Spring has (almost) sprung

Despite the frosty weather this week, signs of spring are beginning to show in Kahnawake, and with the weather set to warm up in the coming weeks, locals can expect flora and fauna to continue shaking off the winter snow.

“My favourite thing about spring is the wildlife,” said community member Patrick Cross, known for being a big animal lover.

Cross said that spring heralds in new life, with many animal species giving birth to offspring in the warmer months.

It’s still the very start of the season, so it’s perhaps a little too early to see bouncing baby bunnies, but Cross said that he’s already spotted bird species pairing off for mating.

“The ducks and the geese, they’re paired up. I’ve seen them. Just give them a couple of weeks and they’re going to be making their nests,” he said.

As hibernation season ends, animals emerge from their winter burrows, and mating season begins for many species, including raccoons and squirrels. Animals in general become more active, so expect to see increased activities in the yard this month.

“Towards the end of April, that’s when you’ll start seeing baby animals, foxes, squirrels, everything,” Cross said. “It’s nice because I feed the squirrels in my yard, and then all of a sudden I see babies out there.”

One thing that community members should be mindful of is bird nests in fragile areas – many birds, will build nests in sheltered areas such as porch awnings.

“Robins like to put a nest along houses, and if there’s a porch and a light they’ll go right above that, because they know they’re sheltered from the rain and people won’t bother them,” Cross said.

Spring cleaning should take care to not disturb any new nests, some of which are expertly crafted in a labour of love by the birds that inhabit them.

“The robin makes a really good nest. It’s grass on the outside, and it packs mud on the inside, and then it lines it with more grass and has the eggs on top,” said Cross. “It’s very well-built.”

Over the years, Cross said he’s seen some big changes in the seasonal habits of Kahnawake’s wildlife. He said that while some animal populations have diminished, others have migrated in, and there’s animals now that he didn’t used to see growing up, like possums.

“I’ve seen a lot of changes, there are a lot of different kinds of birds coming in too, and it’s all to do with global warming,” Cross said.

In recent weeks, Cross said he’s also been finding antlers, which are usually shed by deer and moose from late February onwards. It’s not uncommon to find these sheds in the forest, so keep an eye out if you find yourself in wooded areas.

Last weekend, Cross even found an impressive seven-point shed on the forest floor.

“By now, they all should have fallen off and the new ones start to grow,” he said. “It’s all about regeneration.”

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