This is the best time of year for watching wildlife out the windows of Woodland Trails, perhaps with a cozy fire going in the fireplace.
We are seeing more turkeys than ever, up to two dozen at a time! And now the toms are beginning to strut their stuff in preparation for the coming mating season.
We are also seeing more deer than ever before. Each evening guests enjoy watching a dozen or more deer coming to our feeders. (Yes, in our area of Minnesota, deer feeding is legal and the deer hope it remains that way!) The does’ need for food begins increasing in February as their fawns, which will be born in June, develop. If you are really adventurous, you can put on a pair of our snowshoes and go looking for shed antlers. (Many people do not realize that whitetail bucks shed their antlers in February or March and grow new ones starting in June.) The most likely places to find the antlers are in the woods along deer trails which are easy to follow.
Many species of birds are attracted to the suet in feeders outside our windows. Blue Jays and Nuthatches are frequent visitors. The most entertaining visitors at our suet feeders are the woodpeckers. We see four species, the Red Bellied, the Downey, the Hairy and, most impressive of all, the Piliated Woodpecker shown here.
Come to Woodland Trails and relax by the fire while enjoying the entertainment provided by the birds, deer and turkeys outside the windows!