Nature Bulletin No. 47   January 5, 1946
Forest Preserve District of Cook County
Clayton F. Smith, President
Roberts Mann, Superintendent of Conservation

****:AFTER A STORM

At daybreak on Monday, December 24, a blinding blizzard raged. 
About eight o'clock the snow ceased. Immediately the woods and 
meadows became alive with hungry animals and birds.

The rabbits came out of their snug hiding places to cruise the thickets, 
gnawing the bark of young trees and shrubs, or racing about for 
exercise and play. The squirrels came down from their den trees and 
zigzagged here and there, digging out acorns from beneath the snow. 
The killers of the foxes, mink and weasel -- came out hunting for mice 
and any luckless bird or animal they could surprise.

Everywhere in the tall grass and weeds of the meadows, the field mice 
had made telltale holes from their runways up to the surface, for air. 
Flocks of song sparrows hopped about, jumping up to seize the choice 
weed seeds. Pheasants stalked along, eating seeds and hunting patches 
of burdock or nubbins left in cornfields, where they could get a real 
meal. The juncoes cleaned up what the pheasants wasted.

The hairy woodpeckers tap-tap-tapped on dead branches. The red 
cardinals traveled along the hedgerows. The crows searched for dead 
rabbits and other animals killed along the highways.

Birds and small animals get along better in winter than most folks 
realize. It is a sleet and ice storm, such as we had Christmas eve, that 
makes their existence precarious. Then food is a problem. Then there 
are innumerable tragedies.