Wildlife Happenings - September
September brings the beginning of Fall, and the peak of the hurricane season, so we should be seeing some new species and activity as a result. Here are some interesting things to look for in September:
Birds
- Get feeders ready for returning birds
- Hawk migration begins at St. Joseph Peninsula in Gulf County.
- Bald eagles return to nest sites and begin courtship.
Mammals
- Gray bats migrate to Alabama caves for winter hibernation.
- Start looking for manatees concentrated in rivers, bays, and near power plants.
- Deer breeding begins in south Florida flatwoods.
- Manatees start to gather in freshwater springs near power plants
Amphibians
- Start listening for Spadefoot toads after heavy rains.
Fish
- Atlantic sturgeon begin fall migration from the Suwannee and Apalachicola Rivers to the Gulf of Mexico.
Invertebrates
- Blue crabs migrate from the shallow panhandle coast to deeper water for the winter.
- Blue crab "jubilee" also begins along panhandle beaches.
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