My favorite time in the woods is early spring, when things are starting to green up after a long nasty winter. But the winter woods also have a lot going for them if you look at things in the proper light.
In winter you can see wildlife much easier because there are no leaves or underbrush to contend with. Granted, the migratory birds are long gone, so there aren’t nearly as many winged critters to see. But if you pay attention you may see more and different birds than you would during, say, the summer. Often it’s because they’re engaging in behaviors you don’t see during the warmer months.
Last week I saw a bald eagle in a place I hardly expected to see one. Last winter and the one before I saw barred owls during the afternoon, which is unusual, to say the least. Squirrels are very active on winter days because they have to eat more to make up for the extra calories the cold forces them to burn and because there’s far less daylight to get the job done. Deer are often much more diurnal during the winter as well.
It’s kinda like the old saw about making lemonade if you’re stuck with lemons.
