My Squirrel Angst

My Squirrel Angst

I know I often complain about the squirrel antics in my backyard but I had a squirrel experience today that shook me up. My husband and I were out walking this afternoon and saw two young squirrels coming down from a tree. I stopped for a few seconds to say, “Oh, look at the tiny squirrels!” Then I said to the closest one, “You are adorable!” After that we moved on up the street. And so did that little squirrel. It followed us, running between our feet and looking up longingly. After telling it gently that it needed to go back to its tree, we walked on. But the squirrel came with us. We were walking carefully so as not to step on it. It pawed at our shoes and the bottom of our jeans and tried to climb up. It wanted to follow us across the street but we turned back so it would stay on the sidewalk.

By this time, my heart was aching. Surely this poor critter was looking for its mother. What might have happened to her? Was it hungry? Sad? Was it imprinting? I knew relatively nothing about a baby squirrel’s needs. We had nothing to carry it in to transport it to an animal center or vet so we couldn’t take it with us. We tried to lead it back to the tree we saw it climbing down from but it stopped following. It must have gotten the message that we were not going to be its parents.

When we got back home, I tried calling several animal shelters and natural centers for advice but it was after hours and I only got their voice mail. I hope the squirrel took after its smart adult counterparts and found its way back to its tree home to climb up to its nest and be safe. I think I will look at my backyard squirrels differently from now on and perhaps be less critical as I remember my squirrel angst for one of the new generation.

If you run into this situation, here is how to handle it:

http://www.mary.cc/squirrels/foundababy.htm

Squirrel nests:

http://animals.pawnation.com/nesting-habits-gray-squirrels-3948.html

Wasp Nest!

Wasp Nest!

I was walking past the bushes in front of our house when I noticed an insect flying into the bush on the end. What was it? A small, black insect with yellow stripes across its lower body. A wasp!

I started paying more attention to the bush. Other wasps flew inside. Some flew out. There was quite a lot of activity. When I looked closer I saw something gray inside. It was a huge nest!  I passed that bush every day; how could I have missed it?

We’ve had wasps starting to build nests before, usually in the corner by our garage where they were visible and easy to eliminate while still small. But this nest, hidden as it was, went undetected and housed lots of wasps.

The nest that wasps build is papery, made from fiber the insects collect; snippets from man-made paper products such as paper bags or cardboard boxes, scrapings from the bark of trees. The insect then chews the fiber and mixes it with saliva. This makes the fiber extremely soft and moist. After a period of chewing, the wasp adds the paste to the nest structure and spreads it out with its mandibles and legs. After it thoroughly dries; a type of tough, durable paper is formed. Voila! An incredible nest.

While I was obsessing over what to do about it, my husband went out and sprayed it. A few wasps flew in and out but the activity pretty much stopped. Two days later, when I looked into the bush, I saw that the nest had split apart and the wasps were gone. I can’t say that I was sorry to see the end of the nest and its inhabitants - I remember being stung by one of those little guys and it wasn’t fun. But every creature has its value and these seem to be good pest controllers. I was torn between fear of being stung by wasps and the nuisance of being bitten by mosquitoes. The mosquitoes won – and I have the welts to prove it.

A close look at a wasp and some info about its nest building:

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/bugs/wasp/

Wasps and People Aren't Compatible

Wasps and People Aren’t Compatible

Okay, so here’s the thing – we have a wasp’s nest tucked into the crook of our garage door where it meets the house. As we enter or leave we have the insects in plain sight and often very close. The nest is getting bigger since we saw it a few days ago. We have to do something.

Wasps are actually beneficial in that they eat a lot of other bugs but they are dangerous so near to people. They will sting if they feel threatened, which is understandable - but not acceptable at a busy threshold. Stings are painful (I know from prior experience), starting with the sharp incision of the stinger. The injected venom stimulates the nerve endings of pain receptors in the skin. Then the body releases a fluid to the site to wash away the venom, which spreads it and causes redness and swelling around the sting area. Not fun. And not something to play around with. Some people are allergic to stings. Anaphylaxis can cause minor irritations such as hives, swelling, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and headaches. More severe reactions such as shock, dizziness, unconsciousness, or difficulty breathing need immediate attention as they can be life-threatening.

I tend to be reluctant to harm anything in this world; I capture and release spiders found in the house rather than kill them, shoo flies out the window, discourage ants by spreading ground pepper at their points of entry. If this nest were anywhere else I would probably let it be but wasps and people are not compatible so close to each other. It is dangerous here; the nest must go. I hope the next time the local wasps want to build a nest they find a more suitable place.

More than I wanted to know about wasps but helpful, especially regarding wasp management:

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7450.html

A gentler perspective:     

http://www.angelfire.com/ok3/vespids/intro.html

Geese at the Library

Where are these geese going? There is no water available, no food. They are in a busy parking lot, a dangerous place for geese. And where is their flock?

Geese are all over lately. I see them walking across busy streets, exhibiting not a care in the world. It’s common to see a line of geese in spring – goslings in the middle, mom and dad front and back – taking strolls. Cars stop, fortunately, to let them pass. Sometimes a whole line of cars on both sides of the road will sit patiently to let them amble across. It has become a frequent site in my community as more geese are staying around. Geese Crossing signs have joined the signs that warn of ducks and deer.

Geese mate for life so this was probably a mating pair. Nesting time is March through May. It would make sense that they would be looking for a good place to raise their young. But in a parking lot? Surely there must be a better site for a nest.

But then - they are in the public library parking lot. I am, too, which is why I discovered them here. Maybe they came for a copy of Petunia by Roger Duvoisin or Gossie by Olivier Dunrea to read to the babies they plan to have. Or perhaps they are a young couple seeking a how-to on nest building. I’m sure the librarians will be able to help; they always help me when I have a question.

I came out of the library with an armful of books and looked around for the geese. They had gone. I hadn’t seen them in the fiction stacks but then they might have gone directly to the children’s section. I wished them well. I’ll remember to tell my grandchildren about the geese at the library the next time they visit.

Are you looking for a good children’s book about geese? Here are some fine choices:
http://www.librarything.com/tag/geese

and how about some info?http://www.veganpeace.com/animal_facts/Geese.htm

Glorious Goldfinch

I saw my first goldfinch in the Berkshires hills in Massachusetts. How glorious it was – neon against the deep green pines. I think it helped awaken me to the joy of observing birds. Now I see goldfinches regularly on the feeders each spring; it is the New Jersey state bird. Familiarity does not diminish its impact, however. This is one beautiful bird! The male, of course, is the most brilliantly colored in it eye-catching golden yellow. It is hard for this bird to hide in the bushes. The female is less vibrantly colored though not without interest. She is a dusky yellow that requires a moment to define yet still is lovely.

They are seed eaters. I know they like thistle seeds but they seem pretty happy eating the black oil sunflower seeds that we provide all year round. Sometimes we have several goldfinch families vying for seed on the feeders. They are sociable birds and gather in groups. They hang out with the house finches, too.

Goldfinches build nests a little later than most birds because that’s when the seeds ripen. We discovered a nest about five feet off the ground, tucked into the branches of our forsythia bush. We kept a respectful distance until the nest was empty but then it was a welcome reminder all through the snowy winter that no matter the weather spring, and nests, will come again.

The male goldfinch is easy to spot if you want to interest kids in bird watching. Here is a free printable coloring page for the kids: http://www.friendsacrossamerica.com/colorstatenjbirdflower.html

Spring-Dreaming

The snow seems to have stopped for now. Today is meant to be close to sixty. The layers of ice that coated the streets are reluctantly melting and the piles of icy white are pulling back from lawns and parking lots all around town. Spring daydreams are interrupting my work; I sense March in the gusts of wind that rattle against my office window.

But not to get too far ahead of myself, I saw this barren nest in the low branches of a tree not yet convinced that it is time to send out its foliage. A wise decision, I think, as I listen to the latest weather report. The temperature is going to drop down to the twenties tonight.

This time of year is fickle. Almost as if Mother Nature can’t decide what to wear. I can relate. Winter jacket or fleece? Corduroy or linen? Long sleeves, short sleeves, sweaters, or Tees? And the nest? Will it be occupied by the same mother bird for a new batch of feathered babies or is it truly abandoned, left to fray to pieces over the course of the year?

The shifting of seasons is a time for observation. Here in the northeast, because of being in a geographical place that experiences four seasons, we have plenty of opportunities to contemplate the vagaries of nature, indeed, of our own imaginings. When things stay the same our thoughts tend to as well. Throw in a little snow and the neighbors come out to play. Let spring showers drench the soil and we hunger to plant a vegetable garden. Summer heat sends us to the shore, fall leaves turn us inward.

I think I saw a young cardinal on the feeder this morning. It seems a tad early for fledglings to be about but maybe not, maybe mommy birds are spring-dreaming, too. Are you?