University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator Richard Hentschel discusses winter wildlife in the backyard. When you feed the birds throughout the winter, gardeners should expect to see other kinds of wildlife visiting, including the four-legged type from voles and ground squirrels up to racoons in size. Even if there is no obvious source of food, you can expect to see evidence of visitors to the yard. Late fall, squirrels will visit to uncover food they previously buried in garden beds and the lawn, and raccoons will routinely have a route they establish in search of food that may include your yard.