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WindStar Wildlife Garden Weekly e-Magazine |  |
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Welcome to
By Nathaniel West (Poster illustrates Backyard Bird Count February 17-20) After all, according to wildlife officials, the availability of new food sources--intended by city folk for their pets or garbage collectors-- largely is responsible for an increase of coyotes and foxes in local urban areas. Of course, building and expansion into areas that were once the domain of wildlife is also a factor, according to officials. "There's an increase in human development in rural environments, in habitats that were once wildlife habitats," said Paul A. Brewer, district wildlife biologist with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources office in Charleston. He reported that the office has received "a few more calls" in recent years about coyotes and foxes in particular. "It's mostly because they have adapted to resources provided by humans," Brewer said. Specifically, the wild canines are discovering food put out for domestic dogs, as well as garbage, garden waste and even fruit trees. "Wildlife have no knowledge that food wasn't left out for them," Brewer said. "And they habituate to that pretty quickly." Meanwhile, the presence of other wildlife, such as deer or raccoons, continues to be witnessed in urban locales, although Brewer said there have not been "any dramatic increases" in their numbers. The University of Illinois Extension reported that all wildlife need and seek out four basic elements for survival--food, water, shelter and space to raise a family--all of which are available in urban settings. "To control urban wildlife populations, one must manipulate one of the four habitat factors," according to the U of I Extension. "If one of these habitat requirements is absent, wildlife will either migrate to another area capable of providing their needs or die." As for coyotes and foxes specifically, Brewer recommended limiting "unintentional" food sources, including open trash cans, bird food on the ground, ripe fruit under trees and pet food left out overnight. Seeing a coyote or fox is not unusual and often indicates the animal is in pursuit of prey such as small rodents. You can teach a bold coyote or fox to be wary of you and other people by using negative conditioning. Make loud, scary noises by banging metal pot lids together when the animal is nearby, or spray the animal's hindquarters with a hose. Coyote attacks on humans are "extremely rare," and are far outnumbered by bites from domestic dogs. Brewer said efforts to reduce or eradicate the coyote and fox populations usually are neither realistic nor successful. If removal is the only option, he advised residents to hire only someone licensed and permitted by your state natural resources department. "Realize that coyotes (and foxes) were here before we were, and may be here after we are gone," Brewer said. "They are a permanent fixture in the urban/suburban landscapes. Seeing one does not in itself constitute a problem." –Decator Herald & Review
THE GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT (GBBC) returns for its ninth season February 17-20, 2006. The National Audubon Society and the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology encourage everyone to COUNT BIRDS WITH A BUDDY! Bird enthusiasts of all ages can share their love of birds with a friend, a child, a scout troop, a class, or a co-worker-opening new eyes to the joy of birding and the fun of creating a unique snapshot of winter bird abundance and distribution across the continent. Every pair of eyes is needed and everybirdy counts, whether in a backyard, on a high-rise balcony, in a park, or on any of the 730 million acres of public lands. In 2005, participants sent in more than 52,000 checklists, with a record-breaking 613 species and more than 6 million birds counted. These millions of sightings generate what would be impossible otherwise--continent-wide information about where the birds are and how their numbers compare with those of previous years. Anyone with Internet access can see the results in maps and charts as the sightings pour in. "The level of energy created each February by Great Backyard Bird counters is phenomenal," said Dr. Paul Green, director of Citizen Science for Audubon. "What always amazes me are the new discoveries made by people across North America. Some bird watchers even send digital photos to back up their reports. Last year participants sent in more than 1,000 photos and many are now part of the GBBC web site gallery." For nearly a decade, the GBBC has kept tabs on the ever-changing patterns of birds in winter. How far north will American Robins be reported this year? Will Sandhill Cranes migrate early or late? Introduced Eurasian Collared-Doves have been turning up in new states--where will they be this year? Native Red- bellied Woodpeckers have been spreading to the northeast--will the trend continue? Scientists also want more information on declining species, such as Rusty Blackbirds and Painted Buntings. While these species are suffering due to the continued destruction of their preferred habitats, other factors, such as mercury accumulation in Rusty Blackbirds, and removal of Painted Buntings for the illegal cage bird industry, may make a bad situation worse. "This project has become a major source of scientific information about North American bird populations," said Dr. John Fitzpatrick, director of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. "It is a classic example of the vital role citizens and the Internet now play in understanding our planet." In 2006, for the first time, the Lab of Ornithology and Audubon are launching an element of friendly competition. Awards will be given to localities that submit the most checklists, record the greatest number species, or count the highest number of birds. (Last year's top numbers: 433 checklists from Gautier, Mississippi, 169 species from Corpus Christi, Texas, and 291,246 birds from Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge, Missouri.) A photo contest will also be held based on bird pictures taken during the event and submitted for posting on the GBBC gallery. Winners will be announced after all the data from the event have been submitted. Everyone can participate, from beginning birdwatchers to seasoned experts. During the count, bird watchers tally up birds for as little as 15 minutes, or for as long as they like, keeping track of the highest number of each bird species they see together at one time. People are encouraged to report birds from public lands and local parks, as well as from their backyards. Participants enter their numbers online at www.birdsource.org/gbbc and can explore sightings maps, lists, and charts as the count progresses. Year-round, anyone can view results from past counts and learn how to participate by visiting www.birdsource.org/gbbc. There is no fee or registration for the event, which is sponsored by Wild Birds Unlimited. For more information, contact the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at cornellbirds@cornell.edu or (800) 843- 2473 if in the United States; (607) 254-2473 if calling internationally; or contact Audubon at citizenscience@audubon.org; (215) 355-9588, Ext. 16.
By Scott Shalaway The best definition of wildlife management is, "the art and science of manipulating wildlife populations, habitat and people to achieve specific goals." It's basically a profession created by people to provide opportunities demanded by people and to solve problems created by people. (Birdfeeding tray attracts Raccoon by Leisa's Photos) Hunters want more deer, turkeys, bears, squirrels and rabbits for hunting. Birders promote conservation that benefits native bird populations. And the general public enjoys seeing and photographing all kinds of wildlife in parks, natural areas and backyards, so state and federal agencies buy and protect natural areas where everything from insects and spiders to birds and mammals can thrive. This is the rosy side of wildlife management. Wildlife also causes problems for people.Deer are road hazards and eat valuable shrubs. Skunks and sometimes bears den under porches. Squirrels get into attics, and Raccoons occupy unused chimneys. Game populations can be manipulated by hunting, but state agencies have no budget to deal with the wildlife problems experienced by private citizens. Consequently, the private sector has spawned a service industry to deal with wildlife problems. Just check the phone directory under "wildlife damage control." Sometimes, however, a wildlife problem extends beyond the backyard. Just last month one such problem arose in Lancaster County in eastern Pennsylvania. For years, a winter crow roost has been growing and causing concern. Up to 50,000 noisy crows gather each night in a few big oaks and conifers. Their whitewash covers cars, swing sets, patios, driveways and sidewalks. Home and business owners have complained about the noise, the mess and the potential health hazard. For several years local governmental agencies sought help from wildlife officials, but non-lethal scare tactics failed to deter the crows. Last year, outrage among the birding community stopped any lethal control measures from being used. This year, local officials were ready to act. Last week news broke that agents of the USDA Wildlife Services had spread dog food laced with poison. Some crows will certainly die, and Wildlife Services agents hope that the sight of dead and dying crows at roost sites will frighten the survivors into moving. This is the dark side of wildlife management. It results when too many people come into close contact with too many wild animals. When wildlife problems arise, people rarely know where to turn for help, so here's some advice when wildlife gets too close. For a squirrel, bat or raccoon problem in a home or business, check "wildlife damage control" in the phone book. For community problems such as a large flock of crows or blackbirds, seek state or federal help. If the problem is with mammals, reptiles or amphibians, contact your state wildlife agency by googling, "[state's name] wildlife." Then contact the law enforcement division for advice on how to proceed. In some states, reptiles and amphibians may be under the jurisdiction of the "fisheries" rather than "wildlife" agency. In Pennsylvania, the state Department of Agriculture has been involved with the Lancaster crow problem. If you've got a bird problem, you've got a federal problem because birds are protected by federal law. Though the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which is in the Department of Interior, is the lead federal agency for fish and wildlife conservation, wildlife problems are handled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's "Wildlife Services Program." (www.aphis.usda.gov/ws/). So, if crows are roosting in your neighborhood, if woodpeckers are tearing apart your wood siding or if aggressive Canada Geese are attacking golfers on the fairway, contact Wildlife Services (call toll free 1- 866-4-USDA-WS). Wildlife Services also handles farm- related wildlife problems, so if coyotes are killing your sheep, this should be your first call. If talk of killing and wildlife damage control appalls you, call the officials in charge rather than agency personnel who are just doing their jobs. – Pittsburgh Post Gazette
To respond to an article or simply read articles, go to: http://www.windstar.org and click on the “American Wildlife Blog” Register and tell us your favorite wildlife stories, answer or ask a question and our visitors will try to provide you with helpful answers. This is a great place to pass on those tips you have learned over the years about attracting wildlife to your property or photographing or just watching them.
WEIRD non sequitur of the day: A skin fungus that's killing off frogs worldwide may have been spread by a pregnancy test. Yeah, we got that same confused look. A few decades ago, African Clawed Frogs were used to detect pregnancy--with surprising accuracy. The hopper would be injected with a woman's urine, and if she was preggers, the frog would spawn within a few hours. These foretelling froggies were exported all over the world, and may have taken with them the chytrid fungus, which has been found on all continents except Asia and Antarctica and is likely responsible for the extinction of about 75 Harlequin Frog species in South and Central America in the last 17 years. Thanks to global warming--and what can't we thank global warming for these days?--warmer tropical temperatures have provided a perfect climate for the fungus to spread.-–Daily Grist (African Clawed Frog)
By Rusty Evans These habitats are composed of numerous grasses, vines, herbs, shrubs and trees. Many species of wildlife depend on certain species or types of trees and shrubs. Wildlife use trees as a food source (fruit, bark, leaves) as winter cover, for nesting, as perches and many other uses. (A blackgum tree is important to wildlife because it commonly has many cavities for dens) There are various definitions for wildlife trees. Generally, a wildlife tree is defined as being one that has value for wildlife for nesting, cover, perching or food production. These trees would include den trees and most producing trees. Extension wildlife specialists have identified what they consider to be the ideal wildlife tree in a timber production situation. This tree was an 18-inch DBH (diameter at breast height) blackgum, was producing a large crop of berries, had a large hole high on the main stem and had a very narrow crown that was taking up little valuable growing space, Although not valuable for saw timber, this tree was a great wildlife tree. Ideal trees such as these may not be present in everyone's woodlot, but when present they should be saved to benefit wildlife. Den trees are live trees that contain holes or hollows large enough to shelter wildlife. Woodpeckers are credited with creating many nesting cavities in trees. Species which create these holes are called primary excavators. Species such as owls, Wood Ducks and Raccoons which use cavities created by other animals are called secondary excavators. The number of den trees needed in an area is dependent on surrounding conditions and landowner objectives. If, for example, your primary objective is timber production, one or two den trees per acre for wildlife may be sufficient. The number of den trees needed in an area is dependent on surrounding conditions and landowner objectives. If, for example, your primary objective is timber production, one or two den trees per acre for wildlife may be sufficient. If the primary objective is to maximize squirrel production a landowner should leave more den trees rather than removing them in timber stand improvement. In a young timber stand with few or no den trees, gray squirrel numbers may be doubled by erecting 2-3 nesting boxes per acre. Mast is an import diet component of many wildlife species. Mast is the fruit of a tree or shrub and is called "hard" in referring to acorns, hickory nuts, and walnuts or "soft" in referring to fleshy fruits of dogwood, blackgum, and black cherry. Mast in Tennessee is produced by the oaks, dogwoods, hickories, black cherry, blackgum, beech, and maples. The oaks are probably the single-most important group of trees for most production of wildlife. –Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
If you love to feed, photograph, or (Long-Eared Owl Chicks by De Nooyer/Minden )
By Jenny Maher But, if you ask a member of Delaware’s Amphibian Monitoring Program, you’d better be prepared for a more diverse set of answers. There are 16 species of frogs in the state and each one has its own unique sound. Every year, from February to June, dozens of frog fanatics scour Delaware’s wetlands, listening for the males’ mating calls. (American Bullfrog) Program coordinator Holly Niederriter said the data is used locally and nationally to determine the population and mating habits of frogs. “The volunteers are very committed,” she said. “They have a real interest in the natural world.” The program began in 1997 and is headed by the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife. There are 17 frog monitoring routes throughout the state, located near wetlands. Ms. Niederriter, an endangered species biologist, said there are a few frog species that have similar sounds, but for the most part, it’s easy to tell them apart. The New Jersey chorus frog, for example, sounds like “fingers running over a comb,” Ms. Niederriter explained, while the bullfrog has a much deeper call. She said Delaware has fewer species of frogs than southern states where the climate is warmer, which makes differentiating them easier. Before the volunteers leap into the program, they are given CDs with recordings of the various mating calls. And, beginning this year, they will need to pass an online test before their data is accepted. Ms. Niederriter is confident they’re up to the challenge. “I don’t worry too much about inaccuracies,” she said. “Our species aren’t too difficult--and the volunteers have improved their skills over time.” Jim White, of the Delaware Nature Society in Hockessin, is one of many volunteers who have stuck with the program since its inception. It’s so popular, in fact, that there are no more volunteer spots open this year. Mr. White isn’t surprised by the success. “Everyone likes frogs,” he said. “And people are very enthusiastic about this. You have to be to go out driving along desolate roads on rainy nights, stopping every couple miles to listen for them.” While volunteers are no longer being accepted, Ms. Niederriter encourages frog fans to join the state’s Adopt a Wetland Program, which offers additional frog watching opportunities.--Delaware State News
"SOMETIMES wildlife is attracted to our properties because we intentionally or unintentionally coax it there with feeder handouts, tossed out table scraps or garbage leftovers," said PA Game Commission Executive Director Vern Ross. "Few of us would argue that wildlife is not worth watching, or having around occasionally. But, when deer are stripping your ornamental shrubbery, or a bear has demolished your $60 bird-feeder, or the pitter-patter of squirrel feet running across your bare attic floor is keeping you awake at night, it's a different story! However, the problems don't end there. More often than not, it's going to cost you at least time and probably money to alleviate a wildlife nuisance problem. In a lot of situations, though, homeowners can help themselves. They simply need to be armed with the right information and equipment to get the job done. Trying to resolve a problem blindly can result in more headaches, more expenses and the embarrassment of being outwitted by an animal that will become even more difficult to deter or catch because of the education you've provided it." –PA Game Commission (Whitetail Deer doe eats shrub in winter by Tom Patrick)
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NEWS SOURCES
TELL YOUR FRIENDS ================================ Have an EXCELLENT Day in your WILDLIFE HABITAT! Tom Patrick ================================
LET NATURE BE YOUR LEGACY
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