Blue Jay Caching
If this Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) looks a little strange…or lumpy…it is because it was hard at work caching last month. All of those acorns will not store (or plant) themselves! They are said to be able to carry five acorns at a time and store several thousand over a productive fall season. I wonder how many it will be able to remember come winter, and how many will be left after squirrels, chipmunks, other rodents or birds take their share… Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreTufted Titmouse
This Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) is excited to see some full feeders for fall foraging. What is the strangest place that you have seen one cache a seed at your home?
Read MoreEastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus) saying hello
Oh, hello there, Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus). It seems as if there is nothing to see here, yes? The poor little thing was frozen in place while we had a staring contest. I was the first one who blinked, moving ever so slightly, and it dashed back off behind the tree. I hope it did not think it was invisible until then. Either way it was a very cute moment in November nature. I wish it the best for winter season and hope it has a large cache of food to snack on between naps. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreAmerican Crow hunting acorns
I spotted this American Crow having a delightful time watching all of the action around it as more American Crows plus Blue Jays, squirrels and chipmunks all eagerly grabbed countless acorns under an oak tree. In this shot it almost seemed like it was gleefully sizing up the tree, taking an account of how much stock was left in this giant store. There are feeding frenzies going on all around us with wildlife storing food for the winter during a very helpful warm November stretch. That is about to end as colder than average temperatures are coming for the mid-month with some snow in the...
Read MoreChipmunks collecting for winter
Does this happen to you? Even if you have baffles up on well-protected feeders it is the Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus) collecting season as they prepare for winter by grabbing every kind of seed, acorn, nut and other tasty treat they can find. I love watching them scurry up and down trees and run as fast as they can with a mouth full of food each fall, filling the cache in their burrow. They do hibernate but not fully – I sometimes see them wake up from one of their naps, popping out to enjoy warmer winter days, especially around bird feeders, to get some extra fresh food.
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