Marla Mertz Marion County Naturalist tells KNIA/KRLS News about what wildlife can be found in the area .

The weather has been most pleasant, but not always the best for wildlife. Migration will soon be completed. The deer will be getting harder to find until dusk, as are owls and other active at twilight animals. 

Mertz says their activity is hard to capture with simple cameras, so just enjoy the moments of sights and sounds that are meant for you only. Chickadees, cardinals, Eastern bluebirds, woodpeckers, sparrow species, cedar waxwings, and blue jays can usually be found around the dense, shrubby edges feeding on their natural food sources. On occasion, the feeding songbirds gives way to opportunities to take a closer look or to photograph them.

Mertz tells KNIA/KRLS about the Trumpeter Swans that arrived with large numbers in Marion County recently, “The Trumpeter Swans are absolutely happiness in December. That is something that we’ve always looked forward to. They’ve had quite a history.”

Lake Red Rock and deeper ponds are still open, which gives way to mallards, Canada geese, hooded mergansers, and a few other ducks to stay as their food is available. Currently, there are quite a few pelicans and gulls along the outer banks of the lake. The lake will soon be frozen, and they will move below the dam. Mertz hopes we can get more precipitation for the wintering birds down river. It is quite low at this time. Open areas around the lake are currently holding Trumpeter Swans.