Dear Friend,

There is magic in December. The magic of change. Since prehistoric times, people have watched the changes in nature and marveled and celebrated the magic they perceived at the turn of the winter solstice. That magic still happens all around us, and even within us. But like any good magic, you have to know where to look for it. At WildCare we see it in the way people are becoming aware of the impact we have-- and can have!-- on our world. Twentieth-century attitudes are evolving, and as we look toward the new year and the next decade, magic is everywhere!

Do it!

	WildCare Holiday Nature Camps
	Whale Watching in Baja
	Composting Workshop
	Volunteer at WildCare
	Family Hike at Roy's Redwoods
	Gift Ideas for December
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December Wildlife Tips Composting your kitchen scraps is easier than you may have thought, and helps keep raccoons, skunks, opossums and rats out of your trash cans. Garden for the Environment offers monthly composting workshops to help you get started. Their next one is on January 9. Light pollution from cities can disorient night-migrating species of birds, bats and even sea turtles. Much of the light from our streetlights is wasted when it shines directly up into the night. Covered streetlamps that illuminate just the ground below them save energy and can help reduce this hazard to wildlife. Leave your garden a little untidy in winter. Dead leaves, seed heads and stalks can provide valuable cover for wildlife. A brush pile offers accommodation to ground-nesting birds, reptiles and amphibians, rabbits and other small mammals seeking protection from predators and bad weather. The winter solstice, the longest night of the year, will occur on December 21. Our circadian rhythms of waking and sleeping are a biological expression of the regular oscillation of light on earth.

magic! where to look for it

The thing about magic is that not everyone knows where to look for it. But anyone can see it. Just like the show business magicians who create distractions to focus your attention elsewhere while they create their illusions, the real magic among us is hidden behind things that seem to be everyday occurences. Read more...

Painted Lady Butterfly photo by Laura Milholland

make your own magic!

For those of us who chose to follow what some called "frivolous" careers like art, history, literature, botany, sports and the like, our best instructors gave us some valuable advice: "Do what you love and the money will follow." This advice is ageless, and volunteering is one of the surest ways to begin. Read more...

baja california: a whale's paradise

Residents of the Bay Area are often surprised to find out that roughly 30 miles west of San Francisco lies a sea oasis where one can find several species of whales feeding throughout the summer and fall. These whales are migratory, and come here for the seasonal abundance of food. But as the seasons change with the onset of winter their priorities change and these whales must move on. Read more...

shed hunting

Each year buck deer shed their antlers in late winter and then re-grow them bigger the following year. In late winter or early spring if you walk enough deer trails you will surely find deer sheds. In Wisconsin, shed hunting usually means walking for miles over acres of deer-traveled land, hoping to see the slight curve or tine of an antler sticking above the snow-covered ground. This year something different turned up. Read more...

donate a vehicle to WildCare

It's simple, fun and free! Your used vehicle will be converted into cash, which becomes a welcome donation to WildCare. You are entitled to a tax deduction, and you avoid the cost and hassle of repairing or selling a car you no longer want. Click to donate now!

the perfect holiday gifts

WildCare glow-in-the-dark t-shirts for toddlers through teens and small adults – a wide variety of styles and sizes, and only $11 for members and $15 for non members. Pick up this great holiday gift at WildCare today! Sorry, these shirts are not available online. For merchandise available online, click here.