Wind, gusting to more than 40 miles per hour at times, added a new dimension to hiking this morning. I often pay attention to force and direction of the wind when bicycling, fly fishing, even birding. When I’m hiking, however, it’s usually not an issue. The density of the trees is often enough to divert the wind.
This morning’s breezes, however, were a revelation. Not the kind of revelation Sir Isaac Newton experienced when he was, allegedly, hit on the head with a falling apple. But a constant barrage of acorns, hickory nuts and black walnuts falling from the trees in high winds can open one’s mind, literally. Thankfully I was wearing a cap.
For about the first mile I thought the irregular pitter patter of nuts falling in the forest was kind of cool. I even thought I could hear cheering coming from the Wild Turkeys, White-tail Deer and other forest critters who depend on mast to get through the winter months.
Mast for wildlife comes in two basic types in this area, soft and hard. The softer things, like berries and fruits get consumed first, mostly. The hard mast is around much longer, and in a great variety.
For example, acorns from trees in the red oak group (red, black, scarlet, and pin oak) are more bitter than those in the white oak group (white, bur, chinkapin, and chestnut oaks). As a result, acorns from the white oak group are preferred by most wildlife species, and are often quickly consumed in the fall. Red oak acorns have a much longer “shelf life,” which makes them available for consumption during late winter when other food sources are scarce. They also provide food in years when few white oak acorns are produced.
I don’t know if this is a good or bad year for acorns. All I know is that showers of nuts fell all around me this morning. The acorns were not much more than a bother. The hickory nuts and, especially the black walnuts, were hazardous.
Whether Sir Isaac had an epiphany while sitting under the apple tree remains debatable. What I learned while hiking in mature oak and hickory forests is that on windy days, head for the pine and hemlock groves.
3 comments:
Seems like we will be having a decent mast crop(=nuts, acorns, etc.)this year, which could bode well for winter birds. I heard Upper Michigan and Canada had another draught, which could send "their" birds our way! :)
Cheryl
This is the 3rd time this week I've heard about oaks/acorns...comments came from Chicago, Wisconsin and Ohio. I'd guess they have bumper crops when stressed...strange because they have very deep roots which helps them survive drought.
Maybe, Clyde, the trees were simply tapping you on the head to get your attention :).
This might be the only occasion when you thank the early settlers for cutting down all of the chestnut to make homes and fences. My cars are under constant bombardment with the green nut hulls that look like sea urchins on steroids. Late at night, wind-blown nuts hitting the patio windows make you think invasion is imminent.
Slacker
Post a Comment