This pileated woodpecker came by on July 14, 2010, and stayed just long enough for me to get a couple of decent shots. Very unusual in our ‘hood!
Many interesting pets and various other animals can be seen in our neighborhood, but how often does one get to see an albino squirrel? Not often, I would guess. Therefore it was a blessing to receive this photo from Aiko Imura, a student visiting Carleton this fall from Chuo University in Tokyo. She was staying in a dormitory near Central Park, and happened to have her camera handy when she spotted this lovely animal in the park one day.
Albino squirrels are rare in Minnesota, but are common in some cities (Olney, IL; Marionville, MO; Kenton, TN; Brevard, NC; Exeter, ON) where they tend to be objects of intense community pride. The
y belong to the large family of Sciuridae, and should not be confused with white squirrels, which have dark eyes and are thus not true albinos. This photo shows that our denizen of Central Park is a true albino, with pink eyes. Click on the photo to enlarge it.
We are grateful to Aiko for giving us all this chance to see an albino squirrel right in our own neighborhood.
Carleton Student Spots Rare Bird in Arboretum
February 3, 2009
A recent visitor to the Carleton College made Arboretum staff take notice. Not for any particular celebrity status, but that the visitor had been absent for 78 years! Carleton freshman Owen McMurtrey spotted the long lost visitor recently and rushed back to campus to report his find to the Minnesota Ornithological Union – the organization that tracks bird sightings in the state. Yes, this visitor was an unusual bird, a Black-backed Woodpecker, last seen in the area in 1930. While found in Minnesota, this sighting of the Black-Backed Woodpecker was far beyond normal range, normally limited to the northeastern portion of state, primarily the northern tier of counties.
Black-Backed Woodpeckers feed on the larvae of beetles, primarily in dead and dying conifer trees in the aftermath of wildfires. Occasionally populations of the bird grow in numbers such that they head south, in migrations called “irruptions”. They search for patches of habitat where they can find a food source, places that have been set aside and managed for wildlife habitat, like the Carleton College Arboretum. The Arboretum was established in the 1930’s, just about the time of the last observation of this elusive bird in our area!
McMurtrey is a beginning birdwatcher, having developed an interest in his native Chicago, and bringing his hobby with him to Northfield. Of his recent find he states “”It took me a moment to register–and at first I was a little disoriented–but I quickly realized what was out of place: I was seeing a bird that had ventured well south of its natural range. Since then, I have met many birders and received many congratulations. It really makes you feel like part of a larger community.”
Northfield resident and birdwatcher Gene Bauer provided this insight on the recent appearance: “Owen’s sighting of the Black-backed was exciting to me as a birder in a number of ways. I’m excited for Owen the birder – finding the unexpected, the improbable. I’m excited because it adds to our knowledge of the Black-backed in Minnesota. And I’m excited because a decision made years ago to invest in habitat is validated by species that use it now”.
Arboretum Director Nancy Braker notes “the Carleton Arboretum provides habitat to many species of birds and other wildlife. Recent restoration projects have greatly increased the habitat available to this bird and others. We hope the Black-backed Woodpecker will stick around this winter to be counted in the Christmas bird count on December 20!”
How much wood can a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
Northfielders see lots of woodchucks, so this visitor to my back yard today (March 21, 2009) was not entirely unexpected.
What made this visit a little unusual was that I had my camera ready. He seems to have survived the winter just fine, probably hibernating in a nearby shed or his own hole, and is now moving about the ‘hood in search of food, and/or a mate. I’ll attach a bit of further info copied from Wikipedia, and I hope you’ll enjoy a similar visit from one of these placid creatures in the near future. Ed
The groundhog is the largest sciurid in its geographical range, typically measuring 40 to 65 cm (17 to 26 in) long (including a 15 cm tail) and weighing 2 to 4 kg (4.5 to 9 pounds). In areas with fewer natural predators and large quantities of alfalfa, groundhogs can grow to 80 cm (32 in) and 14 kg (30 lb). Groundhogs are well adapted for digging, with short but powerful limbs and curved, thick claws. Unlike other sciurids, the groundhog’s spine is curved, more like that of a mole, and the tail is comparably shorter as well – only about one-fourth of body length. Suited to their temperate habitat, groundhogs are covered with two coats of fur: a dense grey undercoat and a longer coat of banded guard hairs that gives the groundhog its distinctive “frosted” appearance.
Groundhogs usually live from two to three years, but can live up to six years in the wild. In captivity, groundhogs can exceed this limit; by example, the 22-year-old Wiarton Willie may indicate the maximum lifespan. Common predators for groundhogs include wolves, coyotes, foxes, bobcats, bears, large hawks, and owls. Young groundhogs are often at risk for predation by snakes, which easily enter the burrow.
Mostly herbivorous, groundhogs primarily eat wild grasses and other vegetation, and berries and agricultural crops when available.[3] Groundhogs also eat grubs, grasshoppers, insects, snails and other small animals, but are not as omnivorous as many other sciurids.
Groundhogs are excellent burrowers, using burrows for sleeping, rearing young, and hibernating. The average groundhog has been estimated to move approximately 1 m³ (35 cubic feet), or 320 kg (700 pounds), of dirt when digging a burrow. Though groundhogs are the most solitary of the marmots, several individuals may occupy the same burrow. Groundhog burrows usually have two to five entrances, providing groundhogs their primary means of escape from predators. Burrows are particularly large, with up to 45 feet (14 m) of tunnels buried up to 5 feet (1.5 m) underground, and can pose a serious threat to agricultural and residential development by damaging farm machinery and even undermining building foundations.[4]
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