We have had a very open winter so far, with little snow and colder temperatures, we are supposed to get colder weather by the end of this week. I suspect that the coyotes and red fox are showing signs of breakage on their hips still, by now, it's sped up by sitting on the snow and ice and the longer guard hairs freezing to it then as they stand it breaks them off. Singe on the bellies is made faster by the sun reflecting off of snow and curling of the longer guard hair, thus the name singeing, almost as if it had been exposed to a flame. It all still happens even in open winters it's just faster with snow cover. Our rodent population has made a good comeback in this area even with the drought we are experiencing, cotton tails, jack rabbits, voles, mice and other rodents are abundant at this time, so the predator population should respond well also. breeding season is here at this time as well, the little reds will be smelling skunky as they cycle, and the coyotes will be smelling more like wet dogs. It's kind of amazing to me what you pick up on through the years like that the smell of the animal's changes with the time of year and what period of life they are in. We have had more windy winters in the last few years than normal, but we are windy in my area most of the time. When we get a good calm sunny day, the animals are out enjoying it in the open meadows otherwise they are on the downwind hill sides out of the wind doing what they do to survive and being themselves, with all of the traits, and quirks of their individual species. With colder weather coming and daytime temperatures forecast to be in the single digits it's a good time to have some indoor projects and to be very happy that I don't need to be out in it to work these days, as well as hoping that those who do need to be out in it stay as warm and safe as they can.
