by Jen Weimer DURHAM, N.H. — A winter walk in the forest reveals a flurry of wildlife activity that often goes unnoticed during other times of the year. Often among the many tracks in the snow are the nearly heart-shaped prints of deer. The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is common[Read More…]
The Outside Story
Hibernation: Winter Survival by Chilling Out
by Douglas Facey BURLINGTON – Mammals and birds are endotherms, which means they generate their own body heat through relatively high metabolic rates. That high metabolism requires energy, which these animals garner from food. We typically think of endotherms as warm-blooded; however, some of them are not warm all of[Read More…]
There’s More to Fur Than Meets the Eye
by Susie Spikol HANCOCK, N.H. – A flash of orange streaks across the meadow – a red fox, like a starburst in the snow. Its fur shimmers in the early morning light, and I, bundled in my winter layers and still shivering cold, envy the fox’s luxurious coat. At its[Read More…]
A Robin’s Winter Habits
by Anna Morris QUECHEE — One January day, my husband and I set off on a walk around our neighborhood. The temperature was a bone-chilling negative 19 degrees, and although we worked to get our blood pumping, our fingers and toes eventually revolted. As we turned back toward the warmth[Read More…]
