiders to invade isolated islands and mountaintops. Spiderlings are known to survive without food travelling in air currents of jet streams for 25 days or longer.[4]

 

Here a picture from Wikipedia:

[+team moxiepup]

Great idea for a cointest!

 

Part A.

1. Humpback Whale

2. Canadian Goose

3. Atlantic Salmon

4. American Elk

5. Monarch Butterfly

6. Barn Swallow

7. Dugong

 

Part B.

 

North Atlantic Right Whale, Eubalaena glacialis

 

Photograph by Brian Skerry National Geographic October 2008

 

According to a census of individual whales identified using photo-identification techniques, the latest available stock assessment data (December 2010) indicates that a minimum of 361 recognized individuals were known to be alive in 2005.[10] Up to four hundred North Atlantic right whales are thus thought to exist at present, almost all living in the western North Atlantic Ocean. In spring, summer and autumn, they feed in a range stretching from New York to Nova Scotia. Particularly popular feeding areas are the Bay of Fundy, the Gulf of Maine and Cape Cod Bay. In winter, they head south towards Georgia and Florida to give birth.

 

North Atlantic right whales feed, mate, and give birth in a heavily industrialized maritime corridor from eastern Canada to the southern United States. These marine giants were first commercially hunted by Basque whalers in the 11th century. By the early 20th century, European, Canadian, and American whalers had hunted the slow-moving species almost to extinction. A hunting ban on right whales went into effect in 1935 and continues today. With 1 to 2 percent growth, the current population of 350 to 400 individuals is barely holding steady, meaning that any increase in the mortality rate seriously threatens the future of the species. The good news is that saving only two reproducing females a year could put North Atlantic right whales on the path to recovery.

 

Right whales are hampered by a relatively low birthrate, and researchers think one cause may be ocean pollution. But the biggest threats to these whales are collisions with shipping vessels and entanglement in fishing gear. Studies have shown that lower vessel speeds significantly reduce the likelihood that a ship collision will result in a whale death and have proposed that speed limits be lowered in critical right whale habitat. A few success stories have been recorded, such as the rerouting of shipping lanes in Canada's Roseway Basin away from areas where right whales congregate and the deployment of autodetection buoys in the shipping lanes of Massachusetts Bay and Boston Harbor to listen for right whales and warn ships to avoid them.

[avroair]

Last chance today and tomorrow to get your migrations in! Sorry if I wasn't reading them over the weekend, I was migrating to visit family.

[+chaosmanor]

It's been interesting looking at the lists as they change. Here's my (probably) last attempt, with scientific (binomial) names, just to clarify things...

 

1 Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

2 Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)

3 Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)

4 Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)

5 Reindeer (North American Caribou: they are taxonomically the same) (Rangifer tarandus)

6 Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)

7 Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus)

 

I don't believe anyone has discussed the Migratory Locust (Locusta migratoria), which is a common Orthoptera of Asia, Africa and the Antipodes. They are known to travel more than 100 kilometers in a day, and they eat an average of their own body mass (about two grams) each day. Swarms of this species were a serious threat to farms, historically, but swarming behavior has been mitigated by various changes in farming methods, as well as negative ecological impacts. Other locusts, in different genera, however, can still be a major problem when they swarm.

[+GATOULIS]

Part A:

 

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North american Caribou

 

Part B

 

Tonggeret!!!

 

After spending 17 years in the soil, shrill insect, katydid will migrate towards the outside world to gather together, sing, and mating. Their appearance in sync, effectively distancing katydid from predators during the five-week adult life. Katydid migration distances range from several inches to thousands of kilometers.

 

well...does this concider to be migration??? I hope yes!

 

Info taken from http://allofstrange.blogspot.com/2011/02/strange-animal-migration.html

[+farrtom]

Part A:

• 
   
  
• Canada Goose
  
• Humpback whale
  
• Bottlenose dolphin
  
• Monarch Butterfly
  
• North American Elk
  
• Pacific Salmon
  
• Green Sea Turtle
  

 

Part B:

Canadian Retirees: Many Canadian Retirees travel the I-15 corridor every late fall and early spring as they migrate to the warmer climates of Arizona and Mexico to spend the winter. This is not the only migration route of the Canadian Retiree, but it is a very popular one on the west side of North America. Some may say they follow the Canada Goose, but their frequent stops at gas stations and restaurants do not allow for the same migration patterns of the Canada Goose. In addition these Canadian Retirees do not often travel in groups (or packs or gaggles or herds) but do occasionally travel in pairs. They can usually be identified by their Canadian license plates.

The length of a Canadian Retirees migration is dictated by travel arrangements, finances and rules and laws of migration location. Most Canadian Retirees spend 180 days in the warm winter climates before returning to their native land. Additional taxation laws affect the location and length of stay of many Canadian Retirees.

Canadian Retirees are, for the most part, very friendly and sociable, though some are unfamiliar with tipping practices (or customs) in U.S. restaurants.

(photo Ryan McVay/Photodisc)

Edited August 2, 2011 by farrtom

[+LewisClan77]

Part A...

 

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North american Caribou

 

Part B... Green Darner Dragonflies

 

The Green Darner or Common Green Darner (Anax junius), after its resemblance to a darning-needle, is a species of dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae. One of the most common and abundant species throughout North America and its range south to Panama. It is well known for its great migration distance from the northern United States south into Texas and Mexico. It also occurs in the Caribbean, Tahiti, and Asia from Japan to mainland China. It is the official insect for the state of Washington in the United States.

 

The Green Darner is one of the largest dragonflies existent: males grow to 76 mm (3.0 in) in length with a wingspan of up to 80 mm (3.1 in).

 

Females oviposit in aquatic vegetation, eggs laid beneath the water surface. Nymphs (naiads) are aquatic carnivores, feeding on insects, tadpoles and small fish. Adult darners catch insects on the wing, including ant royalty, moths, mosquitoes and flies.

 

Picture and info from Wikipedia

[+LadyBee4T]

Part A

 

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North American Caribou

 

Part B

 

Baltimore Orioles

 

The Baltimore Orioles migrate to the Detroit area three times during the summer and stay 3-4 days each time. During the other days in summer they travel across the entire country and also into Canada only staying 3 to 4 days at a time. Winter habitat is unknown as they then tend to leave the team to form their own social network. In spring they then come together again in Florida for approximately 4-6 weeks and then migrate across the country as before. I have not yet had a chance to see them this summer but I hope that I will be able to swing it.....When they are flying to a city other than Baltimore they can be identified by this.

Picture taken from shop.mlb.com

 

The above Orioles are the ones that first come to my mind when I hear that term. However, I do realize that others will not have that association so I will also briefly discuss the migratory pattern of another baltimore oriole. Baltimore orioles are popular spring and summer birds in open deciduous forests and riparian areas in the eastern United States as well as in suburban parks and backyards. Populations extend as far west as the Great Plains and eastern Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, as well as the southern half of eastern Canadian provinces. In the fall and winter, Baltimore orioles migrate to Central and South America, with limited populations wintering in Florida, along the edge of the southeastern United States and along the Gulf Coast of Mexico.

 

Though shy, Baltimore orioles will readily come to backyards that provide their favorite foods, including grape jelly, orange halves, nectar and suet. Birders should avoid spraying pesticides that can eliminate insects as a food source, and hanging hair or string sections can help attract orioles to nest nearby.

 

Photograph by George Grall

[+LewisClan77]

 

I don't believe anyone has discussed the Migratory Locust (Locusta migratoria), which is a common Orthoptera of Asia, Africa and the Antipodes. They are known to travel more than 100 kilometers in a day, and they eat an average of their own body mass (about two grams) each day. Swarms of this species were a serious threat to farms, historically, but swarming behavior has been mitigated by various changes in farming methods, as well as negative ecological impacts. Other locusts, in different genera, however, can still be a major problem when they swarm.

See post #54

[+The Flying Ks]

A.

 

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon

3) Gray Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North American Caribou

 

B.

 

The basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) is the second largest living fish, after the whale shark. It is a cosmopolitan migratory species, found in all the world's temperate oceans. It is a slow moving and generally harmless filter feeder and has anatomical adaptations to filter feeding, such as a greatly enlarged mouth and highly developed gill rakers. The shape of its snout is conical and the gill slits extend around the top and bottom of its head. The gill rakers are dark and bristle-like and are used to catch plankton as water filters through the mouth and over the gills. The basking shark is usually grayish-brown in colour and often seems to have a mottled appearance. The caudal (tail) fin has a strong lateral keel and a crescent shape. The teeth in the basking shark are very small and numerous and often number one hundred per row. The teeth themselves have a single conical cusp, are curved backwards and are the same on both the upper and lower jaws.

 

Basking sharks are a migrating species and are believed to overwinter in deep waters. They may occur in either small schools or alone. Small schools in the Bay of Fundy have been seen swimming nose to tail in circles in what may be a form of mating behavior. Basking sharks are not aggressive and generally harmless to people.

 

It has long been a commercially important fish, as a source of food, shark fin, animal feed, and shark liver oil. Over-exploitation has reduced its populations to the point that some have apparently disappeared and others need protection.

 

 

This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons. Information from its description page there is shown below.

Commons is a freely licensed media file repository.

[+The Flying Ks]

aaaaand after midnight counting as "next day" - don't want to forget!!!

 

A.

 

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon

3) Gray Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North American Caribou

 

B.

 

Manatee (like the Silly Song - google it hehe)... Saw one of these in Florida... it was a life moment. Also, one at the Wild Animal Park in the Bay Area was obsessed with this toddler - it was weird. Manatees need warm water to survive. In spite of their size, they have relatively little body fat, and their metabolic rate is low compared to other marine mammals. Manatees cannot tolerate temperatures below 20 ° C (68 ° F) for long periods of time. Researchers believe that individuals affected by the cold cannot produce enough metabolic heat to make up for heat loss in the environment. During winters in Florida that have been unusually cold, an increase in manatee mortality has been documented.

 

Seasonal Change

Because of their susceptibility to the cold, the space or range that manatees require is influenced by seasonal change. Florida manatees are considered to be somewhat migratory animals. Generally speaking, they are found in shallow, slow-moving rivers, bays, estuaries and coastal water ecosystems of the southeastern United States. They can live in fresh, brackish or salt water.

 

In the summer months, manatees travel freely around Florida’s rivers and coastal waters. A few manatees may range as far west as Texas and as far north as Virginia (one manatee was even documented in Cape Cod, Massachusetts!), but these sightings are rare. Sporadic summer sightings in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina are relatively common.

[+yanagi]

Part A

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North American Caribou

 

Part B:

Antelops (Pronghorns was already taken but there are not Antelops)

 

"Each year, more than half a million of the Serengeti National Park’s animals in Tanzania such as antelopes, zebras, lions, leopards, etc, begin their long journey to the Wild Reserve Masai Mara in Kenya after eating up all the Serengeti grasslands. The juicy grassland benefited from heavy rains falling in April and May, will attract them. ... However, the migration would implicit dead risks because there are many crocodiles “freezing” in the rivers where the animals must across and ready to eat any quarry." (taken from www.EzineMark.com

 

Here a breathtaking video from youtube:

[+LewisClan77]

Part A...

 

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North American Caribou

 

Part B...Purple Finch

 

Flocks of Purple Finches undertake a drawn out migration in both the fall and spring. In much of the eastern United States, Purple Finches are short-distance migrants, wintering in points south of their breeding range. Western Purple Finches are very uncommon in winter in Puget Sound, but large numbers move through in spring. They undergo almost cyclical irruptions across portions of their winter range, which may be associated with conifer seed crops.

picture from Wikipedia

[+team moxiepup]

Part A.

1. Humpback Whale

2. Green Sea Turtle

3. Atlantic Salmon

4. American Elk

5. Monarch Butterfly

6. Barn Swallow

7. Dugong

 

Part B.

 

Red-Winged Blackbird

 

The range of the Red-winged Blackbird stretches from southern Alaska to the Yucatan peninsula in the south, and from the western coast of California and Canada to the east coast of the continent. Red-winged Blackbirds in the northern reaches of the range are migratory, spending winters in the southern United States and Central America. Migration begins in September or October, but occasionally as early as August.

 

The Red-winged Blackbird inhabits open grassy areas. It generally prefers wetlands, and inhabits both freshwater and saltwater marshes, particularly if Typha (cattail) is present. It is also found in dry upland areas, where it inhabits meadows, prairies, and old fields

[+keewee]

Part A.

Canada Geese

Grey Whale

Arctic Tern

Coho Salmon

Monarch Butterfly

Green Sea Turtle

North American Caribou

 

Part B

NEW ZEALAND FANTAIL (Piwakawaka)

Photo by Tony Wills

Permission is granted under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License

 

The New Zealand Fantail is a cute little bird that spends the warmer parts of the year in areas of native bush in the foothills and lower alpine areas, but in the coldest months they migrate down to tracts of bush at lower altitudes and will often appear in suburban gardens.

 

They are always such fun to watch as they fly into my parents carport and flit around quickly looking for insects to eat, whilst making their high pitched squeak noise.

[avroair]

Closing in a couple hours...

[+LadyBee4T]

Part A

 

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North American Caribou

 

Part B

 

Maybe I missed it but I haven't seen anyone talk about the North American Robin. Around here it is considered to be the first sign of spring but that seems to be an old wife's tale when you actually read about them.

 

Here are a few facts about robin migration.

All robins are not the same: The vast majority of robins do move south in the winter. However, some stick around — and move around — in northern locations.

Robins migrate more in response to food than to temperature. Fruit is the robin's winter food source. As the ground thaws in the spring, they switch to earthworms and insects. While the robins may arrive when temperatures reach 37 degrees, this is because their food becomes available not because the robins themselves need warm temperatures.

Robins wander in the winter: Temperatures get colder as winter progresses. Robins need more food when it's cold and more and more of the fruit gets eaten. Robins move here and there in response to diminishing food supplies and harsh weather. If all robins wintered at their breeding latitude, there wouldn't be enough fruit for them all. So robins tend to spread out in the winter in search of fruit. Most hang out where fruit is abundant, but some take the risk of staying farther north where smaller amounts of fruit remain.

Robins sing when they arrive on territory: Robins sing when they arrive on their breeding territories. Sometimes robins even sing in winter flocks, due to surging hormones as the breeding season approaches. However, in the majority of cases, robins really do wait to sing until they have reached their territory.

 

Picture taken from wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Robin

[+GATOULIS]

Part A

 

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North American Caribou

 

Part B

 

while Iwas searching to find animals that migrate and are nto mentioned or maybe will not mentioned... I found out that some scientsts believe that Some dinosaurs were migrating for food or to give birth to their eggs...

 

some of the Polar dinos were migrating to warmer areas and after about 6 months they were returning! Not all polar dinos could do that!!! Some could stay at the same place because they could survive in cold etc and just because they didn't have enough energy for the trip! Food was not plenty in the polar zone to give them enough energy for their huge bodies!

 

So... it is beleived that dinosaurs were not migrating from West to South but probably from North to south and backwards! when the climate changed... animals started migrating in the way they do now! Of course... dinosaurs were not here anymore... but... birds were (birds are very close relatives of the dinosaurs!!!)

[+team moxiepup]

Posting to add that the picture of the Red-winged Blackbird came from Animal Planet.

[+steben6]

My first cointest

 

Part A:

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon (not local to me!)

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North american Caribou

 

Part B: I love manatees!

 

Manatees have relatively little body fat and cannot tolerate temperatures below 20° C (68° F). Manatees need warm water to survive. In spite of their size, they have relatively little body fat, and their metabolic rate is low compared to other marine mammals. Manatees cannot tolerate temperatures below 20 ° C (68 ° F) for long periods of time. Researchers believe that individuals affected by the cold cannot produce enough metabolic heat to make up for heat loss in the environment. During winters in Florida that have been unusually cold, an increase in manatee mortality has been documented.

 

Because of their susceptibility to the cold, the space or range that manatees require is influenced by seasonal change. Florida manatees are considered to be somewhat migratory animals. Generally speaking, they are found in shallow, slow-moving rivers, bays, estuaries and coastal water ecosystems of the southeastern United States. They can live in fresh, brackish or salt water.

 

In the summer months, manatees travel freely around Florida’s rivers and coastal waters. A few manatees may range as far west as Texas and as far north as Virginia (one manatee was even documented in Cape Cod, Massachusetts!), but these sightings are rare. Sporadic summer sightings in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina are relatively common.

 

In the winter, usually November though March, the manatee population is concentrated primarily in Florida. Water temperatures that fall below 21° C (70° F) cause manatees to move into warm water refuge areas. Scientists don’t know what cues manatees follow, but they seem to know when cold weather is coming and seek warm water areas.

 

Travel corridors, or passageways, are necessary for manatees to move back and forth between summer and winter habitats or between feeding and resting or calving areas. It has been documented that many manatees have preferred habitats they return to each year.

 

When the weather cools down, manatees gather near natural springs such as Blue Spring on the east coast of Florida or in the Crystal or Homosassa Rivers on Florida’s west coast. These springs are winter refuges for manatees because the water temperature is relatively constant throughout the year –averaging about 22 ° C (72° F). When the surrounding waterways get colder, manatees move into the springs to keep warm.

 

I would love to post a pic of a manatee (they are so cute!), but we're on vacation and have really limited internet access, so downloading pics is impossible. It took me 40 minutes just to get the forum to come up!

 

Hope I win

[+The Flying Ks]

My first cointest

 

Part A:

1) Monarch Butterfly

2) Coho Salmon (not local to me!)

3) Grey Whale

4) Canada Goose

5) Green sea turtle

6) Arctic Tern

7) North american Caribou

 

Part B: I love manatees!

 

Manatees have relatively little body fat and cannot tolerate temperatures below 20° C (68° F). Manatees need warm water to survive. In spite of their size, they have relatively little body fat, and their metabolic rate is low compared to other marine mammals. Manatees cannot tolerate temperatures below 20 ° C (68 ° F) for long periods of time. Researchers believe that individuals affected by the cold cannot produce enough metabolic heat to make up for heat loss in the environment. During winters in Florida that have been unusually cold, an increase in manatee mortality has been documented.

 

Because of their susceptibility to the cold, the space or range that manatees require is influenced by seasonal change. Florida manatees are considered to be somewhat migratory animals. Generally speaking, they are found in shallow, slow-moving rivers, bays, estuaries and coastal water ecosystems of the southeastern United States. They can live in fresh, brackish or salt water.

 

In the summer months, manatees travel freely around Florida’s rivers and coastal waters. A few manatees may range as far west as Texas and as far north as Virginia (one manatee was even documented in Cape Cod, Massachusetts!), but these sightings are rare. Sporadic summer sightings in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina are relatively common.

 

In the winter, usually November though March, the manatee population is concentrated primarily in Florida. Water temperatures that fall below 21° C (70° F) cause manatees to move into warm water refuge areas. Scientists don’t know what cues manatees follow, but they seem to know when cold weather is coming and seek warm water areas.

 

Travel corridors, or passageways, are necessary for manatees to move back and forth between summer and winter habitats or between feeding and resting or calving areas. It has been documented that many manatees have preferred habitats they return to each year.

 

When the weather cools down, manatees gather near natural springs such as Blue Spring on the east coast of Florida or in the Crystal or Homosassa Rivers on Florida’s west coast. These springs are winter refuges for manatees because the water temperature is relatively constant throughout the year –averaging about 22 ° C (72° F). When the surrounding waterways get colder, manatees move into the springs to keep warm.

 

I would love to post a pic of a manatee (they are so cute!), but we're on vacation and have really limited internet access, so downloading pics is impossible. It took me 40 minutes just to get the forum to come up!

 

Hope I win

 

see post #86 - sorry

[+NeverSummer]

I've been away from the geocoin forum for some time now...

But I'm back! (And perhaps not under the wire for this cointest, but I had to try!)

 

A)

-Canada Goose

-Grey Whale (on the lighter side) Looks like a Humpback Whale to me in the center of the dark side, due to the pointier head, longer and slightly tapered "flippers", and pronounced dorsal fin. As opposed to the blunt, rounded head and "flippers", and less pronounced dorsal fin of the cetacean (grey whale) on the other side.

-Arctic Tern

-Coho Salmon

-Monarch Butterfly

-Green Sea Turtle

-North American Caribou

 

B )

Merlin

I live near Hawk Ridge in Duluth, MN, where some of the largest numbers of raptors can be seen on a migration every fall. It's quite the sight to see, with hundreds of raptors seen in a few hours. I've helped band there, as well as taught about raptor and bird migrations while working at Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center. The Merlin, or Falco columbarius, is a frequenter of Hawk Ridge with these numbers:

Earliest date: Aug 13

Latest date: Dec 3

Peak migration: 5 Sep - 10 Oct

Record daily high: 73 on 9 Oct 1998

Record seasonal high: 460 in 1997

 

(wikipedia.com)

 

edit for spelling

Edited August 3, 2011 by NeverSummer

[avroair]

There are some wonderful descriptions and photos. Like the book "On the Day You were Born", there is something awesome, cosmic and almost humbling about natures great mysteries such as migration. Kinda helps us reflect on our place on this Earth. Thanks for sharing.

 

Cointest Winner: post #88

 

Hope you enjoy the coin.

[+keewee]

Thanks for the cointest Mark - it was a good one and made those of use who used images from the web work to keep ourselves honest!!!

 

Congratulations LewisClan77 on the win.

[+Eartha]

Title updated at OP's request.