LONG DARK NIGHTS CONTINUED TO -- KEEP PLENTY OF PEOPLE INSIDE DURING THE WINTER.

MICHELLE: THERE'S PLENTY OF THINGS TO SEE OUTSIDE FROM SNOWS TO -- FROM SEALS TO SNOWY OWLS.

MANY BIRD MARCHERS -- BIRDWATCHERS HOPE TO CATCH A GLIMPSE OF THE WINGED VISITORS AS THEY PASS THROUGH THE OCEAN STATE.

PAMELA: SOON AFTER THE SUN RISES OVER THE ROCKY COASTLINE, BIRD LOVERS GATHER.

>> HAVE ANY OF YOU BEEN TO BLACK POINT BEFORE, SOME OF YOU?

MAYBE?

OK.

PAMELA: EXCITED FOR WHAT WINTER WILDLIFE THEY MIGHT FIND.

>> IT WAS BIG AND GREAT.

>> I DID NOT SEE IT, BUT GOOD.

THERE IT IS.

YES, INDEED.

YEAH, IN THIS PART BACK HERE IS A BIRD.

PAMELA: EVERY WEDNESDAY MORNING THE AUDUBON SOCIETY OF RHODE ISLAND ORGANIZES A BIRD WALK.

ON THIS DAY THE GROUP'S TRACKING THROUGH THE BLACK POINT FISHING AREA OFF OF OCEAN ROAD.

>> IN MY SCOPE THERE ARE SOME SERFS GUTTERS.

PAMELA: THEY ARE LOOKING FOR BIRDS THAT FLOCKED TO RHODE ISLAND DURING THE WINTERTIME.

>> THEY HAVE THE ORANGE BEAK, RIGHT?

>> THEY HAVE AN ORANGE BEAK AND THEY HAVE A PATCH ON THE BACK OF THEIR HEAD.

PAMELA: INCLUDING THE HARLEQUIN DUCKS .

>> THEY LIKE THE START UP WATER.

YOU SEE THE NEAR THE RIGHT.

PAMELA: VIEWERS KNOW THERE IS A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME TO GET THE VIEW OF THESE COLORFUL DUCKS.

>> SO THE HARLEQUIN DUCKS LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE WE HAVE.

PAMELA: BUT, BIRDERS DO NOT HAVE TO TRAVEL TO THE COAST TO SPOT WINTER WILDLIFE.

PHOTOGRAPHER LIKES TO VENTURE INTO THE WOODS IN CRANSTON.

>> THE PATUXENT RIVER TRAIL HAS A FEW RESIDENT TRIALS -- RESIDENT OWLS OF ITS OWN.

I SPOTTED A FEW HERE THEY ARE EASY TO SPOT AND VERY PHOTOGENIC.

PAMELA: SOME OF THE WALKS HAVE RESULTED IN MESMERIZING PICTURES.

HE HAS CAPTURED IT ALL FROM THE BLACK SCOOTERS IN CHARLESTOWN TO MERGANSER'S IN CONNECTICUT.

HE ALSO PHOTOGRAPHED A SHORT YARD OUT ON FLIGHT AND ON THE GROUND.

AS WELL AS A GROUP OF SEALS HE FOUND RESTING ON THE ROCKS AT SACCADIC POINT.

>> THAT WAS A KINGFISHER.

THE ONE THAT MADE THE SQUAWKING SOUND.

PAMELA: WE SET OUT ONE JANUARY MORNING TO SEE WHAT WE COULD FIND.

SOON INTO HER HEIGHT, HE WAS CLICKING AWAY.

HE SPOTTED A BIRD IN THE RIVER AND THERE WAS A DARK EYED JUNCO KNEW THE BANKS OF THE RIVER.

HE SAYS THESE ARE BIRDS THAT CAN BE SPOTTED THERE IN THE WINTERTIME.

>> ONE WENT OVER TO THE OTHER ONE THAT IS NICE.

PAMELA: IS IT EASIER TO SPOT ANIMALS IN THE WINTER MONTHS?

>> JUST FOR THE SAKE THAT ALL THE LEAVES ARE DOWN SO NOW, YOU CAN LOOK PRETTY FAR INTO THE WOODS UP INTO THE TREES.

WE ARE A LOT OF BIRDS AND OTHER ANIMALS ARE HIDING OUT.

ESPECIALLY DURING THE DAY.

PAMELA: LET'S SEE IF I CAN FIND THIS.

>> OVER IN MIDDLETOWN THERE IS ANOTHER FLOCK OF BIRDS BOBBING AROUND.

SUCH IS POINT NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE IS HOME TO THE SECOND LARGEST WINTERING POPULATION OF DUCKS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST.

>> NOT ONLY A WINTERING SITE, AND A REFUGE, IT IS ALSO A STOCKHOLDER AREA SO THEY ARE MIGRATING THROUGH.

THIS IS A PLACE FOR THEM TO REST AND REJUVENATE.

REFUEL AND THEN HEAD SOUTH.

PAMELA: JANET IS THE VISITOR SERVICES MANAGER FOR THE RHODE ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES.

PAMELA: WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY.

IT IS NOT BONE CHILLING, IT IS COMFORTABLE.

PAMELA: SHE SHOWED US WINTER BIRDS THAT ARE MOVING TO RHODE ISLAND FOR THE SEASON.

>> IT IS AROUND THE CORNER AND STILL IN THE WATER THERE.

PAMELA: THIS RESERVE SITS ON 442 ACRES THAT INCLUDES MARCHES AND -- OUR AND BEACHES.

SHE LET US DOWN A PATH ON THE PRESERVE TO SPOT WINTERING WATERFOWL.

>> LOOK RIGHT HERE.

SEE THE TWO DUCKS?

PAMELA: OH, I DO.

HOW BEAUTIFUL.

OH, I SEE THEM.

NO, I DON'T -- NOW, I DON'T SEE THEM, OH, I SEE THEM AGAIN.

[LAUGHTER] >> I ALWAYS LOOK FOR THEM IN THE WHITE WATER RAFTING.

PAMELA: IT DID NOT TAKE LONG TO FIND OUR SHARE OF WINTER BIRDS.

>> HOW BEAUTIFUL.

THE DAY MICHELLE BECAME A BIRDER.

MICHELLE: OH, I SEE FOUR.

>> SHE SAYS THEY COME DOWN FROM CANADA TO THE ARCTIC COAST TO BASK IN THE RELATIVELY WARMER RHODE ISLAND WATERS.

>> MANY OF THE SEA DUCKS WILL SPEND THE WHOLE SEASON.

WE HAVE THE HARLEQUIN DUCKS, GANSER'S, QUITE A FEW.

MICHELLE: YOU LIGHT UP TALKING ABOUT THIS.

>> THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL.

MICHELLE: IT IS EXCITING.

>> YEAH, IT IS.

PEOPLE BRAVE THE WINTER COLD AND THEY ENJOY IT.

YOU CAN JUST TELL.

THEY GET FRESH AIR AND THEIR SPIRITS GET REFRESHED.

IT IS LIKE THE MIGRATORY BIRDS, WHEN THEY STOP OVER, THE PEOPLE ARE ALSO STOPPING HERE TO REST AND REFUEL THEIR SPIRITS TO FIND THE BIRDS.

MICHELLE: COME ON.

THERE SHE IS.

MAJOR SAYS GOING OUTSIDE HAS BEEN THERAPEUTIC FOR HIM AS WELL.

>> A LOT OF TIMES DURING THE WINTER MONTHS WE HAVE HAD PREVIOUSLY.

I DO NOT FEELING DOING ANYTHING.

GETTING OUT AND GETTING MY CAMERA AND GETTING MY GEAR AND GOING OUT INTO THE WOODS SOMETIMES IS A LITTLE BIT -- I HAVE TO PUSH MYSELF TO DO IT, BUT EVERY TIME I DO I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER BEING OUT SPENDING TIME OUTDOORS EVEN IF IT IS ONLY HALF AN HOUR.

MICHELLE: HE IS ON THE SEARCH FOR A SNOWY OWL THIS SEASON.

NO LUCK YET, BUT HE IS PHOTOGRAPHED IN -- THEM IN PREVIOUS YEARS HERE.

>> THE SNOWY OWL IS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING BIRDS BECAUSE OF THEIR RARITY.

SOME YEARS THEY MAY NOT SHOW UP AT ALL.

WHEN ONE DOES, IT ATTRACTS A LOT OF ATTENTION.

>> IN THE WINTER WE COULD BE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO SEE THE SNOWY OWL BECAUSE THEY COME HERE TO FEED.

MICHELLE: BUT SHE SAYS IT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP THE DISTANCE FROM THE MAJESTIC BIRDS AND STAY AT LEAST 200 EIGHT AWAY.

>> EVEN THOUGH IT IS -- 200 FEET AWAY.

>> EVEN THOUGH IT IS LOOKING AT YOU AND LOOKS LIKE IT WANTS ATTENTION THEY COULD HAVE A LOT OF STRESS GOING ON AND THEY ARE HUNTING.

IF YOU DESTROY -- DISTURB THEM WHEN THEY ARE HUNTING THEY ARE NOT GETTING ENOUGH FOOD TO GO BACK TO WHERE THEY COME FROM.

LIKE THE ARCTIC COAST.

THEY WILL DIE ON THE WAY.

WE HAD FOUR SNOWY OWLS WERE DEAD FROM MALNUTRITION.

THEY DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FOOD IN THEM.

>> DOES MAY BE MORE FEMALES.

MICHELLE: ONCE MAJOR SPOTS WILDLIFE ON THE PATUXENT HE LIKES TO COME BACK AND CHECK ON THEM FROM A DISTANCE.

>> IT IS NEED TO EXPERIENCE THEM WHILE THEY ARE ON THEIR LONG JOURNEYS.

MICHELLE: YOU WILL BE OUT HERE WHEN IT'S IN THE TEENS AND 20 DEGREES IT WILL NOT DETER YOU FROM COMING OUT?

>> IT IS NOT STOP THE BIRDS FROM COMING OUT SO IT DOES NOT STOP ME.

>> THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO IS TRY TO FIND A BIRD IN THE SCOPE BEFORE YOU KNOW WHERE IT IS.

MICHELLE: IT IS ALSO NOT STOPPING THE BIRDERS FROM SCANNING THE SKIES.

THEY KNOW THE CHANGE IN SEASON COMES WITH UNIQUE SITES AND SOUNDS.

--SIGHTS AND SOUNDS.

>> WELL, THIS IS JANUARY.

[LAUGHTER]