My Changing Yard
Observing Climate Change In Your Backyard
Welcome!
Last winter, my family and I registered with the Audubon Climate Watch, and I noticed that there were some birds that we found lots of, and others we found very few. I started wondering why that was and did some research. Apparently, when Audubon’s 2019 climate change “Survival by Degrees” report came out, the information was mind blowing. It showed that around two thirds of North American birds were at risk of extinction because of climate change. This got me thinking that if the birds were affected, other animals were also probably affected. I researched animals such as turtles and apparently they are also at a high risk of extinction.
Fowlers toad
The Fowlers Toad (Bufo Fowleri) can be found all around the Eastern U.S. These toads breed from late spring to early summer (April to July), and tend to lay around 20,000 eggs!!! They typically lay eggs after a heavy rainfall. The Fowlers toad can be found in many different colors such as tan, brown, red, gray, olive, and even green. They are found mostly in woodlands and near ponds.
Status: Habitat is vulnerable.
cardinal
Cardinals are definitely a great bird to look for as the males are quite bright. While females are a more brownish color, they have small amounts of red on their feathers, and the vibrant red on the beak. The cardinal is also quite popular, as it boasts the fact of being the state bird of seven eastern U.S.A states! There are lots of cardinals in the world, and their numbers have been expanding throughout the last century. These birds are not endangered and because of their popularity, they are being monitored quite well. When looking for cardinals, you should look at bird feeders, trees, and fences. If you want to attract cardinals to your bird feeder, safflower seeds, black oil sunflower seeds, and white milo seeds are a few that they will enjoy.
eastern box turtle
The Eastern Box Turtle is a relatively small turtle, with a maximum length of 8 inches. The hatchlings are typically 1.2 inches long, while the males are 6 inches long. The females are the largest reaching 8 inches in length. The shell of the turtles or the carapace is a dome-like figure with radiating splotches or streaks of yellow and orange. Eastern box turtles live mostly in very vegetated areas. These areas include shrubby fields, grasslands, swamps, ponds, and in the woods. They are most often found around ponds, creeks, streams, and areas that have had heavy rainfall.
Photo by Ava N.