The Cure for Cabin Fever at Fort River

Winter fun for everyone!

Winter is here, and so are cold temperatures and snow. During the winter months in the Northeast, many people find themselves feeling restless with “cabin fever”. Thankfully, the National Wildlife Refuge System provides fun winter activities at the Fort River division of the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge in Hadley, Massachusetts throughout the winter! Whether it be snowshoeing the trails of the refuge, tracking wildlife through tracks and signs in the snow, wildlife viewing and photography, learning about the subnivean zone, hunting, or visiting the Connecticut River exhibit and watershed demonstration table at the Springfield Science Museum, the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge provides winter fun for everyone!

Snowshoeing at the Fort River Division trail allows you to continue your outdoor adventures all year long, and get a first hand look at wildlife in the winter. Snowshoeing is a great way to access and explore areas that would otherwise not be accessible during the snow-covered winter months in New England.

Who goes there? Winter is a great time to find out! While exploring the trail of Fort River, keep an eye out for animal tracks and sign in the snow to discover the wildlife present and their behavior. Tracking may reveal an animal’s size, gate, diet, and habits, and is a source of wonder and imagination. A 2 page animal track identification guide will be available for viewing in the main kiosk at the start of the trail – use this visual to help you identify the wildlife tracks left in the snow.

Evidence of an owl hunting prey under the snow.

Raccoon tracks.

When planning a visit to the Fort River Division of the Silvio O. Conte National Fish & Wildlife Refuge, don’t forget to pack your binoculars and camera! The Fort River trail offers picturesque views of birds and other wildlife, providing us with the opportunity to see the natural world differently through a camera lens. Allow yourself to be still, silent, and humbled at the multiple overlooks along the trail, where you’ll have the perfect vantage point for wildlife viewing and photography. A bird identification guide is in the main kiosk at the start of the trail – use this visual as a guide for identifying the birds you see from the trail.

Male and female northern cardinals.

For the winter months, the story book kiosks along the Fort River trail will feature “Over and Under the Snow” by Kate Messner, a children’s book that explores the secret kingdom under the snow where animals live throughout the winter – the subnivean zone. Be sure to check the Friends of Fort River Facebook page to keep updated on books featured in the story book trail kiosks!

An illustration of animals living in the subnivean zone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Hunting is a fun activity that offers a sense of freedom and self-reliance that cannot be matched.” The Silvio O. Conte National Fish & Wildlife Refuge offers regulated hunting opportunities at Fort River and other divisions of the refuge, including the Nulhegan Division in northern Vermont and the Pondicherry Division in New Hampshire. It is essential that all hunters understand and comply with both refuge-specific and state hunting seasons and regulations. Wondering how regulated hunting contributes to conservation and the mission of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service? Check out A Non-hunter’s Guide to Hunting to learn more!

A mother and calf moose at the Nulhegan Division of the Silvio O. Conte National Fish & Wildlife Refuge.

On days where you’d prefer an indoor expedition, check out the Connecticut River Exhibit at the Springfield Science Museum in Springfield, Massachusetts! The exhibit features 5 interactive educational kiosks, including a salmon game, a grip strength comparison between your hand and the talon of an American Eagle, and fun facts about the Connecticut River Watershed. Don’t miss the Conte Refuge’s watershed demonstration table, where you can learn what defines a watershed, how watersheds are formed, what ecological services watersheds provide, and how you can do your part in ensuring watersheds stay healthy and clean for wildlife and people alike.

Part of the Connecticut River Exhibit at the Springfield Science Museum.

 

Whooooo’s that?

Owls always have a way of captivating us with their big beautiful eyes and elusive nature. You may already know that owls also have some superb skills that enable them to navigate the night and find food to survive.

A great horned owl in flight. Photo by John McCarthy

A short eared owl in flight. Photo by Lenny Kutz

Owls have an incredible adaptation that most bird species do not have. On the leading edge of an owl’s primary flight feathers, small comb like structures, called flutings, break up the air turbulence and enable the owl to fly silently. This gives them the upper hand when sneaking up on and tackling prey. These flutings also allow the owls to use their incredible sense of hearing, uninhibited by the sound of their own wings.

Great gray owl Photo by Laurie Pocher

Northern saw whet owl Photo by Franklin Nejame

Barred owl Photo by Brian Rusnica

Barn owl Photo by Brian Rusnica

Hearing is the sense owls use most when locating pray. An owl’s ears are located behind their facial feathers, often times asymmetrically. This means one ear is located higher on the head then the other, allowing the owls to better locate prey. The owl’s facial feathers, or face plate, is shaped like a disk and funnels sounds directly to the ears. Owls can even alter their facial disks at will when in pursuit of prey. Their hearing is so precise, they rarely use their eyes for hunting, making owls no match for opponents.

Snowy owl Photo by Brian Rusnica

Screech owl Photo by Julie Memmolo

When not in active pursuit of prey, owls can often go unnoticed and blend right into the background. These masters of disguise have custom uniforms to best accommodate their landscape. For example, screech owls vary from light gray morphs to dark red morphs to best match the bark of a deciduous or coniferous habitat. Meanwhile, snowy owls, with their peppered white and black pattern, blend into sandy and snowy landscapes with no trouble. Burrowing owls who are active during the day, stay low to the ground where they best match the prairie and desert landscapes that lack trees.

Great horned owl Photo by Lloyd Bush

Burrowing owl Photo by Julie Memmolo

While different species of owls often have different camouflage strategies, we can agree they are all superb owls!

A professional photographer at 12 years old

Ashleigh’s photo of a red fox kit at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Copyright by Ashleigh Scully.

Ashleigh’s photo of a rufous morph of an eastern screech owl near her home. Copyright by Ashleigh Scully.

Ashleigh’s dad, Gerry, showed us some of her photos of wildlife at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in northern New Jersey, and we just had to share them with you and introduce you to Ashleigh!

In addition to wildlife photography, Ashleigh says she enjoys riding horses, going on trips with her family, skiing and hanging out with friends. Photo courtesy of Gerry Scully.

How did you get interested in photography? I started taking photographs when I was 8 years old after I received an Olympus point-and-click camera for my birthday. I have always enjoyed wildlife, but with my camera I realized that I could get closer to them and capture really cool details on things like frogs and butterflies. When my family moved to the country, I started becoming more interested in capturing hawks, owls and foxes, and my hobby just progressed from there.

Do you have a favorite species to photograph? How about a favorite location? My favorite species to photograph is foxes and owls. We have foxes that live around my home, and it’s always a fun challenge to try to photograph their behavior, like catching voles, mousing in a field, or napping in the sun.

The Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Millington, N.J., has also given me a lot of opportunities to photograph foxes, too. I also like photographing in Grand Teton National Park, W.Y.

Ashleigh’s photo of an American kestrel at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Copyright by Ashleigh Scully.

I started having an interest in owls after an eastern screech owl box we put up in our backyard was occupied and two little owlets were raised there. I was very fortunate to watch and photograph the owlets fledge one day, and ever since then, I look for opportunities to photograph owls.

My family and friends call me the “Owl Whisperer” because I always seem to find and photograph this awesome species. In the last year I’ve photographed snowy owls, screech owls, barred owls, great horned owls and great gray owls.

My favorite location is definitely the Great Swamp. Everyone there is so nice, and it’s where I started photographing. It’s really incredible how many different species you can see there throughout the year.

What do you think is most challenging about wildlife photography? This is a hard question to answer. Being a wildlife photographer definitely requires a lot of patience and an understanding of lots of camera specifications, like shutter speed, depth of field, and using light.

Ashleigh’s photo of a barred owl at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. Copyright by Ashleigh Scully.

Most importantly, though, you need to be an observer of wildlife to understand patterns and behavior that may help you when you set out to photograph a certain species.

If anything is challenging, it’s that sometimes things just don’t work out for you – it could be too dark, too bright, or your subject just doesn’t cooperate. When this happens, just learn to put your camera down and observe instead!

What suggestions do you have for other people interested in taking photos of wildilfe? Start small. Taking photographs of amphibians and reptiles can be very exciting and challenging, too. Also, go to your local camera store and talk to the experts there – they can help you choose equipment and may even offer instruction, too. Be patient, think creatively and respect your subject!

In June of this year, National Geographic Kids Magazine will publish a photo Ashleigh took of a red fox kit at Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in a new feature called “Be the Animal.” Last year, she sold some of her photos in an auction and donated the proceeds to benefit The Raptor Trust, a raptor rehabilitation center in Millington, N.J., that she loves to visit. Photo courtesy of Gerry Scully.

Do you know what you’d like to do when you’re older? Do you think you’ll still be taking photos of wildlife? Yes, I want to be a professional wildlife photographer! A lot of my photos are of animals showing emotion. I think if I can continue to photograph the expressions and behaviors of wildlife then maybe it can teach people to respect and appreciate the natural world more. I hope I can continue to photograph more as I get older, and one day I would like to have my own gallery and be a naturalist.

Which photo of Ashleigh’s is your favorite? Tell us in your comment below, and head over to her Flickr page to see more photos!