Hiking between the farmer's field and the deciduous forest at Scanlon Creek Nature Centre near Bradford, Ontario, a grade 3 class and the author were studying different types of soils. As soil explorers they were hiking to different locations to see, touch and smell clay, silt and humus soils. The author always likes to bring a sense of discovery and adventure to all the outdoor education programs she offers, so to this end she is always on the lookout for the presence of wildlife. This, however, was a late November day and there was a scarcity of wildlife in the open. Most of the insects were hibernating, the summer birds had departed and common mammals in the area were mostly nocturnal. Walking along a trail cut between evergreen trees, she spotted some black-capped chickadees. She shushed the line of students behind her, told them about the birds ahead and asked them to walk quietly with eyes wide open. It was a great opportunity to talk to the children about how these well-dressed puff balls will land on a human hand for seeds in the winter when their food supply is diminished. Such wild animal and human contact is rare, which is why winter programs offering this experience are so valuable.