next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>H
Hans Toom wrote:
> I ruled out the *Northern Flying Squirrel* because of its weight and
> length. The weight range of 2-4.4 ounces is likely at the heavier end at
> this time of year and since it is heavier than a blue jay it would have
> closed the feeder door.
* the next technological development in feeders will be fans to blow the
chaff off the remaining seeds. If you had one of those, you could turn
it on and see the colour of the under-fur of the Squirrel.
fred.
================================================
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* Bob McDonald <mailto:bobathome@hfx.eastlink.ca>
> *To:* naturens@chebucto.ns.ca <mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
> *Sent:* Wednesday, November 03, 2010 11:02 AM
> *Subject:* Re: [NatureNS] Southern Flying Squirrel
>
> Interesting story, Hans. And how did you rule out the more common,
> more widely distributed *Northern Flying Squirrel*? (We have had
> these creatures, nibbling at the sunflower seed feeders overnight at
> our current location in Clayton Park West.)
>
> Bob McDonald
> Halifax
> bobathome@eastlink.ca <mailto:bobathome@eastlink.ca>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* Hans Toom <mailto:htoom@hfx.eastlink.ca>
> *To:* naturens@chebucto.ns.ca <mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
> *Sent:* Wednesday, November 03, 2010 8:16 AM
> *Subject:* [NatureNS] Southern Flying Squirrel
>
> The *Southern Flying Squirrel* is well north of its range in
> Nova Scotia although they have turned up in Halifax and other
> locations in Nova Scotia. Whether this is range expansion or
> abandonment of caged squirrels is unknown to me. Well, we have
> a *Southern Flying Squirrel* visiting our sunflower feeder in
> the dark of night here in Portugusese Cove. We have deduced
> this from its diminutive size and by its weight. But how can
> you weigh the squirrel barks the skeptic?
>
> Our sunflower feeder is the counter balanced type designed
> specifically to keep out pest species such as red squirrels and
> blue jays. We balance the feeder to deter the blue jay and
> squirrel. The front of the feeding tray closes when either of
> these species land on the feeding bar. So far, so good, but the
> blue jay is tenacious and they developed the nasty habit of
> flying up to the tray and snapping up a sunflower seed as the
> trap door closed on their bill. This is not a problem, seed
> consumption wise, but the constant clanging of the feeder door
> opening and closing was driving me crazy so I turned the feeder
> towards the house so that the feeding platform is about 12
> inches from the wall. This maneuver defeated the blue jay and
> the silence made Hans happy!
>
> Now, the *Southern Flying Squirrel* lands on the feeder and the
> door does not close! So we deduce that the squirrel must weigh
> less than the blue jay. I looked up the weights of these
> species; the squirrel weighs 1.8 to 2.5 ounces and the blue jay
> weighs 2.4- 3.5 ounces. How's that for application of the
> scientific method??
>
> I have three large roosting boxes and several nest boxes
> scattered about the woods around our house. I gave up
> maintaining them since the local red squirrels immediately
> occupy them and fill them with grass to the lip of the entrance
> cavity. Next year I'll put up two blue bird boxes on steel
> poles, and try again.
>
>
> Hans Toom
> Portuguese Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada
> http://www.hanstoom.com/
--
------------------------------------------------------------
Frederick W. Schueler & Aleta Karstad
Bishops Mills Natural History Centre - http://pinicola.ca/bmnhc.htm
Thirty Years Later Expedition -
http://fragileinheritance.org/projects/thirty/thirtyintro.htm
Longterm ecological monitoring - http://fragileinheritance.org/
Daily Paintings - http://karstaddailypaintings.blogspot.com/
http://www.doingnaturalhistory.com/
http://quietcuratorialtime.blogspot.com/
RR#2 Bishops Mills, Ontario, Canada K0G 1T0
on the Smiths Falls Limestone Plain 44* 52'N 75* 42'W
(613)258-3107 <bckcdb at istar.ca> http://pinicola.ca/
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects