The snow that blankets the Tri-Cities these days has many stories written upon it. Like a good book they beckon—all you have to do is take the time to read them.
Take the other day, for instance. A friend and I were walking through Norris Woods in St. Charles, admiring the many signs of winter wildlife activity, when we noticed a particularly “busy” looking oak. Lumbering raccoon tracks led to and from the tree, and the ground below was strewn with bark bits scraped off by the critter’s claws as it scrambled up and down. Looking up, we saw the gaping hole of a tree cavity. Southward facing, it no doubt offers the raccoon—and maybe some of its acquaintances—excellent shelter from the season’s snow and cold.
A bit farther down the path, we came upon some considerably smaller tracks. Measuring between ¼- and ½-in. each, paired astride a line made by a dragging tail, and leading directly to the base of a tree, these tracks likely indicated that a white-footed mouse was afoot.
White-footed mice spend a great deal of time in trees, often running up a convenient trunk when danger threatens. They may use abandoned bird nests as homes, adding a cover for protection and furnishing the interior with fur, feathers or other shredded materials. They primarily are seed eaters, but also eat their fair share of insects, spiders and other invertebrates, and in turn are preyed upon by hawks, owls, foxes and other local predators, up to and including lumbering raccooons.
As the sun began to set, and nearing the end of our walk, my friend and I spotted squirrel tracks that led from the base of an oak tree to a hole in the snow. Down, down through the snow the resourceful rodent had dug, finally reaching its prize: a nutrient-dense black walnut. Alas, the nut was frozen solid in the ground. All the scratching and clawing in the world wouldn’t budge it. (This I know, for I tried. A lot.)
These vignettes are only a few examples of the types of tales you can discover just by looking around. And the really great thing is, you don’t have to go far to do so. Sure, a local park or forest preserve will have lots of tracks, but so will nearby yards and unshoveled sidewalks. Every neighborhood has its share of creatures, great and small, that leave behind many signs of their presence.
The next few weeks should provide plenty of opportunities to read stories in the snow; the ensuing mud of spring will offer even more. If you’d like some help getting started, come on out this Saturday to Pottawatomie Community Center. From 9 a.m. to noon the St. Charles Park District and its partner agencies will offer Winter Wildlife Tracking, a course in the Learn from the Experts program series. The class is open to adults ages 18 and up; fee is $5 per person for both residents and nonresidents.
Pam Otto works for the St. Charles Park District and can be reached at 630-513-4346. For information about how to register for this or any other St. Charles Park District program, please call 630-513-6200.