Comments on: christmas decorations? http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2006/11/30/christmas-decorations/ a place where nature, photography and writing meet Sat, 30 Aug 2008 07:26:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: burning silo http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2006/11/30/christmas-decorations/#comment-11724 Fri, 01 Dec 2006 16:22:16 +0000 http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2006/11/30/christmas-decorations/#comment-11724 Wayne - I wander all over the place -- even up in the trees! Actually, we have a nice view of the maple tree out of one of my office window, so I get to see all of the action as it happens. I don't know much about squirrel taxonomy, so can't say much about the genera -- seems like something worth checking out though. I've noticed that the Red squirrels behave very differently from the Gray squirrels that hang out around my mom's house in the city. Those squirrels just seem to be interested in nuts, while the Red Squirrels go after everything (unfortunately, I've even seen them raiding bird nests for eggs and young hatchlings). A naturalist from this area told me about seeing a Red squirrel hopping toward her carrying what was obviously the hind leg of a Gray squirrel (I doubt it killed it, but must have scavenged it from somewhere). The apple thing is really weird though, as the squirrels try to carry the apples while leaping branch to branch. The apples are so big that the squirrels often don't make it and flip over and crash to the ground. We have a lot of bluejays here, but we're surrounded by a lot of conifers, so I think it's ideal habitat for them. The ones here are very noisy and, while not tame, they are certainly quite outgoing and get into everything. Not sure about the Crows. We have both around here and they don't seem to interact too much. Wayne - I wander all over the place — even up in the trees! Actually, we have a nice view of the maple tree out of one of my office window, so I get to see all of the action as it happens.
I don’t know much about squirrel taxonomy, so can’t say much about the genera — seems like something worth checking out though. I’ve noticed that the Red squirrels behave very differently from the Gray squirrels that hang out around my mom’s house in the city. Those squirrels just seem to be interested in nuts, while the Red Squirrels go after everything (unfortunately, I’ve even seen them raiding bird nests for eggs and young hatchlings). A naturalist from this area told me about seeing a Red squirrel hopping toward her carrying what was obviously the hind leg of a Gray squirrel (I doubt it killed it, but must have scavenged it from somewhere). The apple thing is really weird though, as the squirrels try to carry the apples while leaping branch to branch. The apples are so big that the squirrels often don’t make it and flip over and crash to the ground.
We have a lot of bluejays here, but we’re surrounded by a lot of conifers, so I think it’s ideal habitat for them. The ones here are very noisy and, while not tame, they are certainly quite outgoing and get into everything. Not sure about the Crows. We have both around here and they don’t seem to interact too much.

]]> by: Wayne http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2006/11/30/christmas-decorations/#comment-11708 Fri, 01 Dec 2006 14:26:19 +0000 http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2006/11/30/christmas-decorations/#comment-11708 Bev - what were you doing in the highest branches of the maple trees? I have no problem envisioning it. Our gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis)- and what's up with the putting squirrels into different genera, I wonder? One of those animal things, I guess - aren't nearly as clever as yours. They're always busy but I haven't noticed them stashing stuff like that. I'll have to keep my eyes open. One thing is that we don't have apples here like that. It's a northern thing, I think. So our grays are limited to stashing walnuts and hickory nuts, which can go unnoticed. Re: the bluejays - I've noted how we have very few out here, although they're very common in town, and that the ones we have are very timid, keeping to the levels of the highest branches of trees. They don't even raid the feeders. Yesterday I was noting, as I have before but had never made the connection, how MANY crows we have. I wonder if that's why the bluejays keep a low profile? Bev - what were you doing in the highest branches of the maple trees? I have no problem envisioning it.

Our gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis)- and what’s up with the putting squirrels into different genera, I wonder? One of those animal things, I guess - aren’t nearly as clever as yours. They’re always busy but I haven’t noticed them stashing stuff like that. I’ll have to keep my eyes open.

One thing is that we don’t have apples here like that. It’s a northern thing, I think. So our grays are limited to stashing walnuts and hickory nuts, which can go unnoticed.

Re: the bluejays - I’ve noted how we have very few out here, although they’re very common in town, and that the ones we have are very timid, keeping to the levels of the highest branches of trees. They don’t even raid the feeders. Yesterday I was noting, as I have before but had never made the connection, how MANY crows we have. I wonder if that’s why the bluejays keep a low profile?

]]> by: burning silo http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2006/11/30/christmas-decorations/#comment-11658 Fri, 01 Dec 2006 02:02:54 +0000 http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2006/11/30/christmas-decorations/#comment-11658 robin - The Red Squirrels make huge heaps of cones on the ground in the bush, so I guess they're used to creating caches out in the open. A couple of friends have mentioned seeing the apple caching behaviour, so it seems to be common. I was surprised to find that the squirrel is caching pine cones up in the trees in a way similar to the apples. I would have thought it would just use the usual cone pile caching method. robin - The Red Squirrels make huge heaps of cones on the ground in the bush, so I guess they’re used to creating caches out in the open. A couple of friends have mentioned seeing the apple caching behaviour, so it seems to be common. I was surprised to find that the squirrel is caching pine cones up in the trees in a way similar to the apples. I would have thought it would just use the usual cone pile caching method.

]]> by: robin andrea http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2006/11/30/christmas-decorations/#comment-11643 Thu, 30 Nov 2006 21:07:08 +0000 http://magickcanoe.com/blog/2006/11/30/christmas-decorations/#comment-11643 We have little Douglas Squirrels and apple trees, but I've not seen the squirrels stash away any apples. I always imagined squirrels hiding things inside tree holes, so this is a surprise to see it out in the open like this. It's cool. I've seen lots of fallen apples that have been munched pretty thoroughly, and our squirrel tries every few days to get around the bird-feeder baffle, but eventually tires himself out and stops. There does seem to be a bit of mania about its behavior! We have little Douglas Squirrels and apple trees, but I’ve not seen the squirrels stash away any apples. I always imagined squirrels hiding things inside tree holes, so this is a surprise to see it out in the open like this. It’s cool. I’ve seen lots of fallen apples that have been munched pretty thoroughly, and our squirrel tries every few days to get around the bird-feeder baffle, but eventually tires himself out and stops. There does seem to be a bit of mania about its behavior!

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