September 21, 2012
My name is Irene Ruth. I’ve just retired after 25 years of being a Wildlife Rehabilitator, working with injured and orphaned wild animals to get them healthy and back to the wild. To do my job well, I worked hard to understand the different wild animal species, know their needs, and be aware of their reasons for doing what they do in the different seasons.
Now that I have time, I can help others understand, too. The more we understand, the easier it is to be more tolerant and supportive of the wild animals we encounter here in Winchester.
So, here goes……
Fall starts tomorrow, although it has felt like fall all day today. This is a season of intense activity for wildlife. For some animals, the cooler weather means heading south to avoid winter problems. Others start to gather and store food, find warm spots to set up winter dens, and try to fatten up, grow thicker coats and do all the other things that make it possible for them to survive the colder seasons.
For the ones looking for new winter quarters, YOUR house looks like a definite possibility. No, they don’t look for a “vacancy” or “All Creatures Welcomed” sign, but they DO look for any possible way to get into your attic, basement, shed, barn or crawl space. They just want a nice warm place to spend cold days, but are so often regarded as intruders, or even invaders.
This is the time to do some preventive maintenance on your home to guard against wild intruder/invaders. As a bonus, animal proofing doubles as cold weather proofing, since any entry points could also let in cold air, and possibly rain or snow.
Take a walk around your house and try to spot any entry points under eaves, cornices and louvers, spaces under corrugated roofing, under doors and around windows. Any small openings larger than ¼ inch should be blocked or screened. (Heavy gauge hardware cloth works very well).
Cover vents and any openings where electrical outlet boxes or water pipes enter the house.
Remove debris and weeds from around the foundation of your house so that you can detect openings and also discourage rodents from hiding there or setting up housekeeping.
Now walk around the house again. Think any intruders can get in?
Now that they’re all blocked out of your house, my next post will have suggestions about how you can help them make it thru the winter where they should be…in the wild.
Irene
9 comments:
Irene has asked us to give her a topic on Wildlife in Winchester.
We think this is a great idea and welcome her knowledge.
She is willing and ready to answer any questions you may have and teach you more about the wildlife we have around our community.
Winter is coming early it seems, Our cats have already been presenting us with mice in the morning.
I heard once that you could spread dog/cat hair around your foundation and this would help deter the mice. Is there any truth to this?
Turkeys have made a huge comeback over the last decade, If we have a severe winter is it wise to help feed them and if so does cracked corn do the job. Or are they suppose to just forage on their own?
There was a dead crow in my front yard recently, are we supposed to call someone and who do we call if so?
Ticks Ticks and more Ticks I am sick of them every year it gets worse. We are treating our animals even though I'm not a fan of putting poison on my dogs. We once lived next to a neighbor who had many free range chickens, they spent many hours on our lawn and we never had a single tick. Is it true free range chickens will make that big of a difference with Ticks in your yard?
Answers from Irene Ruth
I heard once that you could spread dog/cat hair around your foundation and this would help deter the mice. Is there any truth to this?
Yes, there is some truth to it. Mice will avoiding areas treated with the smell of dog or cat fur or urine, human urine, used cat litter cat or any scent from other possible predators. Before putting these scents on your foundation, clear away any brush or debris from the foundation first. This allows you to see any possible entry holes. The most effective mouse control is to” mouse proof” your foundation by closing up any possible entryways.
Turkeys have made a huge comeback over the last decade, If we have a severe winter is it wise to help feed them and if so does cracked corn do the job. Or are they suppose to just forage on their own?
New Hampshire Fish and Game offers this advice:
Don’t feed turkeys unless there are 15 or more inches of soft snow on the ground for 10 days or longer. Don’t feed them during spring or winter when there is incomplete snow-cover or patches of bare ground. It’s healthier for them to eat natural food when ever they can find it. Feed them in a spot away from homes and busy roads, and keep your contact with them to a mimimum so they don’t become comfortable with having humans near them. ( not everyone wishes them well)
If you do decide to feed turkeys, offer them cracked or whole kernel corn, oats, wheat, sunflower seeds, or non-medicated poultry or turkey feeds.
Please don’t give them bread products.
There was a dead crow in my front yard recently, are we supposed to call someone and who do we call if so?
The Department Of Health And Human Services is handling dead bird cases. If you spot a dead bird, especially crows, ravens and bluebirds , call the WNV Information Line, 1-866-273-6453. Not all birds will be tested, and of course, not all dead birds are victims of West Nile virus or EEE (Eastern Equine Encephalitis) but the information you supply will be important in the Department’s research about these viruses in NH.
Ticks Ticks and more Ticks I am sick of them every year it gets worse. We are treating our animals even though I'm not a fan of putting poison on my dogs. We once lived next to a neighbor who had many free range chickens, they spent many hours on our lawn and we never had a single tick. Is it true free range chickens will make that big of a difference with Ticks in your yard?
Chickens do love ticks, and mosquitos too. Every chicken will do its best, but the difference in your yard will depend on the number of chickens chowing down there. Fresh eggs are a bonus!
We really enjoy this topic.
Anyone got ideas for other topics they would like to see?
Let us know.
Is there any truth about big fat furry caterpillars mean a heavy Winter?
And what other nature signs can help predict a heavy winter
More answers from Irene
Question: Is there any truth about big fat furry caterpillars mean a heavy Winter?
This is a piece of folk wisdom from the eastern US, and Canada. “When the middle rusty-brown bands on fall woolly bears are narrow, it means a harsh winter is coming. Also, If the woolly bears are fat and fuzzy, expect bitter cold. The wider the brown band, the milder the winter will be.”
In the 1950’s, a curator of insects at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, tested the woolly worms' accuracy and found an 80% accuracy rate for the predictions. But since then, no other researchers of long term weather predictors have been able to reproduce the same results.
There is some year-to-year variation in the amount of black hair on the caterpillars, but the differences are mainly caused by age, or food availability and temperature or moisture during their development. Older caterpillars have more black than young ones and caterpillars that fed and grew in an area where the fall weather was wetter have more black hair than caterpillars from dry areas.
The conclusion is that woolly worms are not accurate predictors of winter weather. But then, weather forecasters using their high-tech equipment are not always accurate either.
And what other nature signs can help predict a heavy winter.?
There are many natural short term weather predictors ( Red skies in morning, sailors take warning) ( When the Dew is in the Grass, Rain will Never Come to Pass.)
(When Grass is Dry at Morning Light, Look for Rain Before the Night.) and more.
But, there seem to be only a few long- term natural seasonal predictors:
• “If the October moon comes without frost, there’ll be no frost until the moon of November”
• “Many berries in October predicts a hard winter.”
• “Fat birds and weasels in October foretell a bitter winter.”
• “A large acorn crop means a harsh winter”
• “Squirrels collecting large amounts of nuts to store means a hard winter”
• “Bushy tails on squirrels is a sign of a harsh winter to come.”
We’re New Hampshire, so for us, it’s all “wait and see”.
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