Survival

It is incredibly cold this evening.  As I write, the temperature is 22 degrees outside and inside our furnace is running continuously.  Snoopy is very lucky indeed to be an indoor kitty.  We have been doing what we can to help our outside friends—the squirrels, birds and rabbits.  It causes me to question just how they can survive these temperatures?

The squirrels come daily for shelled peanuts we put out on the porch.  There are four of them and we cannot tell which is which except for one that has a little bump on his back by his right shoulder and another that is somewhat larger than the others, perhaps a male?  Expertise in determining their specific sex is also not something either of us can claim.  It seems from a little research, that squirrels do remain active in the winter and compete for food and shelter with their first year being the most precarious.  One-fourth of them will not survive.  Those that do, will live and thrive for several years.  Winter is when their stores of food (mostly nuts) see them through, but they will also eat bugs, soil, mushrooms, and animal bones!  They need water twice a day.  They don’t hibernate but remain in nests when the temperature falls below 30 degrees, or during windy, stormy days.  We hope our peanuts will help them maintain their fatty insulation layer.

Birds also come daily to our feeders that we’ve kept faithfully filled since fall when birds attempt to identify a reliable source of food.  As their natural sources disappear or are covered in snow they are vulnerable, and this bird food has helped them to maintain their caloric requirements.  I learned that they too need a source of water, as dehydration can be a bigger threat to them than starvation.  Tomorrow I will remedy that with a dish of water they can access.  The water is also used for preening their feathers which maintains the feather’s position and alignment necessary for preserving insulation for retaining their body heat.  Notably, they will roost together with other birds to stay warm at night in tree cavities.  We actually saw several come from nearby bushes this morning as the sun rose and warmed the air. 

The rabbits have the worst of it spending much time in search of food.  Most of the vegetation they enjoy has withered away or already been consumed.  Now they are down to woody plant parts, such as twigs, bark and the buds of trees and bushes.  There is nothing we can put out to assist them, especially in this weather.  On the upside, they create underground dens, lined with grass, straw and twigs to shield themselves from the cold.  Ours, including the babies from summer, seem to be surviving in spite of their trials.

Deer tracks pass by our path to the clubhouse, and the trumpeter swans flew overhead this morning as I walked to the mailboxes.    

I know I should not worry so much about God’s little creatures, but I do.  I always have, since I was a little child.  I am thankful for these companions, and the joy they bring to me each day that we share together in this place I call paradise.