Changing Wildlife Patterns

[MossRoad]

When I was born in the early 60s, the US population was about 180 million. It's pushing 350 million today. That has to have an impact.

As for our little corner of the world, I just mailed off my 3 month wildlife report that I volunteered for through Purdue. They asked me to count the number of deer, fur bearers, chipmunks and squirrels, songbirds, waterfowl, that I saw every day for 3 months. They also wanted to know how much time and money I spent on feeding each of those species (ZERO) each day, and how much time and money I spent protecting my property from those species (again ZERO) each day.

It was an interesting study to participate in.

The most populous songbirds here, get this, ARE CROWS! We get several thousand that fly over our house every morning and return in the evening about Halloween through sometime in March every year for the past 30+ years. Other than those, we get mourning doves, blue jays, and snow birds. And tons of sparrows! The only waterfowl we see are occasional overflights of geese. Thousands of sandhill cranes, but they are neither songbirds or waterfowl, so were not part of the study.

We have 5 does in the neighborhood that pass through almost daily, sometimes twice. There is a young buck, so I'm guessing more deer this spring. The does usually have twins every year. We'll see.

We get a few squirrels up by the house, but most stay back in the woods, same as the chipmunks, so not many to observe.

Plenty of rabbits, skunks, raccoons, opossums.

And lots of woodchucks.

Last year was the first year we had NO tree frogs. That was sad. We usually have hundreds.

Every summer we usually see a couple garter snakes.

So what I've noticed over my life here:
- We rarely saw deer in the 60s. They are in every subdivision and farm field today.
- We never saw a turkey in the 60s. They are in every subdivision and farm field today.
- We rarely saw Great Blue Herons in the 60s. They are in every waterway today.
- I could go on... osprey's, red tailed hawks, peregrine falcons, bald eagles... all on the uptick.
- Turtles, frogs, salamanders, newts, all amphibians are all on the downturn.
- Songbirds are on the downturn.
- There used to be flocks of grackles each fall. Now hardly ever.
- Robins seem to be thriving.

Anyhow, that's what I observe around here.

 

[RayIN]

I have noticed a huge decline in the rabbit population over the past 5 years: both cottontail and jackrabbits. And a huge increase in those damn destructive ground squirrels.

Rabbits; I've noticed most people don't stack down limbs and brush in piles, this eliminates the primary place of safety for rabbits, and small birds. Then they are forced to raise young in open fields and fence-rows where they are easy prey for cats, fox, coyotes, wild dogs, etc.
I used to have 2 coveys of quail on my farm, until a distant neighbor discovered them. He would bring his dog and hunt them while I was at work until he destroyed coveys. I haven't seen one since.
He finally stopped sneaking in after I told him I was having a problem with wild dogs and was actively hunting them with my .264 Winchester magnum, and I could hit them from ¼ mile away.

 

[big bubba]

MossRoad: very interesting & detailed observation of your wildlife...as mentioned earlier, the food chain patterns have a lot to do with wildlife change. in my region, it's sad to see the loss of wildlife as i 1st mentioned.
we do what we can, my place is still magical to me, change is always there, no better time than the present, best regards

 

[ning]

Lots of (invasive) bullfrogs here.

In my almost 30 years here I've seen a big change in coyotes. I almost never see coyotes any more - I used to regularly see them run by the fence (and try to find a way under or just jump over to get my chickens). Now I see one per summer - maybe. I don't miss them.

 

[jyoutz]

Rabbits; I've noticed most people don't stack down limbs and brush in piles, this eliminates the primary place of safety for rabbits, and small birds. Then they are forced to raise young in open fields and fence-rows where they are easy prey for cats, fox, coyotes, wild dogs, etc.
I used to have 2 coveys of quail on my farm, until a distant neighbor discovered them. He would bring his dog and hunt them while I was at work until he destroyed coveys. I haven't seen one since.
He finally stopped sneaking in after I told him I was having a problem with wild dogs and was actively hunting them with my .264 Winchester magnum, and I could hit them from ¼ mile away.

The decline in rabbits has been widespread and not related to habitat. I asked my son what is affecting them and he said Lagomorphic hemorrhagic disease. He said it was first detected in the southern Rockies region, but has now spread across the western U.S.

 

[jyoutz]

Lots of (invasive) bullfrogs here.

In my almost 30 years here I've seen a big change in coyotes. I almost never see coyotes any more - I used to regularly see them run by the fence (and try to find a way under or just jump over to get my chickens). Now I see one per summer - maybe. I don't miss them.

You can have ours. We have plenty.

 

[big bubba]

can't imagine what part of the food chain they are, but ticks & chiggers have also declined over the yrs. not sorry to see them go.

 

[CalG]

Anyone seen any Rose Breasted Gros Beaks?

We had them around in winter (S. Vermont) 25 years ago, but not at all over the past 20 years.

Kind of miss 'em at the feeder in a snow storm.

 

[wawajake]

Up here in Northern Ontario Canada a few miles north east of Sault Michigan, on my back 40 around the house......we have seen marked increase of wild turkeys, flocks of around ten is typical , I worry they are pushing out the partridge , although still seeing a few of them. No more pheasants it seems. An Eagle couple is regular in my upper meadow woodedge in mature White Pine trees , and they compete with ravens for carrion. Other regular bird sightings are Pileated Woodpeckers, Downey Woodpeckers, Nuthaches, barn swallows, Chickadees, Bluebirds in 2 year cycles it seems, starlings ( too many) , hummingbirds, Blue Jays Owls, meadowlarks, sand hill cranes (too many), Canada Geese, Blue Herons when fishing and Loons, and various typical ducks. We still see the fireflies late summer, lots of monarch butterflies but I bypass cutting milkweed they love in one field. As for critters that are a pain, yes porcupines and skunks, black squirells are starting to push in and take over red squirrel and chipmunks. White tail deer a few sightings each week, fox , bobcats and coyote hybrid ( with wolf) feeding on rabbits. Too many bears stealing deer corn. Normal amount of frogs and toads . A moose or two cross in the spring and caught on tree cameras. Probably missed some wildlife, oh neighbor's horses escape to my lower fields at times to dine on grasses I leave uncut. Smile...

 

[ruffdog]

Anyone seen any Rose Breasted Gros Beaks?

We had them around in winter (S. Vermont) 25 years ago, but not at all over the past 20 years.

Kind of miss 'em at the feeder in a snow storm.

We have been getting about 2 pair a year....normal.