Spring is the season of new life. As light returns and food becomes more plentiful, animals everywhere begin the ancient work of bringing the next generation into the world. It’s a season of nests, dens, hollow logs, and hidden grass beds. A time when meadows rustle with tiny feet, and forests echo with the first calls of young voices.

This baby boom isn’t random — it’s perfectly timed. After surviving the scarcity of winter, wildlife species sync their birthing season with spring’s rising temperatures, longer days, and surging food supply. The goal is simple: give the young the best chance to grow before next winter returns.

What to Look For in Spring

• Deer and moose calves are born in forests and meadows. Mothers hide them in tall grass, returning only to nurse, leaving almost no scent behind to avoid predators.
• Fox kits begin to emerge from dens in April or May. They tumble and play at the entrance, learning hunting and social skills from their parents.
• Badger cubs begin exploring beyond the sett, often during dusk or dawn. They’re shy, fast, and hard to spot — but leave clear prints near burrow entrances.
• Hares and rabbits deliver multiple litters in quick succession, hiding leverets in shallow nests or tall grass where they stay motionless for hours.
• Bear cubs emerge with their mothers from hibernation dens. They stay close, feeding constantly as their strength grows — vulnerable but curious.
• Bird nests begin to fill with chicks. Look (from a distance) in trees, shrubs, cliffs, and even buildings — but don’t disturb nesting sites. The parents are always watching.
• Waterfowl broods — ducklings, goslings, cygnets — appear in ponds and wetlands, following their mothers in single file across still water.

Photographing the Baby Boom

• Use a long lens — young animals are highly sensitive, and their safety comes first.
• Stay quiet and still — any stress to the parents may result in abandonment or aggression.
• Focus on behavior — early interactions between young and parent often tell powerful stories.
• Avoid nests and dens — let wildlife raise their young without interference. Patience and distance always pay off.

Spring may be noisy and colorful on the surface, but much of the most important activity happens quietly — in tucked-away places where new life is unfolding. When you see a fawn in the grass, a gosling wobbling after its mother, or a fox kit peeking from a burrow, you’re witnessing the start of a new cycle. Nature isn’t just coming back. It’s growing.