Annual migrations

Every year, around this time, the Tarantulas do their migration. Always an interesting site seeing those big hairy-arsed critters crawling about. Anyone else have critters migrating in their area this time of year?

Ducks and Geese......mmmmmm duck jerky

Here are some pics.

That's awsome. How many do you see in a day? How long does the migration last? Do you know where they are coming from / going to? Sorry about the 3rd degree, but I'm genuinely fascinated.
Gotta say, though, it's a damn good thing they don't do that down here or my wife would be locked in the bathroom with a can of raid for the entire season.

Germey said:

That's awsome. How many do you see in a day? How long does the migration last? Do you know where they are coming from / going to? Sorry about the 3rd degree, but I'm genuinely fascinated.
Gotta say, though, it's a damn good thing they don't do that down here or my wife would be locked in the bathroom with a can of raid for the entire season.

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It lasts a couple of weeks. I've not had one in the house yet, my brother walked into his kitchen and found one on the counter Depending on how far I drive I'll see 4 or 5 each trip walking across the road. I'm not sure on the reason for the migration but it may be that they breed here in the hills then head to lower ground for the winter, but I'm not sure on that.

We get Snowbirds migrating at this time of year. They are not pretty, they move slow, and they clog up traffic. I would rather the spiders.

beerthirty said:

We get Snowbirds migrating at this time of year. They are not pretty, they move slow, and they clog up traffic. I would rather the spiders.

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I feel your pain. Living in a tourist area (Yosemite N.P.) it's h#$$ every summer.

I love watching the coconut migrations.

Ducks, geese, elk, deer, etc. Most of the small critters around here dig in or head for my attic.

When I was a lot younger my folks had a house directly across the street, on higher ground, from a graveyard. With the coming of each storm and winter season the tarantula's would seek drier, warmer ground.

Now I have never been afraid of a tarantula, at least not the mild mannered ones we have here, but waking up from slumber with a big hairy spider on your chest and seeing a half dozen eyes "wink" at ya is just creepy.

Just about every variety of bird imaginable. Ducks and geese obviously but also buzzards, herons, sparrows, blackbirds, seagulls, etc. Most are either moving south from here or through here but some like chickadees move into the area from colder regions further north.
Its not as noticeable but Monarch butterflies also migrate south from here for the winter after feeding on the milkweed all summer.
The ground animals are very active this time of year but don't migrate. Squirrels get really bold as they ignore just about everything trying to collect enough nuts to store for the winter. Deer get more aggressive and mobile also as its mating season.

Nothing like tarantulas around here though.

Craig

I battled a tarantula last night. Right before bed I realized I left something in the truck. Went out there at 2AM in just my boxers and one was guarding my truck. Had to smash it with a stick and got it's juices on me.

We mostly see Geese. And Monarchs. And some little black birds that come by the thousands to the fields of corn. And the Shad and American Eel. Those come to mind. Have you ever been bitten by one of those things. I don't mind Spiders too much, but I do know some can be dangerous, how poisonous is that type (I am guessing probably not so much?).

zoebisch01 said:

We mostly see Geese. And Monarchs. And some little black birds that come by the thousands to the fields of corn.

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Red Winged Blackbirds! Sometimes the skys darken due to their flocks. When traveling the flock will stretch miles. And boy can they make a mess of a sweetcorn patch.

Craig

zoebisch01 said:

We mostly see Geese. And Monarchs. And some little black birds that come by the thousands to the fields of corn. And the Shad and American Eel. Those come to mind. Have you ever been bitten by one of those things. I don't mind Spiders too much, but I do know some can be dangerous, how poisonous is that type (I am guessing probably not so much?).

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Never been hurt by one. They're pretty docile critters. They just ramble along. I think their bite is like a wasp in severity.

CBBaron said:

Red Winged Blackbirds! Sometimes the skys darken due to their flocks. When traveling the flock will stretch miles. And boy can they make a mess of a sweetcorn patch.

Craig

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That would be a site to see. The only similar thing I've seen around here is about 20 Turkey Buzzards flew over all at various altitudes.

We got gangs migrating between Richmond and Oakland

Seriously though, the Bay Area is along the Pacific Flyway, which is one of the major bird migration routes. Every fall, you can see hundreds of raptors and other migrating birds making their way south over the Golden Gate (it the narrowest strip of water, and raptors generally don't like flying long distances over water).
Other than that, we get salamander migrations. Some days, they will cover the trails in certain areas of the East bay parks. Cool stuff.

quixotic said:

We got gangs migrating between Richmond and Oakland

Seriously though, the Bay Area is along the Pacific Flyway, which is one of the major bird migration routes. Every fall, you can see hundreds of raptors and other migrating birds making their way south over the Golden Gate (it the narrowest strip of water, and raptors generally don't like flying long distances over water).
Other than that, we get salamander migrations. Some days, they will cover the trails in certain areas of the East bay parks. Cool stuff.

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I heard they go to their wintering grounds this time of year.
Salamanders are cool. Fun to catch when I was a kid.