Nature Canada

3 Ways to Enjoy Nature this Family Day!

Alex MacDonald

Alex MacDonald, Conservation Manager

Despite being the shortest month of the year, February in much of Canada feels like the longest, coldest month of the winter. In much of the country the drudgery of February is broken up with a Family Day or similar holiday, giving us a chance to enjoy what winter has to offer – whether that means cozying up with a book and your favourite blanket, or bundling-up to spend some time outdoors.  If the latter is more your cup of… hot cocoa, then check out our suggestions on how you can celebrate nature this Family Day.




 

  1. Explore nearby nature. Even when it’s cold outside, you can experience and celebrate nature. And you don’t need to go far! Plan a 5- or 10-minute walk from your home to an area where you feel closest to nature – even if it’s a just a particular tree on your street. Whatever the case, keep a mental list of all the example of nature you see and experience during that walk. Whether it’s the way evergreen trees handsomely wear the Black capped chickadeesnow on their boughs, the sponge-like silence that hangs in the air during a light snowfall, or the lively sound of chirping birds and chattering squirrels that greets the morning sun, the wonders of nature continue to delight us during the winter months.

  2. Take a walk and look for wildlife tracks in the snow. Even though a number of wild animals are inactive during the winter months, having snow on the ground helps to reveal the presence and activities of some of our wild neighbours. Take a walk through your backyard, in a nearby park or just along your street and count how many different types of animal tracks you see in the snow. And don’t just look for tracks! See if you can spot small holes surrounded with tracks and seed bits in snow banks or near trees. These sorts of holes are often created and used by wild mice and other small mammals to access food and water from their winter homes beneath the snow-pack.

  3. Participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count! The Great Backyard Bird Count is a free, annual event that engages volunteer citizen scientists around the world in observations of the birds visiting their backyard (or the closest thing to it). Between February 13th and 16th, volunteer participants are asked to spend at least 15 minutes observing birds present in their Snowy trailbackyard on one or more of the count days, and then submit their observations online through http://ebird.org. The Count is an amazing way to catch a snapshot of which bird species visit your backyard, and it’s an easy way to contribute to scientific research looking at bird species’ ranges and numbers in different parts of the world in February.



These are just a couple of the ways you can celebrate nature this Family Day in Canada. Share your examples with us on other ways you chose to celebrate this mid-winter break!

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