January

Although the pace of the rut has slackened, the breeding season for deer continues this month. Fawns conceived in January will still be born in late May, as these embryos will develop more quickly than those conceived in October.

Meadow voles and deer mice welcome the snowy white blanket as they stay safe in their snug tunnels beneath the snowpack until the coming of spring.

Bucks begin to drop their antlers the third week in January. Every year in late winter male deer shed their antlers and grow them back in the spring. Some may hold one or both antlers as late as March, however.

Want to see a deer? CAREFULLY drive north from Rocky River Nature Center on Valley Parkway any evening before the snow melts. Best places to look include south of the I-480 bridge and near the river beneath the Lorain Road bridge. Please photograph from your car and NEVER approach a wild deer. These powerful animals can be dangerous if frightened.

The first signs of spring bring the parade of skunks from their winter sleeping places. Most look quite trim after using much of their body fat reserve during their long winter sleep.

Meadow voles' tunnels under the snow begin to appear as the warmer days "melt the roof off." Their exposed meandering trails in the snow look like snake tracks, giving rise to the old fable of "snow snakes."

As temperatures rise above freezing, chipmunks may reappear in search of fresh food. Their underground storehouses of nuts and seeds may be running low!

Breeding seasons for squirrels, raccoons and skunks begin as the temperature warms, the day length increases and the animals become more active.

Where have all the bucks gone? By early March, all but a few of the bucks in Cleveland Metroparks have lost their antlers. It becomes hard to tell male from female deer until the bucks begin to regrow their antlers in early May.

Female woodchucks have awakened to greet the males who awakened in February. Spring comes quickly and summer is only a few weeks away! The rapid changes of April give way to a slower and more stately procession of nature as May begins.

Woodchucks seem to be everywhere along parkways and all purpose trail edges, already stuffing themselves with tender young grasses. Young woodchucks will venture forth with their mothers next month.

Young woodchucks emerge to learn the ways of the woodchuck world with their mothers.

Fawns (without their spots) appear more frequently in Cleveland Metroparks meadows and open areas at dusk. Their watchful mothers are never far behind.

Ever wary of winter, portly skunks intently prowl open grassy fields in search of their fall diet of insect larvae. They grow rounder as the month passes and will be in winter sleep by late November.

Woodchucks wax fat on the last of the green grasses. Some are seen feeding far into the night, preparing for their long hibernation to come. They will disappear into their wintering forest burrows by late November.

Deer begin their fall breeding season in the meadows of the Cleveland Metroparks, which will last until January. If you see a female deer, stand quietly and watch for a buck to follow in her tracks.

November marks the peak of the white-tailed deer's breeding season. Adult bucks polish their antlers on small trees and shrubs to tell the world that this part of Cleveland Metroparks is theirs!

New beaver cuttings mark the last month of frenzied activity by these industrious creatures. They must set aside enough tender branches beneath the water's surface to provide winter food for a family of six or more.

Fox, gray and black squirrels are busy adding insulation to winter tree dens before the icy blasts of winter arrive.

Squirrels of all kinds return to bird feeders as the autumn crop of nuts has been eaten or stored for winter.

Hardy woodchucks still browse among frost-laded grasses, storing up a few more days of food for their long winter hibernation.

Bucks' antlers become brightly polished as the breeding season continues from October and November. Territorial battles are rare, but the rattling antlers of combatants can sometimes be heard in Mill Stream Run and Brecksville reservations. When you spot a deer, look for others nearby!

Cold, snowy weather and limited food resources mean the temporary disappearance of winter-sleeping mammals like the raccoon, opossum and skunk. They may awaken from time to time to feed as winter passes.

Deer tracks in the winter snow tell tales of evening adventures in Rocky River, Brecksville, Hinckley, Bedford, and North Chagrin reservations. Follow a set of tracks and try to imagine what the deer were doing there, and why.

Chipmunks have become scarce as they "hole up" for the winter. These farsighted little squirrels depend on acorns, seeds and nuts carefully stored in underground caches for their winter food. They remain active underground until March.

The last of Cleveland Metroparks groundhogs should be carefully tucked away in their burrows and hibernating until early spring.