Take a walk. Walking or hiking in winter can be quiet and peaceful. Slow down and notice the sounds and activities of animals around you. Make it extra fun by going with family and friends, setting a distance goal, and celebrating your completion with hot cocoa. Mix it up by taking a night hike with flashlights or headlamps and notice how the sounds and sights differ from a daytime hike.
Go birdwatching. Winter can be a great time to easily observe birds and also see some uncommon birds that only spend the winter months in Oklahoma. Join others to help celebrate birds and learn birding tips by participating in an organized bird event such as Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count, which occurs from December 14, 2023 through January 5, 2024. In its 124th year, it’s the longest running citizen scientist program. Click here to learn more about events in your area.
Decorate an outdoor tree for wildlife with bird seed ornaments, peanut butter covered pinecones, suet, dehydrated fruit, and garlands made of plain popcorn and cranberries.
Search for animal tracks in the mud (or snow if that’s happening near you) and see if you can identify the animals that share your neighborhood.
Be on the lookout for BALD EAGLES! While Oklahoma has some bald eagles here year-round, their numbers increase in the winter months. Look for guided bald eagle watching events or head out on your own to see if you can spot one (or more) near area lakes and rivers. Check out viewing hot spots in Oklahoma.
Go outside at night and look up. When the skies are clear, December nights make for great star gazing. Be on the lookout for Saturn in the southern sky just after sunset and until about 9 p.m. Many of its moons may be visible with the aid of binoculars. Jupiter can be seen all night long, but you’ll have to get up early to see brilliant Venus, which rises around 4 a.m. Neptune and Uranus are also visible, but generally only through a telescope. The constellation Orion the Hunter is easy to see at this time of year. Look for the three stars in a straight line that mark his belt. You can also spot Taurus the Bull and Pleiades (the seven daughters of Titan) north and east of Orion. While peak nights for all December’s meteors showers have passed, with a little time outside at night looking toward dark skies, you will likely be rewarded with one or more meteors streaking across the sky.
Make your yard welcoming and supportive of wildlife.
Put out water in shallow bowls or dishes for wildlife to drink and bathe in. Fresh water can be hard to find particularly when temperatures fall. Make sure to keep the water clean and change it often.
Provide shelter and windbreaks by leaving areas of leaves and brush. Put up nest boxes for birds, squirrels, and other wildlife.
Provide healthy food such as seeds, nuts, fruit, and suet when natural food items are scarce, or the temperatures and wind chills are low.
