Winter

Winter months in Australia are June, July, August

Winter officially begins 1 June in Australia, but other countries use the winter solstice in late June as the official beginning of winter.

What causes Winter?

As the earth rotates around the sun the earth's hemispheres change their distance to the sun because of the tilt on the earth's axis. See more information on seasons http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuiQvPLWziQ or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Season.

The winter solstice occurs when the earth's southern hemisphere is tilted the furthest away from the sun. This means that the length of daylight will be the shortest. After the winter solstice the southern hemisphere begins to tilt closer to the sun and length of daylight will very gradually increase.

Winter weather

Frost will become common if the nights are cloudless.

The colder day and night temperatures mean that any rain that falls will not evaporate as quickly as during summer.

 

What is happening?

Plants

  • Most plants will have shut down for winter.

  • Some wattles will begin to flower.

  • Deciduous trees and shrubs will have bare branches, but the fruit on the Crepe Myrtles are a valuable and favourite source of food for the Eastern and Yellow Rosella.

  • The winter active native grasses, like Wallaby Grass, with green up with the winter rains.

Animals

  • Reptiles and frogs have slowed down for winter. They cannot regulate their body temperatures like mammals so rely on the warmth from their environment to boost their body temperature. This is why they are often found "basking" in sunny spot in the garden. Also their main food, insects, are very scarce, so they reduce their need for food by reducing their activity.
  • Towards the end of winter some birds will be developing their breeding territories, so disputes are common between birds. Magpies, pee wees, wrens and willy wagtails are most noticeable in the garden.
  • Lizards might be out basking in the warm sun.
  • Rosellas will be in the garden feasting on Crepe Myrtle berries.
  • The seed eating birds, like the Crested Pigeons, will be enjoying the seeds of winter grasses.

 

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