Wildlife lovers – Don’t be put off by the colder winter temps!
Winter is one of the best times for wildlife spotting in the Eastern U.S.. Once the deciduous trees have dropped their leaves, and the temperatures begin to seriously drop, three things happen:
- You can see more. Birds and other creatures in the trees have fewer places to hide, and you can even see much further along the ground than when everything is in leaf.
- The leaves amplify sounds. A tiny chipmunk can sound like Big Foot bushwhacking through the brush! The sounds of crunching leaves alert your eyes to look.
- Fewer people hit the trails. There are never as many people out hiking on cold days as during the warm days of spring and summer. Fewer people means less people noise to frighten wildlife into hiding. Rainy days are also great wildlife spotting days for this same reason.
Once the snow falls, winter becomes an even better time to look for wildlife. Watch for their tracks in the snow! Check out this article from Backpacker Magazine for tips.
