Observations: Jan 25, 2000 Time: 10:30 Weather: Sunny, no wind

The Cold Facts About Snow Snow is produced when air-borne dust particles enter moisture-laden clouds. The moisture clings to the dust and forms snow when the cloud temperature is at or below 0° celcius (32°F). While it is often said that no two snowflakes are the same (a theory supported by the more than 6000 snowflake photos taken by Dr. Wilson Bentley in the early 1900’s), snow crystals do form one of six general hexagon shapes. The snowflake will likely change from one type of crystal to another as the air temperature changes during the fall to earth. Generally speaking, the warmer the temperature, the slower and smoother the crystal will grow, resulting in a less intricate shape. Crystals can collide with each other within a cloud and may shatter at cold temperatures, becoming “seeds” for many more flakes. This is believed to be the origin of the sudden bursts of heavy snowfall we sometimes experience at the Irving Nature Park. At warmer temperatures, crystals will collide and group to form larger, joined flakes. If you find large flakes during a snowfall, you’ll know it is getting warmer outside. Someone in Bratsk, Siberia is believed to have found the largest snowflake ever – 20.3 cm by 30.5 cm (approximately 8” x 12”)! Snow Flea (Achorutes nivicola) The snow flea, one of the most common insects on land, belongs to an order of insects that has been on the earth for roughly 400 million years. Yet we know little about this creature. Perhaps it’s the fact that they are less than 2mm (1/16 in.) in length! What these insects lack in size, however, they make up for in numbers. It has been estimated that their populations can reach 25 million per hectare.Have you seen snow fleas at Irving Nature Park? On warm, late winter/ early spring days you’ll find these insects on the snow, looking like soot against the white background. Try to scoop up a handful, and you’ll discover they’re aptly named. Snow fleas are able to hop almost a decimetre in length (about 4 inches), a considerable feat considering their minuscule size. Snow fleas are members of a family of insects called Springtails. Leg-like appendages called the furcula are tightly folded under the body and held there until movement is necessary. Unlike most insects, snow fleas are wingless throughout their lifecycle. Since they feed on rotting plant material and pollen, their habitat is leaf litter. Usually they remain buried in this leaf litter and migrate no more than 25m (82ft) in their lifetime. Why do we see them on the top of the snow? Biologists believe they come to the surface in winter to mate.

Beach Party in January ! Picture a group heading to the beaches of the Nature Park, savouring the warmth and enjoying a bite to eat. Sounds like a picnic in July, right? For the Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis), it’s a survival technique employed every winter. Gatherings of up to 50 or more snow buntings may be found fluttering around the tall grasses, feasting on the marram (beach) grass seed blown free by the fierce winter winds. Compared to the extreme winter conditions in their breeding habitat of the high arctic, the park gathering is indeed a “picnic”! Snow Buntings are easily identified by their sparrow-like size (15 -18cm or 6 -7 inches) and their almost pure-white abdomen and underwing sections. When flying overhead, the flock is difficult to spot against the white winter clouds in the sky. The upper parts of their bodies are brown, with some black streaks in the winter to blend with the brush on the ground and tree branches. At night these hardy birds simply bed down in rock cavities or in sheltered, ground depressions.

The Naturalist's Notebook is a regular publication. If you have any questions or topics that you would like to see addressed, please call John Gilbert, Manager, Fish and Wildlife, J.D. Irving, Limited, (506) 632-7777 or email honeyman.kelly@jdirving.com