January
January
Did you know that in January:
Foxes find their mates. They become unusually active, wandering around
searching for a partner. As a way to find one another they will make a loud
scream.
Once they have found a mate they will make a den in places
such as a hollow log or an abandoned burrow of another animal.
Urban foxes could even make their dens in garden sheds. This is where the
female (vixen) will give birth.
What to look for in January.
How many of these things will you see?
frosted spiders webs
animal tracks in the snow
old bird's nest in treetops
new shoots
molehills
Things to do:
Identify animal tracks
Identifying animals tracks is a great way to see which animals are around the
local area. Look for footprints in soft, muddy ground, on wet sand or in fresh
snow.
How many toes can you see?
How is the animal moving? Can you tell by looking at the tracks?
Always ask an adult when exploring near water.
Why not go on a mini-beast hunt or learn the names of wild flowers and fungi. In Kent
there are many different events that are free or ask for a small donation. Some of
the websites are listed below.
www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/whats-on
www.whitecliffscountryside.org.uk
The RSPB has several sites in Kent that are usually inexpensive to visit.
www.rspb.org.uk
This is a brilliant site to visit that is packed with ideas.
www.naturedetectives.org.uk
The information given about each month is
from the books The Nature Year written by
Ruth Symons and published by Orpheus.
These books also tell you what is happening at
different times of the year in different parts of
the world.