Getting To Know Your Neighbors

When we moved into our home in Hyannis way back in the fall of 1984, our neighborhood was full of helpful and friendly neighbors. The family that built our house had lived in it for 55 years and was beloved by everyone, so we had a lot to live up to. It didn’t take long for everyone to adopt us, though, probably because of our cute little daughters. We’ve now been here 40 years, the kids are grown and live in their own homes, and no one refers to our house as the former family’s home anymore.

Most of those who would have remembered have joined the former owners down the road in the village cemetery where my family also has plots. My across the street neighbor of 38 years will be my across the plot neighbor in death as well. Walking through that old cemetery is a visit with so many of the people I knew growing up. But I digress.

Our neighborhood has changed over the years, but we still know and like our neighbors. Some of us come from different cultures and some of us are older or younger, but we share a love of an older neighborhood within walking distance of many amenities while still full of trees, birds, and a variety of other creatures as well.

If you take a walk around your yard this week you should find the homes of last summer’s birds, the tall grasses where the rabbits hide their babies, and perhaps the spots the helpful garter snake hangs out when it’s not busy patrolling your garden for pests. Maybe you have a brush pile or a stone wall, a small pond or a pollinator garden. Even your compost pile is host to some small neighbors of the wild if not wooly kind.

Late winter and early spring are great times to get to know your non-human neighbors. They leave many signs to tell you where they live, hunt for food, nest, and even rest. Even the smallest of yards is host to wildlife. You just have to take the time to poke about and learn who and what lives where.

Not all wildlife is beloved, of course. Most of us don’t want mice or rats moving into our homes or garages. Storing seed and other grains in metal or glass containers can help with this, but if you feed the birds or have chickens your battle can be more difficult. We stopped feeding the birds this year when we spied a rat helping itself to fallen seed beneath the feeders. We have a neighbor with chickens but also several neighbors who toss seed and bread on the ground. Ours may be a losing battle but I decided we had plenty of natural food in the yard and didn’t need to be giving handouts to our rodent friends.

Many nature groups encourage people to leave brush piles around in the winter as they offer sanctuary to both birds and small animals, including dormant insects and other arthropods. Brush piles are great for all these reasons, but you may not want one too close to your house. Place it by a wooded part of your yard or in a remote area. This will offer safety and shelter but won’t be an invitation to move into your home, under your deck, or into your shed.

This is the time of year when skunks, raccoons, and possums are all looking for places to have babies, so it is important to secure your sheds, garages, attics, and deck areas if you don’t want your home to serve as a nursery area. I have a friend who loves to have baby skunks under his deck every spring but as a dog owner who has had more than a few unfortunate experiences with protective skunks, I’ll pass on that one myself.

Compost piles are great. We’ve had one for years but have also learned to enclose it as it was serving as a buffet for many neighborhood animals. Our yard is tiny, and it was a bit too much sharing with mice, skunks and possums, although our dogs thought it was super fun to check out.

You may already have set aside areas for wildlife such as a pollinator garden or a small pond. These will naturally attract a variety of birds, insects, and other wildlife, including amphibians and snakes.

If you are a snake hater, I can only ask that you try to educate yourself about all the ways that snakes are helpful. I am fairly fond of snakes, but I can tell you I’ve jumped more than a few times when I’ve been surprised by one. Even in my tiny yard in Hyannis I have a small contingent of snakes in my gardens. I know their favorite spots so try to be prepared, but I can still be surprised on occasion. Please remember we have no poisonous snakes on the Cape and no snake is going to seek you out to bite you. Any animal will bite if you grab at it but if you leave them alone, they will leave you alone. Snakes are amazing at pest control so I’m happy to have them patrol my gardens.

Get to know the various insects, worms, and other small creatures that live in your yard. Learn about the plants formerly known as weeds and discover the ways they are beneficial. You might even be able to add a few to your salads.

Our yards and neighborhoods are micro habitats for wildlife. If you’ve seen foxes and coyotes in your area, you know that they have adapted to suburban life. You don’t have to invite them in for dinner but if you complain about rabbits in your gardens, maybe a neighborhood coyote isn’t a bad thing after all.

Nature is warming up and spring is getting ready to pop out all over. Be a good neighbor and give nature a chance in your own backyard.