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By Jim Low
JEFFERSON CITY, MO--It was a sad situation, and one in which Wildlife Damage Biologist Jim Braithwait wished he had not been involved. He had to destroy a young white-tailed deer that had attacked a human. Particularly sad was the fact that the deer would not have had to die had it been left where it belonged. (Raccoon by Julie Miller, wildlife rehabilitator in Garfield County, OK) The chain of events that led to the deer's death began when a Pulaski County man found a male fawn in the woods. Its mother was nowhere to be seen, so the man assumed-incorrectly-that the deer was an orphan. He took it home-illegally. His family hand- raised the deer, feeding it grain, apples and peanut butter. The deer took up residence on the land near the family's home and continued to come for hand feedings. Although it appeared tame, its wild nature remained just beneath the surface. The man had no idea he was exposing his two-year-old daughter to mortal danger each time he took her to feed their "pet" deer. When fall came, the maturing deer's wild nature reasserted itself. After feeding one evening, it wanted more treats. When the father didn't produce the food, the deer attacked, rearing up on its hind legs and... Read On | ||||
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By Scott
Shalaway MUCH TO MY chagrin, I've already mowed the yard three times this spring. There are so many things I'd rather do, but grass grows so quickly this time of year I've got to keep it manageable. (Juvenile Song Sparrow by Leisa's Photos) But even while
mowing, I sometimes make fascinating discoveries. While mowing a narrow
strip of grass that borders the gravel road by the house, a brown blur
caught my eye just in front of the mower. I suspected that I had flushed a
sparrow, but I didn't see it well enough to identify. It seemed to appear
out of no where, so I wondered if it had flushed from a nest.
Native sparrows often place their first nest of the year on the ground. There's really little choice if they hope to hide it from predators. Woody vegetation is still leafing out, so the best cover is on the ground under tufts of dead grass entwined with new growth. In one published account describing 173 May Field Sparrow nests, 135 were on the ground. In July, none of 240 nests were on the ground. I've encountered these early ground nests quite often with Field Sparrows, Song Sparrows and Towhees. An early nest, even on the ground is the best... Read On | ||
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COULD IT BE that hummingbirds have qualities of "episodic memory"--the ability to recall things that happened in the past, or where and when they happened? Researchers working in the Canadian Rockies suggest that Rufous Hummingbirds may literally be able to keep track of when a particular flower has replenished its nectar so that it might be worth revisiting at a later time. T Andrew Hurly and his colleagues from the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, claim as much in the March issue of Current Biology. To test hummingbird memory, the researchers set out arrays of artificial flowers made from syringe tips surrounded by cardboard discs. They refilled half the syringes 10 minutes after a male drank the sugar solution, and the other half after 20 minutes. Even when keeping track of eight fake flowers, hummingbirds tended to visit the refilled flowers at appropriate intervals-about 10 minutes for quickly refilled flowers and 20 minutes for the slower refills. This is evidence that at least some hummingbirds have capabilities similar to episodic memory. Scrub Jays and Acorn Woodpeckers, for example, have similarly been proven to have the ability to remember where and when they hid stores of food. –Birding Community E-bulletin | ||
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This terrific photo of a Sandhill Crane feeding her young by an unknown photographer is priceless. | ||
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Bringing In
Hummingbirds With A Feeder THE MOST IMPORTANT thing that you should keep in mind when purchasing or making a hummingbird feeder is “cleanability”, says author Marlene Condon. Because sugar water quickly grows mold that can sicken hummingbirds, feeders MUST be cleaned frequently during the heat of summer, preferably twice a week (more if the weather is especially hot). Rinsing the feeder with hot water and scrubbing with a bottle brush is sufficient if you have been diligent and no mold is visible anywhere on the feeder. Here's how to do it: Read On What's In Your Yard? How Wild is
Wildlife?
“WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT is a necessary evil,” Bart Semcer, a Sierra Club wildlife-policy expert, tells the Post. “Even our largest wilderness areas have shown themselves to be incapable of self-perpetuating populations of wildlife,” he says. "They're too small and too isolated."... Read On Springtime In Maryland I'm A Proud Father--5 Baby Bluebirds! | ||
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That's it for this week. Be sure and sign up for the American Wildlife Blog for the latest commentary and please feel free to add comments of your own. Have An EXCELLENT Day in your WILDLIFE HABITAT! (Black Bear lunch time!)
 Tom Patrick email: wildlife@windstar.org
phone: 301-293-3351
web &
blog: http://www.windstar.org |
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