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A Naturalist Voice - And So, Winter Begins
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And So, Winter Begins
Photos by MO Dept. of Conservation • Field Notes by Jeff Cantrell
The first of December may not be the official start of wintertime, but most of us start labeling these days with winter verdicts. Our upcoming holiday decorations are often highlighted by the Show Me region’s winter conditions. We see the rich holiday colors of red and green, plus sometimes silver and gold with snowflakes and icicles in the background. Angel profiles in the snow, scarves, a carrot, black walnuts and top hats reconfigure into a happy snowman for neighborhoods. Truly these are signs of the season and make many of us smile and look forward to the festivities.
We happily enjoy the winter outings, as well, and a good winter hike gives us wonderful opportunities to observe wildlife of all types. Our true luxury, however, is at the end of the nature excursion we get to go to the warm vehicle and drive home for security, warmth and nourishment. Luxuries are different for wild animals. Missouri’s wildlife depends on their surroundings for their basic needs every hour and every day during all seasons. The wildlife winter scenario gives all of us naturalists topics to ponder … whether it be wildlife needs in our own backyard, our favorite conservation areas or public land areas and even trails we hike. Some say, “Studying and caring for habitats (the needs of food/water/ shelter/space) isn’t appealing or as engaging as actually looking at the individual animal.” But, we can’t have the wildlife if their needs are not satisfied throughout the year and especially when food and shelter might be lean in the cold months ahead. Between your holiday events and errands, please feel free to drop by the Shoal Creek Conservation Education Center. We are nestled alongside Silver Creek Glade in Wildcat Park, and our trails head out to the banks of Shoal Creek. Inside our nature center, you’ll find refuge from walking the beautiful winter trails. If you are interested in habitats and native plant information for your wildlife needs, we have plenty of free resources. If you have relatives and friends who love nature, be sure to drop by our Wildcat Glades Friends Group gift store where they have quality gift ideas like outdoor adventure items, field guides, bird feeding accessories and beneficial shade-grown coffee (supporting our songbirds). I hope to see you on a stunning Ozark trail! Merry Christmas! Lastly, I truly appreciate everyone taking our habitats and natural communities to heart this season! - Jeff
Jeff Cantrell is an outdoor educator and naturalist. He works on and teaches conservation curriculum to area educators.
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