Winter Chronicle

Winter is a peaceful time. Elk, bison and deer spend most of the day resting, conserving energy and staying warm. Bald eagles are wintering along the shores of Kentucky and Barkley lakes, and occasionally one may soar overhead. Scarlet cardinals are a flash of color amid the muted browns and golds that are the prairie's winter palette.

Even beneath the quiet of winter, however, life burgeons. Grass seeds lie dormant under the cold earth, awaiting spring's warmth to germinate. Female elk, bison and deer are pregnant, and will bring forth new life in the spring.

And here at LBL, early January brought an exciting change: six new bull elk were transported from Elk Island National Park in Alberta, Canada -- original home of the first elk released into our prairie last February. These new arrivals are important additions to our developing prairie. They will help bring the male-female balance of our elk herd to more closely resemble that of a natural herd.

If you visit us in person, winter is one of the best times to catch a glimpse of these and other wildlife. Trees and shrubs lose their leaves, opening the landscape into wide, scenic vistas in which wildlife is more visible.