on 12/29/08 7:53 AM, Rob Danielson at wrote:
<SNIP>
Would some mammals be active even in the brutal cold, Mark? Perhaps
under the ice near streams or select habitats? I'm much further
south in Wisconsin but the mice, voles, rabbits and owls seem to
still be fully active during nights when its under -20F. At -10,
things can be pretty much normal with deer, yotes, etc. The huge
variety of freezing and thawing sounds can be thrilling too. The
denser air has a plus side in that the increased "reach" can make
recordings seem more spatial. Rob D.
>From my local observations, mammals seem to 'hole up' or stay put as long as
they can afford to. Decent snow cover makes a big difference. Many of the
smaller critters and some of the bigger ones stay under the snow where it's
warmer. The larger mammals such as deer, moose, coyotes, etc. seem to hunker
down and not move about. This can only go on so long, and all animals will
eventually have to find food. When the local cold snap breaks (from -40 up
to -20 C), animals seem to be everywhere...many more tracks in the snow,
deer in the fields, birds at the feeders, etc.
Mark Phinney
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