A Year-End Walk Through Nature's Most Remarkable Ecological Moments

Field report

Rare bird migrations and surprising wildlife encounters cap off the year in nature.

Natural History Archives / Field Photography

The December frost hasn't even settled yet, but the natural world already has a few gifts at the ready to close out the year. So warm your gloves by the fire, heat the hot chocolate, and bundle up for a month of spectacular wildlife migrations, quiet winter walks, a close encounter with a great horned owl, and the winter solstice.

Great Horned Owls Begin Their Nesting Season (Early Dec.)

If you've walked through the winter woods over the last couple of months, you've likely noticed the deep hooting of great horned owls growing steadily louder at dusk. By early December, these powerful raptors will reach peak nesting activity, with pairs calling to each other across frozen valleys. This is their earliest nesting season in the bird world — they start while other species are still months away — and won't be matched in intensity until the cycle repeats.

Should the cold conspire against you, don't despair: the owls will continue calling through December 8 and beyond, with barely a drop in intensity as the month progresses. In fact, their resonant hoots will carry far across the landscape (on clear, still nights, the sound travels over a mile) for the whole month. Grab some warm boots, find a quiet edge of woods, and catch North America's most widespread owl in its most vocal season!

Welcome the First Hard Frost of Winter (Early Dec.)

The crunch of the frost on the meadow grass,

Gave a glitter like diamonds to everything below.

When what to my wondering eyes did appear,

But a red fox's tracks and eight tiny paw prints.

—Adapted from 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, Clement Clarke Moore

While the Old Farmer's Almanac refers to December's big frost event as the Hard Frost, native people of North America also called it the Moon of the Popping Trees, the Frost in the Tepee Moon, and the Snow Moon. In New Zealand, where summer will soon officially kick off, this seasonal shift is described by the indigenous Māori as "Hakihea" or the "birds are now sitting in their nests."

Feel the first real bite of winter frost on exposed skin around the evening of December 7, when temperatures typically plunge below freezing for the first sustained stretch.

Witness the Remarkable Christmas Bird Count (Mid-Dec.)

One of the most prolific citizen science events of the year, with 120 to 160 species typically counted per circle, the Christmas Bird Count is also one of the most scientifically perplexing traditions. Whereas most wildlife surveys come from trained biologists tallying data as they patrol fixed routes, the Christmas Bird Count is driven by ordinary volunteers armed with binoculars and notepads.

"Of all the wildlife surveys conducted every year, the Christmas Bird Count's dataset is by far the most massive," Audubon ecologist Bill Cooke said in a statement. "When we add up the number of observations in the Christmas Bird Count database, it outweighs other surveys by factors of 5 to 500."

The remarkable thing is that this volunteer army simply isn't professional enough to account for this massive collection of data by traditional standards. In fact, even though expert birders contribute some verified sightings, their observations account for only a fraction of the total count. The only explanation scientists can come up with is that the sheer number of amateur participants creates a collective accuracy that rivals professional surveys.

"We just don't know," Cooke said. "Every new thing we learn about the Christmas Bird Count seems to deepen the mystery."

To participate in this tradition yourself, look for a local count circle starting on the morning of December 14 around sunrise. The peak of the counting period is expected at roughly midday and, despite chilly temperatures testing the dedication of participants, it should remain active through the rest of the week. For a more detailed rundown on what to expect and where to go, read our in-depth guide on how to join the Christmas Bird Count.

Celebrate the Winter Solstice and the Return of Light (Dec. 21)

The winter solstice, that brief moment when the sun reaches its lowest arc in the sky, will take place on December 21 at 4:47 p.m. EST.

While the winter solstice features the longest night of the year for those of us shivering in the Northern Hemisphere, it also brings with it the hope of more light in the days and months that follow. Because the sun is at its lowest arc in the sky, the 21st is also a time to walk through the woods and see extremely long shadows stretching across the snow. "Your noontime shadow on the solstice is the longest it will be all year," naturalist Melissa Breyer points out. "Relish those long legs while you can."

Watch for Wintering Waterfowl on Open Lakes (Dec. 21-22)

Despite having a tough act to follow after the spectacular Christmas Bird Count, the annual winter waterfowl survey is still capable of turning up 10 or more duck and goose species per lake. Some years even surprise birders, with irruptions of 100 or more unusual northern species appearing. For 2022, even the shyest birds will be visible, as approaching cold fronts will push migrating waterfowl into open water areas for easy viewing.

Originating from northern breeding grounds in the Arctic tundra, wintering waterfowl appear to stream from the direction of the North Star. Bundle up, bring your binoculars, and scan the open water on the morning of the 21st or 22nd to catch the peak of this holiday wildlife spectacle.

A Quiet Walk Through the Winter Woods Under New Snow (Dec. 23)

Mirroring a world of twinkling string lights and candles in windows below, the winter forest puts on its own holiday display above with the arrival of December's first significant snowfall. Fresh powder muffles every sound, leaving the woods free of noise and providing exceptional conditions for tracking wildlife. While the best snow conditions peak around December 23, you'll find quiet winter walks available to enjoy for several days after — with ample time to thoroughly test out any new snowshoes you might find under the tree.