Outdoor Almanac

As autumn gives way to winter, nature reveals its hidden wonders. Bare branches expose the nests birds once called home, berries draw flocks of robins and waxwings, and early snow reveals the tracks of wild turkeys, foxes, and fishers. Even in the quiet months, there’s so much to see—if you know where to look.

What will you discover this November? Visit a nearby wildlife sanctuary or join us for a program to make the most of your month. 

NOVEMBER

3 

When most leaves are gone, look around in shrubs and trees for the bird nests that were hidden during spring and summer. Take photos to help identify the species that built each nest, but don’t collect any, as it is illegal to possess bird nests or feathers without a permit. 

6 

American Robins and Cedar Waxwings forage for winterberry, viburnum, and other fruit-bearing trees and shrubs. 

5

Full Moon 

9

Pitcher plants, sphagnum moss, and sundews in bogs have turned yellow, orange, and deep maroon, making fall a beautiful season to visit a bog.    

11

Raccoons are becoming dormant, often holing up in tree cavities in groups when the temperatures are cold enough. However, you may see their tracks, along with those of Striped Skunks, during milder weather throughout the winter. 

15 

Normally solitary animals, porcupines only come together in the late fall for mating, which usually involves fierce and loud battles among the males vying for a female’s attention. 

16 

A few species of butterflies overwinter as adults, including the Mourning Cloak, Eastern Comma, and Question Mark. They spend the winter under shelter such as loose bark. 

16-17 

The Leonids, one of the most active meteor showers, peak just before dawn. This shower is known for fireballs (larger explosions of light and color) and Earth-grazers (meteors that streak close to the horizon and have long, colorful tails). 

19 

Keep an eye out for newly arrived Purple Sandpipers. They are perfectly camouflaged on windswept boulders in Gloucester, Scituate, Westport, and other areas with rocky shorelines. 

20 

Beavers are preparing for winter by storing up food and making repairs to their lodges.  

22 

Northern Watersnakes are hibernating, coiled up in rocky ledges and riverbanks, and inside muskrat and beaver lodges.  

23 

Snowy Owls may have arrived and will stay here through April. If you happen to see one, view from a respectful distance so as not to disturb or stress the owl.  

25 

Watch for wintering Snow Buntings and Horned Larks in fields and open areas as they search for seeds on withered, golden grasses. 

26 

Look along forest edges for Wild Turkeys or their tracks and signs. Turkeys can crack acorns in half with their beaks, leaving the split shells behind.  

28 

Early snowfalls bring an opportunity to see tracks of squirrels, rabbits, foxes, and skunks, and even fishers or coyotes.