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WINTER TIPS
In this cold weather, be careful when changing or
adding anti-freeze for your automobile. Very tiny amounts can cause
life-threatening poisoning and animals are attracted to the sweet
smell and taste. Protect wildlife and pets by cleaning up any spills immediately.
You can assist backyard wildlife through the frigid
temperatures by providing a fresh unfrozen water source. A shallow
birdbath or pan with a small heater (such as ones found in farm
stores for livestock) will not only help birds and mammals, but will
also provide a wonderful wildlife viewing experience without feeding.
Nesting boxes are not just for springtime nesting of
baby birds and mammals. A clean bird house or larger nesting box,
lined with natural bedding, can offer song birds, (such as small
woodpeckers) owls and squirrels a respite from the cold and wind.
In January, remove the tinsel and ribbons from your
holiday tree and place it in a corner of your yard. It will provide
refuge for winter birds.
Snow, hardened by the extreme cold, provides a
wonderful opportunity to get to know your backyard wildlife. You can
identify frequent visitors, who otherwise live in secret, from the
tracks they leave behind. It may be cold, but short trips outside to
examine the snow can be an exciting adventure. Just bundle up first.
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