Love is in the Air
Learn:
Can you feel it? The seasons are starting to shift, I hope! *Fingers crossed and warm temperature thoughts being sent into the Universe…*
We can’t complain too loudly here in Wisconsin. It’s been a pretty mild winter, and to be truthful, we could use more snow! But these 30-degree days in February have me getting my mind ready for spring.
I’m not the only one noticing the changes. Longer days (it’s actually light out when we go to flute lessons!) mean that plants and animals begin their end-of-winter changes and routines too. Specifically, it’s mating season for some.
In these late-winter days, some animals who start to look for a mate include owls, ravens, eagles, foxes, skunks, squirrels, porcupines, beavers, opossums, and raccoons. These animals have relatively short gestation periods (compared to animals who mate in the fall or ahem…humans) and will give birth to their babies in the spring. Each animal has its own unique mating rituals and customs, but the longer days are what drive their behaviors.
One way that we can help these animals is by keeping an eye out for them! There are frequently more rodent-size animals hit on the road in the springtime, in theory because there are more of them out there wandering in search of a mate.
Finally, we can start looking for the migrators to begin making their way back to Wisconsin! The males return first to search out an ideal nesting spot. They defend their territory and in some cases, begin nest building. All in the name of love…
Read:
As you may have guessed, picture books about animals’ mating seasons don’t really exist. So… this week’s book is a beautiful fusion of our winter season and this week’s holiday: Valentine’s Day! Love Matters Most by Mij Kelly and illustrated by Gerry Turley is the perfect book to share with a little loved one this week. It follows the journey of a polar bear as she searches for something that she has lost during a cold, winter storm.
Do:
One of the ways the polar bear finds what she has lost is by following tracks in the snow. On a walk outside, look for tracks made by different animals. Even if you don’t know what the animal is, what clues can you find? Does it walk or hop? What direction is it moving? Are there other clues like fur or scat in the snow? Observing evidence of animals around us helps everyone to become more aware of the animals that live - sometimes unseen - all around us.