After a really poor mast 12 months in 2021 – the place only a few tree seeds have been produced, most notably acorns – there could be fewer Japanese chipmunks this season. Ariana van den Akker picture
I like to review, and hold monitor of, the inhabitants dynamics of Maine’s wildlife. I’ve typically written about how we now have wonderful databases like eBird (from Cornell) to trace hen populations with nice precision, but it surely’s a lot more durable to maintain monitor of different species, particularly mammals. It’s typically because of the variety of inquiries or stories we obtain {that a} snapshot (albeit a subjective one) could be seen at numerous factors with completely different species.
So when Arnold Aho of Damariscotta wrote in not too long ago with a query concerning the lack of chipmunks he’s seeing within the yard, or particularly below the feeders, it appeared a enjoyable one to ponder.
At this early level within the spring, I’d wish to have extra stories from across the state to know if there’s an obvious lack of Japanese chipmunks and in that case, how widespread. So for now, I’ll allow you to see in case you’ve observed this correlation in your areas, however I feel the reply of the lacking chipmunks is tied to occasions from final fall. Readers might recall I wrote about the way it was a really poor mast 12 months – that’s, there have been only a few tree seeds produced, most notably acorns. This was famous by readers saying they didn’t must clear acorns of their sometimes seed-covered yards, and from squirrels feeding on different meals sources, like my pumpkins.
Chipmunks stay energetic by the winter, however sometimes keep underground, feeding on the meals (together with numerous acorns) that they’ve cached. I don’t assume it’s a lot of a stretch to say that if acorns have been arduous to seek out final fall, then maybe survival charges for chipmunks have been decrease than common this winter, and thus individuals like Arnold are seeing fewer round.
To increase additional on these developments, we did have a number of massive mast years earlier than the autumn of 2021 and this typically results in larger populations of seed eaters, significantly squirrels and chipmunks. Maybe we have been changing into biased by “above-average” abundances of chipmunks over the previous couple of years, so now that we could also be having a “below-average” spring, it’s extra noticeable.
Additionally: Anecdotal, or maybe one other bias by social media algorithms, however I’ve been seeing a ton of fox equipment photos this spring. Once more, it’s arduous to know if their numbers are literally up, but when the abundance of squirrels the previous couple of years has helped the fox inhabitants enhance, it isn’t stunning that I’d be seeing extra proof on the web. Sadly, it does make me really feel a bit pessimistic concerning the survival charges of these cute kits if there aren’t sufficient rodents now to feed all of them, however that is the pure stability at play.
Northern bobwhite. Doug Hitchcox picture
REASONS FOR STRANGE SIGHTINGS
A few of the birds we see in Maine have very fascinating origins: some come from human introduction, some from vary expansions attributable to local weather change, and others are pure vagrants. Birds can come from throughout, which leads me to a query despatched in not too long ago from Sue Beland type Saco, a few species native to North America, however not native to Maine: a Northern bobwhite.
Northern bobwhites are a medium-sized recreation hen with a variety throughout the japanese half of the decrease 48 states. They’re most considerable within the south and west with the northeast extent of their vary reaching into Massachusetts, although their inhabitants there has dwindled and is now restricted to Cape Cod. Even after they have been extra considerable, they by no means made it into Maine.
The rationale Sue Beland and others at the moment are seeing them in Maine is as a result of they’re launched for looking. There are a number of species of birds generally launched in Maine for looking, together with bobwhite and ring-necked pheasant. Annually, the Maine Division of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife releases round 2,000 ring-necked pheasants at websites throughout York and Cumberland counties earlier than the beginning of the looking season, which runs from late September by the top of the 12 months. Survival charges are very low, however often those who make it by the season will wander into individuals’s yards and try to survive the winter. Needless to say these are birds that have been raised in captivity, so that they sometimes received’t be too shy about being round people and aren’t any strangers to hen seed and free handouts.
We are likely to get numerous stories of those numerous launched recreation birds within the fall due to the aforementioned releases, however spring stories are additionally widespread. That is the time that many hunters are coaching their canine and can launch different recreation birds which can be higher for that objective, together with chukar and fewer generally Japanese quail (often known as “coturnix quail,” named after their genus). There is no such thing as a looking season for these later species, however they’re thought-about “heartier” than the “fragile” bobwhites, and thus make higher birds to coach canine to level.
Whereas we will chalk all of those Northern bobwhite and chukar data up as launched birds, it’s useful to maintain monitor of those which can be making an attempt to make it within the wild. Regardless of the continued releases, a number of the southern and coastal populations of ring-necked pheasants at the moment are thought-about “established” in Maine, and others might ultimately comply with, too. We’ve seen stories of chukars and bobwhites efficiently nesting in Maine in the summertime, although lots of these birds are unable to outlive the winters. Maybe as our winters heat, these escapees will ultimately discover the circumstances they want. Within the phrases of Dr. Ian Malcolm, “Life finds a manner.”
Do you have got a nature query for Doug? Electronic mail inquiries to [email protected] and go to maineaudubon.org to study extra about yard birding, native crops, and applications and occasions specializing in Maine wildlife and habitat. Doug leads free hen walks on Thursday mornings, 7 to 9 a.m., on the Gilsland Farm Audubon Sanctuary in Falmouth.
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