The fresh snow tells the tale of what has been going on in my yard before dawn. Three racoons have come from the neighbor’s garage, walked diagonally across mine, and headed off towards another neighbor’s vegetable garden. A cat has come by to check on my front door, the bird feeder, my back door, and a warm sunny bench. Two opossums headed in opposite directions while meandering through. Small tracks, too many to count, show signs of birds busily hopping everywhere. However, the central area of interest in the yard that all paths connect to is the pond. Our little pond runs all winter with an electric heater to keep it from freezing solid. Every critter in the area knows our pond will have water and they stop by regularly to get a drink. Woodchucks, racoons, squirrels, owls, hawks, mice, skunks, turtles, frogs, opossum, and stray pets all stop in at our pond.
Wildlife needs access to water. Backyard ponds, bubblers, fountains, creeks, and bird baths are essential when providing habitat. Keep a reliable water source available year-round through the heat advisories of summer and freezing days of winter. Water features need to be kept clean when used heavily to prevent the spread of disease. The wild things of the neighborhood will come to depend on your garden as a clean place to bathe and get a fresh drink. When planning garden layout place a water source for wildlife in a place that is easy to see from the house. This will help to remind you to keep it maintained but is also a good vantage point to watch all the action. A water feature provides every gardener with a source of endless entertainment and provides wildlife with the water they need to survive.
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