Wow, it’s been a nasty winter; huge snowfalls from the mountains of California to Lake Shore Drive in Chicago to 5th Avenue in New York City, with record low temperatures in places in between. The weather forecasters are filling up my head with Alberta Clippers, Nor’easters, Chattanooga Choo-Choo’s, and I’m not sure if it’s El Niña or El Niño, but one of them is playing havoc on my daily commute.
My mother has been feeding and watching wild birds, squirrels, chipmunks, ducks, possums, raccoons, and any other sort of small wild animal native to Ohio for as long as I can remember. We moved to Ohio from Florida when I was still a kid, and she took to the wildlife here like a duck to water.
Some people consider squirrels, chipmunks and rabbits to be a nuisance to their back yard or outdoor space, as these critters tend to eat your bird seed or cause problems in your yard. However, if you are reading this article, odds are you are not one of those people!
Generally when bird feeders are present, squirrels and chipmunks will naturally find their way to your yard. They tend to eat the seed under the feeder that the birds have knocked to the ground.
During very cold and harsh winters, the wildlife you love, enjoy, and care for during the warmer months may run into trouble if the food runs out. There are some things you can do in your yard to make the winters easier for your backyard wildlife to get through the winter so they can entertain you again in the warmer months.
Jim Curran