Deep snow, rising melt-water and stressed animals have caused me to observe and photograph from a distance, often using my truck as a blind. Two storms and forty inches of snow blanketed the landscape in early March, leaving an interesting mix of “signs of Spring” … ice … and a blanket of snow.
Open wetland with seasonal water
Hooded Merganser in a hardwood swamp
Muskrat feeding on submerged vegetation
Hardwood swamp teaming with wildlife (location for the remaining images)
Muskrat in a hardwood swamp, browsing Northern White Cedar (1 of 2)
Wood Ducks cruising along in a hardwood swamp; 1 of 3
Photos by NB Hunter. © All Rights Reserved.
Nick's Nature Pics 
Those are some impressive snowbanks at the edge of the pond or swamp. The muskrat was a treat. I don’t think I’ve seen a better shot of a muskrat. Besides the tail, what distinguishes them from a beaver?
Thanks Gunta. Not always easy to ID a dark, wet object in the water, but helpful to know: muskrats – much smaller than beavers, show more of the body/back when swimming, active and visible in March (feeding, breeding). It’s common to see a muskrat diving, feeding and perching on ice in March; not so with beavers.
Snow looks so much more appealing in a natural environment than a town one! How do you get about in it, though? I gave up after years of struggling through snow too deep to walk through.
Hi Melissa. Two strategies allow me to enjoy and make the most of winter photography: I walk with snowshoes when the snow is deep (a daily routine) and I spent a lot of time on country roads, using a padded window as a camera rest and shooting from the truck.
I remember having plastic snowshoes from Kmart when I was a kid. Those things were great but they disappeared somewhere along the way. I’ll have to see about getting myself some real ones if I can’t escape winter 🙂
Aha! I hadn’t thought of exploring country roads with my car. I like that idea even better!
If you invest in snowshoes – and you should! – get the aluminum ones with ratchet binders – they’re a dream and last forever with no maintenance. The truck blind works really well in winter – protects gear from the cold and precip, doesn’t frighten stressed animals like a person on foot is apt to do. And it has a coffee cup holder. 🙂