June 18, 2013
A surprising — and deadly — battle in the yard
Written by Jack Sanders
Thursday, 08 April 2010 11:01
“This afternoon I saw an amazing thing in the yard,” writes Mar Walker of Danbury. “I guess I never thought about it really or I wouldn’t have been so surprised and horrified about it.
“The first one had something in its mouth. I thought it was some bread or something, and that must be what was interesting the crow so much.
“Then I realized the bread was wiggling, had legs and a tail. At first I thought it was a mouse, and marveled because I didn’t realize squirrels were carnivorous.
“When the victor squirrel got into our driveway, it stopped and started to eat the poor live thing and I ran out yelling like a fool. As I approached, I realized this creature (whose species I had previous only admired) was a cannibal. It was eating a live baby squirrel, and not a tiny infant either, but perhaps a toddler squirrel with a full coat, and a long fuzzy, but skinny tail.
“The crows, three at this point, were closing in, too, and the squirrel leaped into a tree with its poor prize clamped in its jaws.
“A neighbor approached and I had to explain what I was yelling for and then, I couldn’t see where it went. So I went back inside the house, and in a minute looked out the window, and realized the crows had won the second round. They had the taken cannibal squirrel’s meal and it was in three pieces, one bloody piece in front of each crow. And the crows were polishing off their meal.
“Nature is not gentle.”
We think of Eastern Gray Squirrels as nut and seed eaters and, indeed, that is their preferred fare. However, when food is in short supply, such as may happen in spring if their winter caches have been exhausted, squirrels will eat what they can — frogs, mice, insects, eggs, small birds, and, yes, even their own.
Nonetheless, it’s not surprising that the crows came out winners. Don’t believe Aesop’s fable about the fox and the crow — not only are crows too smart to lose food to “flattery,” they are clever enough to win a meal for three from a dumb rodent.
Soundings
The sun rose at 6:28 on Monday, but long before dawn, a handful of birds were already singing their territorial songs. Probably the earliest spring songster is the Northern Cardinal, which may start belting out its “cheer, cheer, cheer” at 5 a.m. or earlier. By 5:30, when it’s still dark, the Song Sparrow was singing. The day before, we heard a robin and have also heard early Carolina Wrens.
Apparently it doesn’t take much light to awaken these “early birds.”
Also easy to hear long before dawn are Wild Turkeys, gobbling away in the woods.
Bird photos
John McGinley of Wilton and his brother, Rives, are having a “Unique Bird Photograph Show” through May 31 at the Rockwell Art Galleries, 379 Danbury Road (Route 7), Wilton. The pictures are printed on canvas, roughly two by three feet. For more information, visit rockwellartandframing.com or call 203-762-8311. For sample images, see arives.exposuremanager.com
Coming up
Bird Watching Basics, introduction to the science of ornithology, Saturday, April 10, 9:30 to noon, $12 adults, kids free, Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, RSVP 203-869-5272 x239, Greenwich.audubon.org
Edwin B. Forsythe (Brigantine) National Wildlife Refuge, in Oceanville, N.J., trip with Bedford Audubon Naturalist Tait Johansson, Sunday, April 11, carpool from Bylane Farm, 35 Todd Road, Goldens Bridge at 6 a.m., return at 7:30 p.m., This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 914-232-4806.
“A Supremely Bad Idea: Three Mad Birders and Their Quest to See It All” with Luke Dempsey, illustrated lecture, Wednesday, April 14, 7:30 p.m., free, Bedford Audubon, at Katonah Memorial House, 71 Bedford Road, Katonah, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 914-232-4806.
Migration & Early Spring Migrants, workshop, Saturday, April 17, 9:30 to noon, $12 adults, kids free, Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, RSVP 203-869-5272 x239, Greenwich.audubon.org
Spring migration bird walks, rain or shine, at 7 a.m., about 90 minutes, Wednesdays April 14, 21, 28, May 5, 12, 19, 26, at Fairchild Garden, meet in parking area on North Porchuck Road; Saturdays, April 3, 10, 17, 24, May 1, 15, 22, at Audubon Greenwich, meet in main parking area; Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, 203- 869-5272 x230, Greenwich.audubon.org.
Saturday Morning Bird Walks with Luke Tiller; to register, sunrisebirding.com/walks.htm; 203-453-6724, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
First Sundays, birding at Greenwich Point with Meredith Sampson of Wild Wings, and other guides, 203-637-9822.
Copyright 2010 by Jack Sanders. Send sightings or comments to: jackfsanders [at sign] yahoo.com, or to Bird Notes, Box 1019, Ridgefield, CT 06877; or call 203-438-1183, extension BIRD (2473), and leave a message with your report, spelling your first and last names and telling us your town. If you need help identifying a bird, try your local nature center. If you find an injured bird, call wildlife rehabilitator Darlene Wimbrow of Redding, 203-438-0618, Wildlife in Crisis of Weston, 203-544-9913, or Wild Wings of Greenwich, 203-637-9822. The columnist’s website is www. sandersbooks. com.
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