Wildlife Watching in America's National Parks: A Seasonal Guide

Fall

{ Fall 116 | Fall F all brings some of the year’s most exhilarating wildlife-viewing opportunities. In some places, such as the deciduous forests of the Midwest and New england, fall comes with a burst of color as leaves turn golden yellow, brilliant orange, and deep scarlet, providing a picturesque backdrop for wildlife viewing. Fall is the time of year when many wildlife species, such as the beaver, are busy collecting and storing food in anticipation of the long, lean winter months. However, other species are not focused on preparing for the coming winter. rather, species such as elk are preoccupied with sex. Their bugles and clash of antlers echo across the forests, mountains, and prairies. In the Pacific Northwest salmon are also preoccupied with mating and perpetuating the species, but for them it will be the end of their journey. Once they deposit their eggs and sperm they will die, never to see the coming winter; however, their progeny will and the cycle of life will continue. Although the three species featured in the next three chapters are dramatically different in form and function, they are similar in that autumn is a critical season for the survival of their species. each September, Pacific salmon return by the tens of thousands to Fall is the mating season for most large ungulates, making it an exciting time to visit national parks. (Photo by Daniel S. Licht) 117| Fall Olympic National Park streams to spawn. Wildlife observers cannot only witness this timeless spectacle, as the salmon fight their way upstream, they can also see the many species of wildlife that depend on the returning salmon. America’s national parks are renowned for their large mammals, with the fall rut of the elk being a featured attraction in many parks, so much so that some parks have “elk jams.” But there are lesser-known parks where elk can be observed in a less congested setting, such as at Buffalo National river in Arkansas. The bugle of the bull elk, a clarion challenge to other bulls and an enticement to cows, is one of the iconic songs of autumn. Another autumn signature is the telltale v-shaped wake of a beaver swimming across a pond as it busily collects branches for its winter food cache. Cuyahoga National Park in Ohio, just south of Cleveland, is an unexpected place to see these industrious animals. And where there are beaver, there are often herons, ducks, mink, and all the other wildlife that call a beaver pond home. Fall—the changing of seasons, and years Fall marks the beginning of the end of the current year, but ironically it also marks the beginning of the coming year. It’s the season when many animals from elk to salmon are thinking about procreating. Other animals, such as the beaver, are busy collecting food that will get them through the long winter and into next spring. Whereas summer allows for loitering and slumber, and winter sometimes requires it, for many species there is little time to rest in autumn. And that is why the wildlife watcher shouldn’t rest either. Fall is one of the most exciting times of the year. Add to that a backdrop of brilliant fall foliage and brisk temperatures and you have a season you cannot miss. Fall is spectacular, but alas, it goes by in the wink of an eye. ...