Friends . . . come in all shapes and sizes!

Friends of the Clarks River NWR are interested in all of our friends – finned, feathered, and furry; two, four, eight, and no-legged! We have all types of wildlife on the refuge, and we want to know all we can about the friends who live there. Take a look at our wildlife calendar if you’d like to know what kind of friends you might meet when you visit the refuge.

January
 Q          Great horned owl breeding mid-January – early March
 Q          White-tailed bucks begin to shed their antlers

February
 Q          Barred owl nesting late February – late March
 Q          Wood duck nesting begins late February
 Q          Chorus frogs start singing and warm rains bring out peepers and
                  spotted salamanders in mid-February

March
 Q          Killdeer nesting late March – mid-May
 Q          Red-shouldered hawk nesting early March – early April
 Q          Rabbits begin breeding mid-March
 Q          Winter wild turkey flocks begin breaking up late March

April
 Q          Migrant songbirds begin to reappear locally
 Q          Although some have been seen in March, snakes are very apparent by
                  mid-April
 Q          Wild turkey nesting late April – mid-May
 Q          Wild turkey season opens
 Q          Quail nesting begins
 Q          Northern parula nesting late April – mid-May

May
 Q          Eastern meadowlark breeding early to late May
 Q          Blue-gray gnatcatcher nesting early to late May
 Q          Whip-poor-will breeding early May – early June
 Q          Summer tanager breeding mid to late May
 Q          Ruby-throated hummingbird and wood thrush nesting mid-May –
                  early June
 Q          Northern bobwhite nesting mid-May – mid-June
 Q          Kentucky warbler breeding late May – early June
 Q          Scarlet tanager breeding late May – mid-June
 Q          Raccoons being born early to mid-May

June
 Q          Yellow-billed cuckoo breeding early June – early July
 Q          Peak of wild turkey hatches
 Q          Free fishing weekend occurs
 Q          Peak whitetail deer fawning occurs
 Q          Box and snapping turtles lay eggs

July
 Q          American goldfinch breeding late July – mid-August
 Q          Black racers, king snakes, and rat snakes lay eggs

August
 Q          White-tailed bucks molt to winter coat mid- to late August
 Q          Quail at peak populations
 Q          Gray squirrel birthing peaks
 Q          Migrant songbirds begin staging for southward migration

September
 Q          Monarch butterflies migrating
 Q          White-tailed fawns lose spots early to mid-September
 Q          White-tailed bucks lose antler velvet late September – mid-October
 Q          Teal migrating
 Q          Fall hunting seasons begin to open
 Q          Mature female American eels begin spawning runs to Atlantic Ocean

October
 Q          Increase in waterfowl migration
 Q          White-tailed buck rutting late October – mid-November
 Q          Snakes begin moving to hibernation sites
 Q          Bald eagles begin migrating into state

November
    Q          Groundhogs begin hibernating
 Q          Modern gun deer hunting season begins

December
 Q          Squirrel breeding begins

 If you sight a species that you suspect is unusual for our area, please stop by the refuge office to inquire and report it. Both the Friends and refuge management are interested in the presence of new and different species on refuge property.