Each season at Umatilla NWR brings its own sounds. But while many of the sounds of spring, summer and fall are man-made, winter is all about nature. Winter is when people disappear, but waterfowl arrive. First, there are a few ducks in October, then a few more each week. Then without fanfare, the geese are there—first the Canada geese, then the snow geese, arriving by the dozens, then the hundreds, then the thousands. Add a few dozen migrating tundra swans and the bald eagles talked about elsewhere on this site, and you've got one of the best birdwatching opportunities in the Northwest. Come on a non-hunt day (Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, or Fridays), and there's a good chance you'll have the refuge to yourself.
Seasons of Wildlife
Watch For Wildlife
The days are turning shorter and the nights colder. Fall is the time of year when wildlife is on the move, preparing for a difficult winter. While winters in the Columbia Basin aren’t that stressful to wildlife, nonetheless creatures here follow the natural instincts of their kind everywhere and are on the move preparing for winter. This is also the time of year when young are dispersing, leaving their birthplace to find territories of their own. Drivers need to slow down and keep a constant watch for wildlife. Haven’t you noticed more dead animals along the road lately? There’s always an upswing of wildlife-vehicle collisions in the fall. So, if getting home 23 seconds sooner is worth squashing a squirrel, mangling a marmot, bashing a beaver, or demolishing a deer, then by all means, keep driving like you’re on the NASCAR circuit. Apart from the permanent damage to wildlife, you’ll incur several hundred dollars worth of damage to your car. So, why don’t you just follow the traffic laws instead? Both your fellow drivers and our wildlife will thank you.