Get outside this Winter… and how!
Sing along with me! Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire’s so delightful… since we’ve no place to go: Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!
A lovely song best done by this amazing artist shown here: Ella Fitzgerald!
While it’s a fantastic and oh-so-sing-along-able tune, I think many people take the message to heart all Winter long: the weather outside is frightful... so we've got no place to go! Well, my goal here is to show you a whole bunch of reasons for you and yours to get out of the house this Winter! There are lots of fun nature-y things to do December-February... I promise!
This month I’ll be focusing on:
Wildlife Wonders!
While many Ohio critters sleep the cold away or head South, many of our animal brothers and sisters are awake and active! Here's 3 easy ways to enjoy them this Winter:
Tracking
Wait… those don’t look like footprints in the middle… what are those?
Snow is such a gift! While It's super fun to throw, build with, and sled on... my favorite thing about it is the wildlife writing.... huh? I mean the footprints! Snow acts like the paper and the critters write their stories on it with wings, hoof, and paw... and it's awesome! Head to a park, look in your backyard, or even check out the snow on the side of the road in the country... you'll see lots of evidence of our wild neighbors... Who was walking there? Where were they going? Why?
I actually wrote a book about tracking called Right Where You Are featuring mushroom siblings Mooshy Moo & Grumpus. It includes some cool tracking activities for your fam AND some great tracking resources too! You can find it at a local bookstore here.
Support me AND a local bookstore… such as Cover to Cover!
I’ve also made a handy-dandy pocket-sized tracking guide you can bring along with you in the woods to see who’s been stompin’ snow (I printed mine out,laminated it, then I fold in half along vertical line then fold along horizontal lines):
If you get really into tracking, you should connect with Sandy Reed of Original Wisdom… she’s incredible! You can find out more about her and OW here, and watch the video I made with her here!
2. Go Owling
Pictured here: Ohio’s largest and in-charge-est owl, the Great Horned Owl
Winter is mating time for our local owls! This starts with “Hooting Season”... when the owls are calling to each other with their lovely nighttime "hoots". If you know someone who has wooded property, go out there at sunset. Quietly walk into the woods and give an owl call (listen to some common owl calls here). You can also bring a bluetooth speaker and play recordings from your phone (I like to use the website allaboutbirds.org for this. Search Great Horned Owl, Eastern Screech Owl, or Barred Owl). After playing or making a call, pause and listen silently... do you hear any responses? NOTE: if you play Great Horned Owl sounds first... you definitely won't find any other species of owls... they'll be scared away because GHO's eat other owls!
Also, SUPER IMPORTANT NOTE OF IMPORTANCE: Owls are alive and have feelings... and things to do! Show them respect by only playing recordings/imitations sparingly... I'd say after you try 5-6 times with no response, to go ahead and call it quits. Too many calls could push owls away from the area... the last thing we're trying to do is kick them out! Also, if you're lucky enough to hear or even see an owl, give them plenty of space.
Oh, and one FINAL NOTE: Our Metropark system does occasional Owling events at the parks. Check this site for event dates and locations! For other great bird events, checkout our local Grange Audubon Center! You can also go to Prairie Oaks Metropark or the Prairie area at Battelle-Darby Creek Metropark and look for Short-eared Owls gliding over the tallgrass... a sight to behold!
Behold!
3. Feed the birds!
Num num num.
If you'd rather bring the adventure to you, start feeding birds in your backyard! You'll be amazed who comes to visit even close to the city! You'll likely get to meet Cardinals (pictured above) and:
Carolina Chickadee… chick-a-dee-dee-dee!
Downy Woodpeckers… you can attract all kinds of different woodpeckers with Suet cakes bought at the grocery/garden store
Blue Jays will come to most feeders, but you can get fancy with a peanut ring like this if you want!
Carolina Wrens… the scrappy, Danny DeVito’s of the bird world (You can help them specifically by putting up wren houses)
White-breasted Nuthatch… looks like they’re wearing a lovely gray-blue suit
...and more! (P.S. to attract bluebirds, put out mealworms instead of seeds)
Here's a few essential tips to feed them right:
-Get a birdfeeder you can easily clean, such as a tray-style one. Spray down with vinegar every few days and let dry before refilling. If you don't clean it, birds can catch diseases from your feeder and die. I failed to clean a feeder one year and many of the housefinches got a terrible eye disease.
-Feed your feathered friends blackoil sunflower seed. It's high in fat (keeping them warm), it's cheap AND if you have any left come Spring/Summer, you can plant what's left and have sunflowers! I did and it was lovely! You can get big bags for cheap at hardware stores.
-Place your birdfeeder on a hook or pole with a baffle (to keep away squirrels… see pic below) that's either within 3 feet of a window or over 30 feet away... this avoids birds smacking into the glass! You can also try the fun suction cup ones that go directly on the window... just be sure to clean it regularly!
Squirrels and Raccoons will find the baffle… baffling.
-Don't be angry or scared if a local hawk shows up and eats some songbirds... this means the ecosystem in your neighborhood has a functional foodchain!
Don’t hate me cuz I’m beautiful
You can even use your birdfeeder for science! You can keep track of who visits your feeder for Project Feeder Watch!
Tune in next month for more Winter goodness here in central Ohio... we'll be talking gardening.... in January? Yup!
Oh, and quick sidenote: I make art using bits of nature… it’s on Etsy and you can buy it to support my habitat restoration efforts… they make great Christmas gifts that support local (me), go to a great cause (the land), and WON’T get stuck on a boat! Check them out for yourself here!
Happy Holidays from my family… and this lovely Dimorphic Jumping Spider named Chris… I found him on our wreath!