Spring Hiking

Spring appears to have arrived, and although few flowers have appeared and the leaves are not out, migratory birds are already present in large numbers. The songs of the red-winged blackbird, song sparrow, and robin echo through the forest, especially both at dawn and dusk.

In addition to our feathered friends, animals that hibernate throughout the winter are emerging and beginning to forage for food and define their territory. Some, such as the eastern chipmunk, we find cute to watch as they scurry through the dead leaves, and some hikers like to feed these tiny rodents.

But a few species also appear that we find less 'cute'. For one of these, the black bear, spring is when mothers drive the previous year's cubs out of the den to fend for themselves. A voracious appetite coupled with a lack of knowledge of the world of humans often results in these adolescent bears bumbling their way onto trails and housing that borders forested areas. These bears are often fairly small - they usually weigh less than a medium-sized man - but they are still potentially dangerous. (For more information, read the National Capital Commission's brochure, The Black Bear and You).

The hungry young black bear will also be attracted to your picnic lunch. Your choice whether or not to feed him might not be voluntary. So enjoy your spring hiking, but remember that not all the wild-life you meet might be welcome.