A week ago, when the weather forecasters first gave us details of the winter storm to come, they supplemented their predictions with plentiful advice. You know, sensible stuff like having flashlights and blankets ready in case the power goes out, and stocking up on nonperishable food items.
I couldn’t help but think of this as I stood in line at the grocery store the other day, behind a person whose unique sensibilities had guided him toward buying not one or two but three cans of Easy Cheese (completely nonperishable, just as recommended) and an ample supply of beer. (Okay, maybe he was getting his Super Bowl shopping out of the way early. But the image of him ensconced in a La-Z-Boy, surrounded by empty cans of beer and cheese, while The Storm of the Century whipped around outside, will be with me for a long time.)
It also made me think of how our wild neighbors might be preparing for the storm. Instead of pondering Tom Skilling’s psychedelic weather maps, and wondering if they should be worried about all that pink and purple, they were no doubt paying attention to more subtle cues like drops in atmospheric pressure. Instead of stocking up on beverages and canned cheese, they were relying on food caches stored months ago, or tweaking their hunting skills for one last meal before the storm.
Although there is little scientifically valid data indicating that wildlife can predict weather, I think the evidence speaks for itself. Case in point: There were hundreds of cars stranded on Lake Shore Drive Tuesday night, and hundreds of unhappy people who either did not hear the weather warnings or chose to ignore them. But not one squirrel was caught out in the cold.
When Wednesday morning came and the snow began to subside, who was the first to stir in your neighborhood? Where I live, it was the squirrels, soon followed by the chickadees and juncos; all were foraging in and around the plants in the yard. As the sun came out Wednesday afternoon I noticed a Cooper’s hawk sailing past the rooftops, likely looking for one of those chickadees or juncos
Although these animals occupy different parts of the food chain, they all share one thing in common: They’d chosen their cover wisely, survived the storm and were out and about, refueling their internal furnaces.
Now, a few days post-“Blizzaster,” or “Snowpocalypse” (we humans do love our hype, don’t we?) our daily lives are starting to get back to normal. The cans we emptied are in the recycling bin and our La-Z-Boys are back in their upright and locked position. But outside, local wildlife are coping with the hard realities of a landscape covered with snow.
Some, like the chickadees and juncos, are going about their business of finding food and adequate shelter, and doing their best to avoid a run-in with the Coopers. But other animals, namely neighborhood mammals like squirrels, raccoons and coyotes) have the added pressure of breeding season. (If you think we have it tough finding a mate, try going on a date in snow that’s over your head.)
According to the Weather Service, we’re in for another blast of cold this coming week, which means this snow isn’t going anywhere. Mammals on the move will be looking for paths of least resistance—trails through the woods and fields, but also plowed streets and shoveled sidewalks. Keep your eyes open, especially if we get a heat wave of 30F or so. I believe increased sightings of these critters will be in the forecast for the coming weeks.
One group of animals you won’t see much of right now, but will be reappearing soon, is our local frogs. Kane County is home to between eight and 10 species, ranging from teensy spring peepers to jumbo bullfrogs, and breeding activities may start as soon as a month from now.
If you’re curious about who lives by you, and want to learn how to help monitor their populations, you might want to come out to our annual Calling Frog Survey training. The workshop will be held next Saturday, February 12, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., at our new Hickory Knolls Discovery Center in St. Charles.
Sound like fun? If so, give a call to let us know you’re coming, and we’ll see you next Saturday!
Pam Otto is the manager of nature programs and interpretive services for the St. Charles Park District. She can be reached at potto@stcparks.org or 630-513-4346.