The sights and sounds of nature are closer than you might think

To take advantage of how Kent County changes as the seasons move from summer to fall and finally to winter, all you have to do is stop at one of the state’s local wildlife preserves.

Or you may not even have to go that far. Depending on where you live, the sights and sounds of wildlife sometimes can be as close as your back door.

From the Woodland Beach Wildlife Area and Blackbird State Forest on the New Castle County line to the Taber State Forest and Milford Neck Wildlife area that borders on Sussex, Kent is home to no less than 16 state and federal wildlife preserves.

The larger areas feature a number of well-marked roads and trails, making autumn arguably the best time of the year to see wildlife in a natural setting.

"You can really feel the change in seasons right now,” said Anthony Gonzon, a wildlife biologist with the state Division of Fish and Wildlife. It’s easy to spot migratory birds, as well as species that stay put instead of flying south, Gonzon said.

“We’ve got some common birds in Delaware that many people are familiar with,” he said. “Even if you don’t know their names, you’ve probably seen them in your backyard.”

Birds that winter in Kent County, such as grackles or cowbirds, form the large flocks sometimes seen moving from area to area, Gonzon said. There’s protection in numbers, he said, noting an individual bird has a lesser chance of becoming a meal for an eagle or horned owl if it is surrounded by thousands of others.

And speaking of eagles, they’re out there, too.

“Just about anywhere is a good place to look for them,” Gonzon said. “We’ve tagged them from the middle of Dover out to the coast.

“We have resident birds and adults and juveniles that come down looking for food,” he added.

The areas near marshlands are the best places to go if you’re hoping to spot one of the magnificent birds, Gonzon said.

As far as plant life goes, when trees and shrubs drop their leaves, that means there’s simply more to see, said William McAvoy, a botanist who has worked at the Division of Fish and Wildlife for 20 years.

“Plants are going into their winter dormancy, so the leaves will be on the ground,” he said. “But the buds will be getting ready to leaf-out next spring, you’ll be able to see the texture of the bark on the trees, and since the leaves are dropping, you’ll be able to find leaves of all the species in the forest, probably right at your feet.”

Even a casual observer can find an abundance of life in or near trees, even if they have lost their leaves, McAvoy said.

“If you look closely, you’ll find insects or even a bat,” he said. “Sometimes they crawl under the bark of trees with real scaly bark, like a white oak. Bats do hibernate, but they’re still flying right now. It’s not cold enough yet.

A walk in the woods also means possible encounters with animals such as raccoons, opossums, skunks, squirrels, foxes and groundhogs, noted Gonzon.

“A lot of people think some of these animals hibernate all winter,” he said, “but if the conditions are right, if its warm and sunny, they might wake up, come out, and say hello.”

But because wild animals generally stay away from humans, you’re more likely to come across evidence of their activities, such as tracks or scat, or in the case of deer, areas marked by large, deep scratches in the ground, where bucks have squared off in battles for available females.

“As soon as they recognize you as a human, they’ll often move away or they’ll stay so still you won’t notice them,” Gonzon said. “If you do wait, I suspect you’ll be waiting a very long time.

The best time to spot wildlife is in the early evening, particularly when the nocturnal animals start to move about. One danger thing to watch out for however, are the deer because of their propensity for darting out in front of cars.

A simple rule for dealing with that is simply to slow down and be observant, Gonzon said.

To get ready for outdoors observing, Gonzon and McAvoy suggest finding books on wildlife at a local library or buying an inexpensive bird, plant or animal identification guide. The Internet also is a good resource, Gonzon said.

While outside, wear warm, durable clothing, to include comfortable shoes, or preferably, boots.

Bring along binoculars or a good camera with a telephoto lens and a notebook to keep a record of where you’ve been and what you’ve seen

Types of trees to look for
Sweetgum
White oak
Tulip poplar
Black gum
Southern red oak

Birds to look for
Northern cardinal
American robin
Grackle
Red winged blackbirds
Snow geese

Email Jeff Brown at jeff.brown@doverpost.com.