Give creatures a helping hand by offering good quality and varied seeds, nuts, and fruits in the form of a suet bar. The needles of conifers provide a “thermal cover” and protection from the biting winds as they provide a natural mulch. Some birds that reuse their nests may opt for a DIY redo by replenishing the old materials with this year’s fallen bits. Birds also use small sticks, twigs, and dead grass to prepare for spring nesting. Have an old woodpile? Stacking a fresh new cord? Arrange the layers in a crisscross or similar pattern to create a wood hotel for small mammals and insects. This loosely constructed mound will serve as a headquarters for ground birds, rabbits, hibernating insects, and reptiles. If you have room in the corner of your yard, create a brush pile of some of the items you normally compost, like leaves, sticks, and dead grasses. It’s a win-win for you and your animal friends. Left in place, this yard debris can eventually be incorporated into the soil. A better choice would be to leave them where they lie or use a mulching mower. The leaves and brush are primary sources of shelter and food. Help your furry friends by putting away your rake and putting off the bagging of leaves and brush for later. The most susceptible of our critters, particularly those not hibernating or flying south, will thank you. It is time to get up off the couch and winterize your backyard for their benefit. Over the next 90 to 120 days, they will endure bone-chilling winds, frozen ground, and limited access to fresh water or easy foraging. While we are preparing our homes, vehicles, and closets for the cold winter season ahead, let’s not forget about our wildlife friends that bring us so much joy during the more temperate months.
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