Nature Connection: Holing Up For Winter

It has begun, that long slow trudge into the winter months. November is here and as we pull on our heavier sweaters and wooly socks, we know it is useless to complain. We just have to adjust. We’ve turned our clocks back an hour and hope we haven’t turned our country back a century as well. These are trying times, but we are strong and have come through difficult times before.

Wildlife must adjust to the changing seasons as well. It’s not hard to see that local plant life is giving up their seasonal moment in the sun. Leaves are falling, blowing all over, leaving branches bare. Grasses have turned to seed before turning color as they die off, and the last flowers of the season are slowly dying off, leaving only seeds and memories behind.

Our winter birds have completed their molt. Many now wear more subtle colors which allow them to blend into the more neutral landscape of late fall and winter. If you have goldfinches in your yard, you have no doubt noticed that the males are almost done with their summer golds, their feathers now the dull olives and browns usually sported only by female and immature birds, People often wonder what happened to all the males as they only see these dull plumaged individuals at their feeders. Have no fear, they are still there, just hiding their summer splendor. After all, a bright yellow bird on a feeder would make a tempting bullseye for a hungry hawk.

Some of our winter songbirds will seek out holes in trees or even birdhouses to use as winter shelters. These will help them stay warm and dry even on the coldest, dampest of days. If you have birdhouses in your yard, now is a good time to clean them out and maybe add some clean, dry grasses for warmth.

Most of our reptiles and amphibians are probably already snug and cozy in their winter holes or dens. Amphibians winter over by burying themselves in the mud or dirt. They will remain dormant all winter until the thaw of spring brings the temperatures back above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Snakes and turtles take a different approach. Box turtles bury themselves in dirt, often under a tree or shrub. Fresh water turtles, such as our painted, snapping and musk turtles, may bury themselves in the mud at the bottom of ponds, but they may also move about underwater even in midwinter. Our only salt marsh turtles, the diamondback terrapins, dig into the peat of the marsh and stay safe and warm that way.

Snakes often find old holes or burrows to spend the winter in. If a woodchuck has gone to bed for the season, a snake, or several snakes, may share parts of the burrow. There may be a box turtle hanging out there as well. Although some snakes winter by themselves, many find it more helpful to gather with some friends and relatives. In some areas huge numbers of snakes may gather and winter over in small caves. There are a few spots here on the Cape known for hosting multiple snakes once the weather turns cold, but many spots, such as rambling old stone walls, host a few here and there, not multitudes. This is a time when a snake may show up in your basement or crawl space, so be aware. There’s no need to panic and kill anything, but it may be a good idea to check for the ways wildlife might access areas you would rather they did not.

Holing up for winter seems like a good idea whether we actually hibernate or not. Deer, coyotes, foxes, rabbits, squirrels and mice all have their strategies for staying warm. Some have dens that protect them from extreme weather, some make temporary resting spots out of the way of wind and precipitation. Squirrels, raccoons and mice will all take advantage of holes in trees or broken windows in your sheds and garages. 

We all know that wildlife here on the Cape is being shut out of their usual habitats by building and roads. This means that we must share our spaces with them. We can make sure our yards and neighborhoods have old trees, fallen trees, and even old stone walls for wildlife to find shelter in. If you have a brush pile in your yard, it is probably host to more wildlife than you can imagine. If you can leave it be, that’s great! If you don’t have a brush pile you can easily make one. Just don’t bag up all those leaves and fallen or pruned branches. Pile them up away from your home and then watch as birds and small animals discover and use it.

Holes are homes for so much wildlife, and not just birds and squirrels. Some, like our local cottontail rabbits, do not dig or live in holes but they will take advantage of the burrows of other animals when the weather gets rough. Many know woodpeckers use holes in trees but so do many other birds, including chickadees, bluebirds, titmice, nuthatches, wrens and some sparrows. Owls, especially the small screech owls, also use holes in trees.

Let’s not forget the most important of all, our little insect friends. Without them, we would cease to be, so please be kind and leave the leaves and flower stalks. The butterflies and bees will thank you.

As we prepare for winter, please don’t forget our backyard and neighborhood wildlife. We’ve already disrupted their usual lives and habitats. The least we can do is make sure they still have a decent place to hole up in as winter looms on our horizon. Let your friends and relatives know as well. Nature will thank you.