Winter Activities



Two Active Scrapes Found in January



During the winter, when the foliage is minimal and the weather is cool, is a great time to walk through the woods and check for signs of wildlife.  If one is lucky it might also provide an opportunity to find a set of antlers that a buck has shed.  Recently we decided to check out a section of the woods that had been left undisturbed for several years.  Were we surprised to see multiple signs of deer activity in this several acre patch of woods, including several buck rubs and lots of scrapes, all in close proximity to each other.  Buck rubs and scrapes are effective means of communication for deer to use, similar to a bulletin board that we might use to place notes for others to read.  We have found that there is always a limb directly above a scrape.  A buck is not only creating a visual and scent message of its presence with the scrape itself; it is also creating a scent message by rubbing a gland near its forehead on the limb.  Obviously this patch of woods was a popular hangout for deer, possibly because humans had left it undisturbed.





Closeup of the Two Scrapes





Notice from the photo to the left that the scrapes are still very active.  This was a surprise to us, because, by January, all rut activity should be finished.  However, there are multiple theories about the message that scrapes send.  Bucks are not the only ones to create scrapes.  Sometimes does also leave scrapes.  So the messages that are involved could be far more complex than just a sign of rut activity.

Wood Duck Box Has a Tenant



Wood Duck Box

 After seeing a Wood Duck on our stream Bill decided to build several Wood Duck nesting boxes to encourage one of these beautiful ducks to nest on our property.  Often the offspring will return to the same place to nest.

He built the boxes to the exact dimensions recommended and used cedar as suggested.  On the inside, below the entry hole, he used a file to etch steps into the wood.  This allows the chicks to climb up out of the box.  To ensure that predators could not enter the nesting boxes he attached them to a PVC pipe.  Special paint that adheres to plastic pipe was used to blend it into the natural surroundings.

We have diligently cleaned out the boxes and placed fresh cedar shavings into them every winter at about nesting time.   Although we have never seen a Wood Duck inhabit one of the nesting boxes we did find a broken egg shell once that could have been from a Wood Duck chick.



A shy screech owl inhabiting one of our nesting boxes




However, owls have found these nesting boxes to be a perfect habitat.  We were delighted to discover a screech owl and her owlets one season, and now another very shy screech owl has moved into the same nesting box.  Perhaps this could be one of the owlets that has come back home.