For us in the Northern Hemisphere, the return of Spring means the return of wildlife activity. For the many, long months of winter we have longed for the song birds who flew off in Autumn. Now that they are back we make sure to take time to enjoy our time together. The chorus outside the window is stunning in its diversity and volume. We wake early to enjoy the songs of so many different birds. Spring aromas and sounds fill the house through the open window.
Now we can look forward to the cycle of rebirth as nature sets about the work of continuance. The added activity of the mating and breeding seasons means an increase in wildlife activity and the greater chance of catching a glimpse of animals and birds. In our life, this special time of year has us taking note of the different species that enter our suburban yard. Since we have several feeding stations, we see quite a few! To identify our visitors, we use binoculars and field guides. During the springtime, we often get special and infrequent visitors to the bird feeders that are "just passing through" on their way to other places.
A couple of years ago while recuperating from surgery, I created a "local field guide" of species we have identified in our yard. To do this I took a bunch of sheets of card stock and punched them to fit in a three-ring binder. On each page, I pasted a photocopy of an entry from our field guides. I did this for every species we'd ever seen visit our yard. Since the copied field guides pages are quite small, the rest of the sheet had room for notes and entries. The entry pages were then grouped in a category such as "birds" or animals" and placed in the binder.
Each year, we can record details of each species' visits. We make note of when we first spot the species in the Spring, when we first see the deer fawn and any unusual events. The binder provides a central place where we can easily keep track of what nature is up to around our home! From our past observations, we have a sense when species might make an appearance and can keep a sharp eye out for their visit in the current year. That translates to knowing how to better care for our animal friends. For instance, we know that we need to put nectar out for the hummingbirds the week prior to Mother's Day. Sometime during that week, they'll usually arrive and be hungry!
If you're ready to provide a real habitat for the wildlife in your neighborhood, why not create an official Backyard Wildlife Habitat? The National Wildlife Federation has a certification program that helps you to make your yard wildlife friendly. By doing this, you help to support the birds and animals whose habitats are in jeopardy. By providing food, water, shelter and a place to raise young, you not only benefit the critters and the overall health of your neighborhood, you also reap the harvest of many enjoyable hours of wildlife watching. Across the United States, over 90,000 households have certified their yards.
The National Wildlife Federation offers great informational "tip sheets" on just how to make your yard a sanctuary for wildlife at www.nwf.org/backyard/tipsheets.cfm. The certification process will earn you a nice certificate and an opportunity to get a great metal sign for your yard, too. The full information is at: www.nwf.org/backyard.
-Evelyn Rysdyk
Postscript: For many years, we have not only noticed the wildlife in our yard but have also made it a point to take note of birds and other creatures when on long car rides. For instance, when visiting my family in New York we keep track of how many hawks, turkey vultures, blue herons and eagles we're able to see on the trip. These larger birds are easier to spot and identify from the car. Each trip generates a list and Allie and I compare our trip lists with our long rides to see how the numbers have differed. On some visits from Maine to New York, we've well seen over 60 raptors! -Evelyn
For more information on making a Backyard Wildlife Habitat, go to the Marketplace section of this magazine and click on the FREE pdf: "A Sanctuary in Your Own Back Yard." -Editors
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Resources:
National Wildlife Federation: www.nwf.org
Maine Audubon: www.maineaudubon.org
P.L.A.-Y* Outside
Those times that we take walks at Maine Audubon's Gilsland Farm, we make special efforts to catch sight of as many species as possible. To observe animals, it is necessary to "blend in" with the surroundings so they will allow us to take a closer look. That means wearing clothing that is brown or colored like the forrest and learning to move in a way that is "less human". By that I mean learning to walk differently. Here is a wildlife "hunting" exercise that you can do on your next walk!
Start by choosing your clothing to best match the surroundings. If you'll be in a field of marsh grasses, choose greens and vertical stripes. If in the forest, blend in with grays, browns and greens. If you happen to have a real camouflage outfit even better! Allie and I have shirts with photorealistic leaf patterns on them. They really help us to blend in when we're in the woods. (Just don't wear them during the hunting season!)
Now that you're outfitted practice the hunter walk! Take three deliberate steps forward and then stop. Pause here for a moment and look slowly around. Now take three more steps forward and then pause again. This is the pattern that a deer or other larger grazing animal takes as it makes it way along.
As silently as you can, move this way on your next walk through the woods or field. Pick your way through the woods, disturbing as little of the foliage as possible. Place your feet carefully so that you avoid snapping twigs and don't talk!
This way of moving is very different from the way most of us walk. To an animal like a deer, we move move like predators. That is, we human beings move quickly along in a direct, straight line. By choosing to mimic the way an prey animal moves, you will stand a greater chance of catching sight of the many other creatures with whom you are sharing the woods.
We'd love to hear about your nature experiences, your own Backyard Wildlife Habitat efforts, how you "walked like a deer" and anything else you think readers might enjoy! Send your stories, photos and drawings to us at: editors@spiritliving.org.
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