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All Questions
and Answers
Browse through all of the
questions that Jim has answered about Wisconsin wildlife,
plants, recreation, and other outdoor-related topics. This page
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carolee
asked
on
8/26/2007,
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My son found a (toad)? in twin lakes, wi and would like to keep him as a pet. we do not know how to care for him... we are currently searching the web for identification and care tips and came across your site...do you offer any advice?
thank you
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Jim's answer: |
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Toads are pretty easy to take care of. All you need is an old aquarium (leaky ones are OK) and then simply create a habitat similar to the one you found your toad living in. Unlike frogs, toad prefer to live on dry land with some water nearby. Add some gravel for drainage on the bottom of the aquarium and then pack some soil on top of that. To make it more inviting put some green moss, a few stones, chunks of dead wood or bark and a small dish filled with water dug in at ground leve. You might even want to plant a few small live plants as well to make their new home even more natural-looking. Toads aren't the greatest jumpers but it's still a good idea to put a screen cover on top of the aquarium. In the wild, toads eat pretty much anything that crawls on earth that they can gobble up and swallow such as spiders, slugs, beetles, earthworms,ants, flies, bees, and moths. If you don't want to go out and catch your own food supply for your toad, most pet stores and fishing bait outlets have lots of food items for them such as leaf worms, crickets, night crawlers, or mealy worms. Toads can be kept over winter but its probably a better idea to let them go long before the first frost of the season arrives. Your toad needs time to adapt to its new environment, fill up on insects, and find a good place to hibernate for the winter. |
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Janet
asked
on
8/19/2007,
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When will a baby pheasant change its color(sex)and leave the mother and go on it's own? Will the babies stay in the same area as the mother does? They're in my backyard!!! Great!!! |
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Jim's answer: |
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Hen pheasants begin to nest and lay their clutch of 10-12 olive-brown eggs in April and early May. The hen incubates her eggs for 23 days before the chicks hatch out. Pheasant chicks are covered in soft down just like domestic chicks, but within a week they begin to grow wing feathers which allow them to take short flights at only two weeks of age. This fast track to flying is critical in order for them to escape predators like fox, coyotes, raccoons, and neighborhood cats. It's very difficult to see the diffenence between you pheasant hens and roosters until they start to get their adult plumage at 4 to 5 months of age. Hens keep their mottled brown color all their lives but as males mature you can see their gaudy iridescent, greenish-black heads, red face wattles, long striped teails, and of course their namesake- the white ring around their necks. Hens stay with their chicks until they are at least eight weeks old. They then spread out in search of their favorite foods which is about 82 percent grain, especially corn. Adults also eat wild seeds, insects, and plant leaves. Pheasants prefer to live in rural areas where most of the land is under cultivation with wetlands or undistrubed grassy areas nearby. |
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lori
asked
on
6/6/2007,
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Dear Jim, My daughter found a blue spotted salamander and wants to keep it. We've created an enviroment of mud, moss, sticks, rocks, water & grass. We've tried to feed it baby crickets & baby worms. I have never seen a salamander like this one before. We live in Orillia, Ontario. I saw on the internet that they may be found in nova scotia. I am worried that this little thing could die. "Sally" the salamander is about 3 inches long. My daughter absolutly loves her more than anything and we are trying to persuade her to let her go so she has a better chance of survival & can breed. I'm also thinking that as soon as she loses interest in it we will let her go. Sally's very lethargic and still - doesn't look that happy - although I doubt I'd recognize a happy salamander anyways. Any info on weither these salamanders can survive in captivity, and how would be great. thanks Lori |
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Jim's answer: |
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Lori, sounds like your daughter's pet "Sally" is a blue-spotted or Jefferson's salamander. These tiny amphibians are mostly blue-black in color with turquoise flecks or spots on its sides. Blue-spotted salamanders are pretty common many parts of North America, especially in forested areas with steams, ponds or wetlands nearby. Because they're most active at night or during rainy days in spring and summer they're rarely seen. Blue-spotted salamanders are usually found just beneath leaf litter or under rotten logs and stumps in the forest. They do come out to more open areas at times however. I've them on the lawn and in the flower beds around my house on occasion. Most likely they're searching for prey to eat such as snails, slugs, tiny spiders, earthworms, sow bugs, and other small insects. I've kept salamanders in aquariums filled with dirt, moss, and water just like you've done so that should be fine. Be sure to give your salamander a mist of water from time to time. Like all amphibians, they must keep their fragile skin moist at all times. It sounds like you're feeding "Sally" the right kinds of food. You might have to actually hold a small worm right in front of its mouth to get it to eat, however, since salamanders have very poor eyesight and are nearly deaf as well. If you just drop the worm in the cage it will quickly tunnel its way under the moss and into the ground beneath without being eaten. You might also want to try "mealy worms" which are actually a kind of tiny white grubs. Most bait stores carry them for fishermen. Don't expect your salamander to grow much even if it does start to eat. Blue-spotted salamanders only grow to four or five inches in length even as adults. It's OK to keep "Sally" for a few weeks if you want but you must let her go by late summer for sure and hopefully close to the same spot where you got her. She will need some time to adapt to her surroundings and find a save place to hibernate for the winter ahead by then. |
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Brady
asked
on
5/25/2007,
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Will a Polyphemus Moth female lay eggs if she did not mate with a male? |
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Jim's answer: |
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Brady, Yes, the Polyphemus female moth will eventually attempt to lay her eggs even though she did not mate with a male. My brother and I once raised giant silkworm moths such as Polyphemus and Cecropia moths as a hobby years ago. We kept the moth larvae or caterpillers in an outdoor screened cage high in the trees and fed them their favorite leaf foods. Once in awhile one of them would hatch out earlier than anticipated and start to lay eggs all over the cage with no other moths around. Unfortunately, these beautiful moths only live a few brief weeks in the summer the way it is but once the female lays her eggs, she dies a short time later having fulfilled her destiny I suppose. As you may already know, male polyphemus moths have large feathery antennae studded with thousands of sensory hairs which are stimulated by the odor released by the females. This scent can be detected by the males over five miles away so if you were wondering how these relatively rare large moths can find each other in such a brief time period it would seem nature has solved this problem.
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Dave
asked
on
5/16/2007,
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Jim, as you know, I live in a condo. I had neighbors in the unit next to me who fed the birds all the time. They moved away last fall and the unit is still empty. I'm seeing beautiful birds land on my deck railing. (goldfinch, rose breasted grosbeak, scarlet tanager to name a few) Are they the same birds that fed at my neighbor's feeder and are looking in at me and asking, "Where's the beef?" |
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Jim's answer: |
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Good question Dave. It's difficult to say whether of not some or all of the birds you are seeing outside your window this spring are the same ones your neighbor was feeding last fall. Some birds do in fact return to the same feeders and nesting areas year after year although some biologists believe that many, if not most, birds end up in a particular area more by chance and discovery than by memory or some sort of homing instinct. I tend to give our little bird-brained feathered friends more credit than that however. After all, just think of the distance the few birds you mentioned have traveled since last fall. Although some goldfinches do spend their entire winter season with us here in Wisconsin, many migrate south to the Gulf Coast and southern Mexico in late fall. The beautiful reddish-orange scarlet tanagers we enjoy seeing in our backyards in spring spent their winters in Columbia and Bolivia. Rose-breasted grossbeaks area always a treat to see at the feeder and are especially hungry this time of year. After all, they just flew back from their own wintering grounds in Mexico and northern part of South America. It sure seems to me that all birds have an excellent sense of direction and very good navigational skills. There really is no reason why they couldn't return to the exact backyard feeder year after year. Yes, your birds probabably are begging to be fed since nobody told them that your neighbor's bird-seed restraurant was closed. They'll eventually find another favorite backyard but if you want to keep the around its time to fill up the feeder with sunflower seeds, millet, and cracked corn; pour some niger seed in seed bags and tubes; get some suet feeders hung out; mix up some red-colored sugar water for the hummingbirds and buey some oranges, jelly, and yellow-colored juice for the oriole feeder. Bird watching is fun by can also be expensive too. |
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chris
asked
on
5/10/2007,
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what is the best way to cook morals? |
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Jim's answer: |
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Chris, Morals can be used pretty much like any other mushrooms except they generally shouldn't be eaten raw. They can be stewed, baked or even stuffed with creamed chicken or steak. I prefer them just sauteed in a shallow fry pan with a little butter or margarine until they are soft and golden brown. They're great served as a side dish with most any meal but especially with a steak dinner. Morals can also be used to top pizzas and are delicious when fried ukp with eggs for breakfast. In preparing morals for cooking be sure to wash them thoroughly in salt water to remove any grit or dirt. I usually cut off a small section of the bottom as well since this part is often stained and tough. Another thing I've learned over the years is to check out the insides of morals by cutting them open length-wise. The hollow interior of moral mushrooms can often harbor little surprises like ants, slugs or other critters you probably don't want to add to your diet. Morals are definately one of the most sought after and prized mushrooms in North America. They are easy to identify even by amateur mushroom hunters thanks to their distinctive honeycomb or spronge-like conical cap. I really don't know of any other fungi with such a delicious nutty mouth-watering flavor either. Good luck moral hunting and enjoy. |
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Dennis
asked
on
2/25/2007,
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Jim, I'd like to take my family on a vacation to Devil's Lake State Park or maybe Peninsula this summer. I was going to call the parks to see if I could make campsite reservations but a friend at work says you can't do this anymore. Is that true? If so, how can I make reservations to camp at a state park? |
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Jim's answer: |
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Dennis, Your friend is correct in that you can no longer call or send in a campsite reservation application to individual state parks anymore, but there's an even better reservation system in place these days. A nationwide company called "Reserve America" is now responsible for accepting campsite reservations for all Wisconsin state park and forest campgrounds. You can contact them anytime and make online reservations at www.reserveamerica.com or if you prefer to talk to a human being, you can also call them at a toll-free number at 1-888-947-2757.
Here's couple of hints if you want to make reservations at state parks and forests for summer. Campers are now allowed to make reservations eleven (11) months in advance now. No more having to wait until January 1st of each year to make a reservation as required in the old system. In other words, many people have been booking reservations for the upcoming July weekends way back last August already. This is great for campers who can plan that far in advance but not so great for people who prefer to make last minute campsite reservations (like me). If you find all the campsites of a particular weekend booked already, I'd suggest that you keep checking campsite availability every few days or so. There are always cancellations that create new openings from day to day. Also, consider a "weekday" camping trip if your work schedule allows. Many parks experience vacant campsites especially starting Sunday nights, plus you won't have the weekend crowds to contend with.
One last suggestion. I know you wanted to camp at Devil's Lake or Peninsula but take some time to search out and discover some of the other lesser known state parks and forests. There are 42 state parks and forests that accept campsite reservations. Most of these smaller campgrounds have the same amenities as the bigger parks and are often located in beautiful, less crowded locations throughout the state. You can find descriptions, maps, and photos of all state parks and forests at www.wiparks.net and even ask questions on line if you want. Hope you're a "happy camper" this summer.
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Mary
asked
on
2/21/2007,
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I've seen a small weasel-type animal outside my window for the past several days with a pure white coat of fur. Any idea of what it could be? |
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Jim's answer: |
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Mary, The weasel-type animal you describe is in fact a "weasel". There are three species of weasels that live in Wisconsin. The long-tailed weasel found in the southern part of our state, the short-tailed weasel which is more common in the north, and the tiny, fairly rare least weasel. It sounds like the one you are seeing is the short-tailed weasel. Like all other weasels its fur is brown in color for most of the year but in winter, its coat turns to pure white with the exception of the black tip of its tail. During this time of year, when their color phase is white, weasels are often called "ermine".
Ermine fur was once highly sought after for use in expensive clothing for the very rich and for royalty. Ermine was used for centuries as fur trim in the coronation robes and crowns of kings and queens throughout Europe. In America, ermine fur was prized by Native Americans who used it to decorate war bonnets and spears.
The ermine's white fur is a real advantage to their survival in the northern climates. This camouflage helps them blend into the snow protecting them from predators like fox, owls, and hawks. It also helps them to stalk closer to their own prey such as rabbits and mice. Since weasels don't hibernate they must search for food throughout the winter. Chances are if you're seeing them around your home they're no doubt on the track of smaller animals like cottontail rabbits hiding out in your backyard or deer mice coming to feed on spilled seeds at your birdfeeder. Since weasels hunt mostly at night seeing them out and about during daylight is a rare treat. Enjoy the show. |
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Dave
asked
on
2/15/2007,
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I am always in awe when I see a great blue heron. I guess because it's such a big bird. I have seen them more often in the last few years than I have all my life, and I am 59. Was I just not looking or are there more of them around than there used to be? Also why don't I ever see two of them together? They're always alone. |
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Jim's answer: |
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Good questions Dave. With a wingspan of almost six feet great blue herons are indeed impressive birds to watch, especially when they're in flight. Standing nearly four feet tall, great blue herons are the largest of all North American herons.
Although they are common sight along steams, ponds and wetlands today, blue herons nearly disappeared in the 1960's due to pesticides like DDT that almost caused the demise of many other fish eaters like bald eagles and ospreys. Luckily these chemicals were banned in time to save these majestic birds. In addition, blue herons gained protective status under the "blue crane" legislation passed in the 1960's here in Wisconsin.
Several things have improved habitat for herons and other wetland birds in recent years. Due to conservation efforts and new environmental regulations, many more wetlands have been protected and clean up efforts are moving forward to restore our rivers, lakes and streams.
You asked why you never see more than one heron at a time. Herons are very solitary birds and prefer to hunt alone. You've probably seen them standing motionless along streambanks or in marshes looking like pieces of drifwood. Herons can wait for hours on end for just the right moment to snatch up an unsuspecting frog, crayfish, or small fish with its long beak. The only time herons become more social is during their breeding season in spring and early summer when they build large nests high in the trees in marshy areas. They prefer to nest together with hundreds of other herons in communal nesting areas called "rookeries". These nesting areas are usually located over standing water and in very romote areas so we rarely get a chance to see them.
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Kathy
asked
on
6/2/2006,
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My husband and I love to hike in the Kettle Moraine State Forest in spring. We see a lot of spring flowers like trilliums and violets. We noticed quite a few large patches of a small flower that has white flowers with light pink stripes on them. We can't find in our I.D. book. Do you know what these might be? |
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Jim's answer: |
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Kathy, from your description the wild flowers your seeing are most likely "spring beauties". These small attractive perennials often grow in spectacular patches on the forest floor and is one one of the first spring flowers to bloom. In warmer, protected areas like along slow moving streams or in hardwood forests spring beauties can start to bloom by late March already but most can be seen in April to May. Spring beauties have attractive rose-colored or whitish five-petal flowers which are always striped with dark pink lines. Some people still call them "fairy spuds" because they grow tiny potato-like tubers that were once harvested by Native Americans and early settlers. Although the entire plant is edible the spuds were eaten most either raw or boiled like a potato. Although once an important food source for ancient people, spring beauties serve us better today as "food for the soul" instead. |
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Harold and Joyce
asked
on
5/22/2006,
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Dear Jim, We moved into our new home in a rural wooded area a couple years ago. We always enjoy seeing the deer come to our backyard even if they occasionally take a bite out of our shrubs and flowers. We still haven't seen a fawn yet however. When should we be watching for them? |
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Jim's answer: |
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Harold and Joyce, I commend your tolerance with your visiting deer, especially since they seem to be taking a bite out of your backyard plants. Many people move to the country because they enjoy watching wildlife but often become dismayed and frustrated when deer start munching on their expensive landscape vegetation. Unfortunately eating is what deer seem to do best. In Wisconsin most fawns are born from late May to early June. A few are born are even born in late June to early July. Many of these late-comers are from does that weren't bred during the main rut or breeding season in late October and November. White-tail deer go through a second rut later in fall and even in December. This is when many of the doe fawns from the year before finally go into heat and are bred. Don't be surprised if you see a doe with twin fawns. Typically, a doe will have a single fawn its first year and after that will normally give birth to twins each year. Fawns only weigh about six to eight pounds when they are born. Its at this time of their lives that they are the most vulnerable to predators like coyotes, fox, or unleashed dogs. Luckily, nature has equipped fawns with a few tricks to keep them safe. Their fur is reddish-brown in color with white spots and lines that blend in perfectly with the brown leaves and light-speckled forest floor of spring. Fawns are also completely odorless during the first few days of their lives, another big advantage in a woods filled with predators with large sensitive noses. Fawns grow very rapidly. At one month of age they can already outrun a man and by fall they'll be able to sprint 35 miles per hour and easily jump an eight foot fences. Does will stay close to their fawns and suckle them throughout the summer season. Even when they can feed on plants like the adults, the fawn will remain with the doe throughout the fall and winter until the following spring when the new fawns are born. Good luck watching for fawns to appear in your neighborhood. They're there but just not too easy to spot at times. |
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Jane and Bryan
asked
on
5/16/2006,
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Dear Jim, since we've retired my husband Bryan and I spend a lot more time watching birds in our back yard and at our local parks. Maybe we're getting old but it just seems years ago all the robins disappeared in fall and didn't return until spring. Now its not uncommon to see lots of robins hanging around our neighborhood all winter, even in the snow. What's the deal? |
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Jim's answer: |
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Good observation Jane and Bryan. Yes, I agree, there does seem to be more and more "winter robins" in Wisconsin than usual the last several years. We know that the vast majority of robins do in fact migrate to warmer climates but many don't seem to be in hurry about it especially if we have a warmer than usual fall and winter like we've experienced recently. Is it global warming? Most Wisconsin robins eventually end up in their traditional wintering grounds along the gulf coast of Texas and Florida. Some even travel as far south as Mexico. As you mentioned, however, there are those few brave souls that stick out the winter with us. Biologists have studied this phenomenon concluded that about two percent of the robin population decide not to migrate for whatever reason. Even though we definitely have some subzero nights even during mild winters, these robins seem to do fine as long as they can find fresh water to drink and wild berries or other fruits to eat. Robins can survive on seeds also but they almost never come to winter bird feeders unless there's open water nearby or they're offered fruits like raisins or dried cherries on a ground feeder. These winter robins are often mistaken as the early harbingers of spring by those of us who long for warmer temperatures in late January already. The "real" spring migration of robins north to Wisconsin usually doesn't take place until the middle of March to April. I guess I never understood why the American Robin was selected as Wisconsin's official state bird. Not only is it not a robin (they're actually members of the thrush family)but they abandon us for warmer climates by flying south in winter. Maybe a bluejay, chickadee, or even a cardinal would have been a better choice it seems. Oh well, I digress. Good luck with your bird observations Jane and Bryan and watch for those "winter robins." |
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Carolyn
asked
on
5/11/2006,
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Dear Jim, My good friend Allison and I enjoy hiking along a marsh road in a county park near our home, especially in spring. We love hearing all sounds of spring like the blackbirds and spring peepers. The other day we noticed hundreds of bright yellow flowering plants blooming in the wooded areas of the marsh. It's still pretty cold and there's nothing else really blooming yet. What are these flowers? Can we pick them for floral arrangement? |
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Jim's answer: |
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Carolyn, the bright orange-yellow blossums you're seeing in early spring are called "marsh marigolds" or "cowslips" as they are know by some. Despite their common names, this plant is neither a marigold nor a cowslip but rather a member of the buttercup family. You can tell by the shiny, waxy-looking flower pedals common to all buttercups. To me spring really doesn't start until these beauties begin to light up local swamps, marshlands, and the sides of slow moving streams with the yellow glow of their blossoms. Each plant may have a dozen or more flowerheads which often bloom long before other wild flowers show up. They sometimes even bloom before the surrounding trees and bushes leaf out which really make them stand out in the otherwise drab brown landscape. Marsh marigolds are not an endangered plant although they are threatened by the loss of habitat through the draining of swamps and filling wet area for cropland and urban sprawl construction. All plants and flowers are protected by law on public lands so you can't pick them for floral arrangements in city, county or state parks and forests. I wouldn't advise picking them on private land either even if you have permission since like nearly all early spring wildflowers, they tend to droop and die almost as soon as they're picked and never seem to rejuvenate themselves once you get them in a vase back home. Another thing to consider is that all parts of the marsh marigold plant are considered poisonous. Just picking or handling them won't do any harm but they should never be eaten raw. Despite this warning, the plant's leaves are safe to eat when properly cooked for some reason and are actually rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and iron. I tried this out a few years ago and found the cooked leaves to taste very much like spinach and were very tasty, especially with a dab of melted butter or margine on them. In some parts of Europe and America, people still make marsh marigold pickles from the plant's flower buds. Have fun enjoying the brilliant marsh marigold bloom in early spring and my advise is to purchase your flower arrangements (and spinach) at the local supermarket. |
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Mary
asked
on
5/7/2006,
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Dear Jim, I've got a question about crickets. My mom always talks about Grandma Jenkin's insisting that nobody ever kill or harm a cricket in her house. She claimed it was bad luck. Is this an old wive's tale or is their something to this? Grandma always talked about crickets predicting the weather by rubbing their legs together too. Have you ever heard of this? |
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Jim's answer: |
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Mary, You've got some interesting questions. Your grandma is not alone in believing that a cricket in the house is good thing. Charles Dickens wrote back in 1841 that "to have a cricket on the Hearth is the luckiest thing in the world." Nobody seems to know when this cricket and good luck connection started but for some 1,500 years, people in the orient have kept crickets as beloved house pets often in gilded or bamboo cages. Whether or not there's any truth to the myth really doesn't matter since we're all just a little bit superstitious in our own way I suppose. I'm sure there are lots of folklore legends about crickets being able to predict the weather but the one I'm familiar with has to do with their ability to gauge the outside temperature. Crickets actually create their chirping song by rubbing their wings together-not their legs- as most people believe. Although a cricket's wings are useless for flying, they have rough and smooth areas that can be used in a file and scraper manner to fiddle their unique music. Crickets tend to speed up their chirping in warm weather and slow down when its cooler outside. If you count the number of chirps a cricket makes in 15 seconds and add this number to 37, it will about equal the outside temperature at that time. I've tried this and found it actually works. Good luck with the crickets in your house. I too have heard its bad luck to hurt them so we've adopted a house rule,"when in doubt, carry them out." I need all the good luck I can get. |
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John
asked
on
4/26/2006,
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My buddy Eddie and I both like to go turkey hunting every spring and fall. Usually one or both of us gets our permit so we spend a lot of time "talk-in turkey" over a few cold ones at the local watering hole. Eddie claims that he heard somewhere that the wild turkey was almost selected as our national emblem instead of the bald eagle. I told him he's nuts. Please set the record straight. I've go a beer riding on this one. |
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Jim's answer: |
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Sorry John, its time to belly up to the bar and set up a draft for Eddie. He's correct. If Ben Franklin would have gotten his way during a congressional debate in 1782 the wild turkey-not the bald eagle-would have become the national emblem for the United States of America. Franklin argued that eagles were common in almost every foreign country in the world and were scavengers as well. The wild turkey, on the other hand, was a proud, native bird and unique only to the American continent. Eventually congress voted down Franklin's "turkey" of an idea down in favor of the bald eagle. I guess they probably figured that the newly formed Constitutional army probably wouldn't want to march into battle under the banner of a turkey as the national emblem. Over time the term "turkey" has come to represent a pretty unflattering synonym for a fool, a flop, or failure. On the other hand, maybe old Ben's choice of the turkey to represent the government wasn't so bad after all considering the endless political shenanigans and bipartisan bickering that has gone on in Washington D.C. ever since. |
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Karin
asked
on
4/16/2006,
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Dear Jim, my family and I have been watching a pair of fox come and go along a hillside near our home. We think they're red fox because their fur is kind of reddish brown but we're not sure. Are there other kinds of fox in Wisconsin? If so, how can we tell them apart? |
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Jim's answer: |
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Karin, from your description, I'd say you are indeed seeing red fox, especially if their fur is a rusty orange or reddish brown. Adult red fox have bright yellow or light brown eyes and have a white fur tip on their big bushy tails, although this isn't always easy to see. There is one other species of fox in Wisconsin called the gray fox. They also have a reddish tinge to their fur but for the most part have more of a salt and pepper grayish color. Gray fox usually prefer to live in large wooded areas as far away from people as they can get. Red fox, on the other hand, can be found both in agricultural and urban areas. Red fox are loners for most of the year. They're rarely seen since they almost always hunt for prey under the cover of darkness. The only time we really get to see them together during the day is in mid-December when the breeding season begins and again in early spring and summer when they dig underground dens to raise their pups. A few years ago, a red fox dug a den into a sandy knoll near my home in clear sight of our family dog's kennel. The fox used this same den to raise four to six pups each spring for several years. If you're seeing fox during the daytime, I bet they have a den nearby and are busy hunting prey like mice and rabbits to bring back to the den site. If don't disturb them too much, you might be lucky enough to see the young fox kits romp and play near their den sometime soon. |
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Mark
asked
on
4/3/2006,
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Why do Canada geese fly in a V-formation when migrating in the fall? |
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Jim's answer: |
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Geese fly in a V-formation to preserve energy on their long flights from Wisconsin to their wintering grounds in southern Illinois, Kentucky, and other southern Mississippi River flyway refuges. Some flocks even fly all the way to the Gulf of Mexico to spend the winter. Geese fly in V-shaped formations to break up the wind resistance and to take advantage of the uplift created from one bird to another. This method can be tough on the lead goose of course since it gets no lift or wind break advantage. To compensate for this tough duty the flock will break up from time to time to allow a new leader to take the front position of the V-formation. Everybody needs a break now and then-even Canada geese |
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Mark Curtech
asked
on
4/3/2006,
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Dear Jim, I seem to have way too may gray squirrels in my backyard. I'm planning to catch most of them in a livetrap I borrowed from a friend and move them somewhere else. A neighbor who actually "feeds" squirrels in his backyard told me I really shouldn't do this in winter. Is spring a better time to catch and release gray squirrels? Is is legal to trap squirrels? Where should I release them? |
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Jim's answer: |
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Mark, Your concern about having too many gray squirrels in your back yard is a common complaint shared among a few thousand, if not a few million, other homeowners. Yes, you can legally catch and move squirrels on your property but before you spend a lot of time and energy livetrapping these squirrels there's few things you may want to consider.
You probably have a large population of squirrels in your neighborhood because you have ideal habitat for them such as large trees and a good food source like acorns, bird seed feeders and special corn or peanuts provided by your squirrel-loving neighbor no doubt. In all likelihood, even if you do manage to trap and move a few squirrels, other squirrels will move in to take their place eventually.
If you're committed to trapping squirrels anyway be sure you get the permission of the landowner before releasing your them on someone else's property. Unfortunately, city and state parks or wildife areas are often targets for unwanted squirrel releases. Be sure to ask the managers of these properties before you dump your squirrel problems onto them. In some areas, wildlife managers may approve the release of captured squirrels on public hunting areas, although obviously there's a good chance these squirrels will end up on someone's dinner table.
You were right not to trap and move squirrels during the harsh winter season since this would take them away from their stored food supply and they may have trouble finding unused den trees for shelter. Early spring and summer aren't good times to catch and move squirrels either since females give birth to their young as early as February and are still suckling them in the den in March and April. Many gray squirrels go through a second late-spring breeding season and raise a second family of baby squirrels in early summer. Your best bet would be to trap squirrels from mid-summer to early fall so they have a chance to adapt to their new surroundings. Good luck.
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Bob
asked
on
3/24/2006,
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Dear Jim,
My wife and I really enjoy taking our grandchildren out to our local park to watch all the turtles sun themselves on logs and stumps in the river. We're not sure what kind of turtles they are but they seem to have orange and yellow markings on their legs and head. One of my grandchildren asked me a question recently that I couldn't answer: Where do the turtles go in winter? |
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Jim's answer: |
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Bob, The turtles you and your grandchildren are watching are most likely "painted turtles". These common reptiles have orange and yellow markings on their bodies inside a greenish shell and with a yellow bottom. These colors can really be brilliant especially when they first crawl out of the water and sun themselves on logs during the warm season.
Painted turtles are one of the most common turtles in North America and can be found in nearly every pond, lake, stream, and marsh in Wisconsin. Like all reptiles, painted turtles are cold blooded and really enjoy warming themselves in the sun by crawling out onto floating logs, stumps, or rocks that are close,but not too close, to the shoreline. If sunning space is limited, they often crawl one on top of the other stacked up like dinner plates to catch a few rays.
In winter, painted turtles burrow beneath the mud and debris of a lakes, ponds or rivers that don't freeze all the way to the bottom. At the same time the turtle's metabolism slows dramatically, so it doesn't need to eat or breathe during this period of hibernation. Although painted turtles spend almost all of their lives in the water, in late spring and summer females leave their watery homes in search for dry land to lay her eggs. After digging a hole, laying her eggs and covering them with dirt she abandons them. The eggs are left to incubate in the ground by the warmth of the sun. Most baby turtles hatch out and return to the water by late summer but not all. Eggs that were laid later in the season won't hatch until the following spring. How these tiny turtle hatchlings can survive on dry land in the sub-zero temperatures of winter is one of the great mysteries of nature. Many do survive, however, waiting for the warm rains of spring to signal them to emerge from the ground and head for the nearby lake or stream. |
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