By Bryce Nielson
Winter is at our doorstep. Actually, it started the last of October with a good snowstorm, that was not unheard of but surprising none the less. We had a nice spell through November, the snow melted but it is back with a vengeance now. Over the last forty-six years here at the lake, I have always been fascinated with the different winter weather conditions. What really interests me, however, is how the animals react to it.
You can tell what animals are doing by looking at their tracks in the snow. You can see everything from moose to mice tracks scattered across the landscape. They are typically gone by the time you see the tracks since most of their movement is at night. Big game usually like to lay in the sun during the cold winter days. So, what have I observed from the tracks in the snow? The deer, elk and moose are staying put for now. There are lots of deer tracks in some locations, but it is hard to say how many individuals there are. One deer foraging on bitterbrush leaves many tracks. In past years, moose would move from Sagebrush Flat passing my house to Hodges Canyon where they would stay for the winter. I haven’t seen any this fall. The same goes for elk that previously migrated from Idaho to the raspberry fields. The fields are gone and so are, the elk. Deer are typically easy to see this time of year, but I haven’t seen many. I drove around the Lake the other day and didn’t see one.
The birds are different also. I don’t see many coots on the lake near the BLSP marina. Few ducks around the shoreline and an occasional swan. At my feeder, the black capped and mountain chickadees taken over which is unusual. The turkeys are bunched up and scattered.
Is this a result of development, more people, overhunting, or worse yet, climate change? No, I think it is the natural populations adapting to their environment. That is why watching wildlife is so fun. It is a great family activity to have your kids watch with you and listen to what they say. Watch the animals and birds in this beautiful valley for the rest of the winter. Come to your own conclusions. I am only one set of old eyes. I am sure things will change.
No comments:
Post a Comment