Reported by Bill Silliker 
White-tailed deer may be the most beloved and
sought after mammal species living in North America.
That's partly because they're so prevalent: -
whitetails live in every one of the lower 48 United
States and in eight of the Canadian provinces. It's
also partly because deer are such graceful,
beautiful and intelligent animals. But, did you ever
hear the old native American saying that goes
something like this: "A leaf fell in the
forest. The eagle sees it, the bear smells it and
the deer hears it." Anyone trying to get close
to a whitetail must consider its acute sense of
hearing. To learn more, read Bill Silliker's
wildlifewatcher.com article White-tailed
Deer Watching
Squaw
Creek National Wildlife Refuge
Reported by Robert Falls
Missouri is known as the "show me
state," thanks in part to former President
Harry Truman, and if you visit 
Squaw
Creek National Wildlife Refuge, they definitely
will show you a varied assortment of wildlife
including snow geese, eagles, Great-horned and
barred owls, white-tail deer, and white pelicans.
Located in the northwest corner of the state,
outside of Mound City, the refuge lies along one of
the main north-south flyways of migrating snow
geese. Depending on weather conditions further
north, early December is usually the peak time to
see possibly as many as 400,000 of these fascinating
creatures and observe their antics.
Sacramento
National Wildlife Refuge
Reported by Neil Evans
Located in the middle of the rice fields of
California's Sacramento Valley, the Sacramento
National Wildlife Refuge is a Mecca for
wintering waterfowl, as well as many permanent
wildlife residents. This refuge is the largest of
six refuges, consisting of over 34,990 acres of
permanent wetlands, seasonal ponds and fields that
are managed in the Sacramento NWR Complex to provide
resting, feeding, and nesting sites for millions of
migratory waterfowl. Over 300 species of wildlife,
including several endangered species, are found on
the complex. Each season brings a new look to the
Refuges with a variety of wildlife. The best season
for viewing waterfowl is during the hunting season
(mid-October to mid-January), when waterfowl pack
the closed zones of the refuge.
The
Baylands
Reported by Moose Peterson 
The San Francisco Bay has lost over 80% of its
historic salt marsh since 1850. But there remains a
shinning example of the bay's rich historic marsh in
its southwest corner, a little slice of marsh called
Palo Alto Baylands.
Garnished as a birding hot spot, it's the bird
photography that really makes the Baylands a real
stand out. Whether interested in photographing
endangered birds or just birds in general, the
Baylands offers more opportunities than film can
capture!
Featured
Correspondent:
Chris Crowley, Correspondent
What do you do when a 1000-pound animal insists
on having its belly scratched? Just ask our new
correspondent, Chris Crowley. Crowley is an engineer
by vocation and a diving photographer by avocation.
The engineering job has provided opportunities such
as microgravity research flights (and photography!)
aboard NASA's zero-gravity aircraft. Underwater
still photography is his main interest. His work has
appeared in Sport Diver, Alert Diver, and Skin Diver
magazines. When not underwater, he might be found
visiting chimps and gorillas in Africa, or
orangutans in Borneo. Photographs of backyard New
England wildlife have appeared in Natural New
England and Northern Woodlands magazines. Read
Chris' article, Snorkeling
With Manatees, to find out exactly what to do
when a 1000-pound animal insists on having its belly
scratched.
