next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects
grasses (normal)
This is a multipart message in MIME format.
--=_alternative 0036063784258281_=
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Interesting report Friz.
It is definitely time for flying squirrels to have babies or pups- I think
that is the proper name...
I suspect that several of those nest boxes are used by the same family-
they can have many dens or nests scattered throughout in their home
range- and they will move around to keep parasite loads lower and keep
predators from detecting them. Surprised that that the young flying
squirrels was by itself. Usually the mother is quite close and doesn't
like to leave if disturbed. When I studied flying squirrels for my PhD we
put up 100 nest boxes in and around Fundy National Park and we might have
5 occupied in one season-so your numbers are quite good. In my studies we
also found that populations can go up and down quite dramatically from one
year to the next- they can have 5- 6 young in a litter possibly twice a
year- one in the spring and fall. So on good years many flying squirrels
are possible!
Cheers,
Matt Smith
From: Fritz McEvoy <fritzmcevoy@hotmail.com>
To: naturens <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: 01/05/2018 07:15 PM
Subject: [NatureNS] swallow box clean-out results
Sent by: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca
Hi all,
I finished cleaning out my swallow boxes today and the results from
2017 were down substantially. I have 30 boxes that I've maintained for a
number of years and 2017 produced only 9 boxes containing nests with
breeding evidence - down from 15 in 2016. This drop was somewhat expected
as swallow activity in general last year seemed low.
On the positive side there was a large increase in the number of
flying squirrel nests; 8 full and partial, which was surprising as I had
none in 2016. Two of the flying squirrel nests had adults and one no adult
but at least one baby squirrel (I'm not sure what baby squirrels are
called) but no adult. All nests were composed of grasses (normal) and some
kind of fibrous material like blown in insulation which I haven't seen
used here by flying squirrels. No idea where it originated. All the flying
squirrel nests were in one general area which was also odd. I don't know
if this increased flying squirrel activity is local or has been noted in
other places in the province.
Two boxes were blown down over the winter and one of those was used by
mice/voles. About two-thirds of the boxes had entrance holes enlarged by
squirrels and will have to have the doors replaced.
Here are the 2017 results:
9 tree swallow nests with breeding evidence
5 partial swallow nests (1 had a empty flying squirrel nest on top of a
partial swallow nest)
2 empty red squirrel nests
3 active flying squirrel nests (2 with adults and maybe young and 1 with
at least 1 young squirrel but no adult)
3 empty flying squirrel nests (1 was on top of partial swallow nest - see
partial swallow nests above)
2 partial flying squirrel nests
7 empty boxes
All the best.
Fritz
--=_alternative 0036063784258281_=
Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII"
<font size=2 face="sans-serif">Interesting report Friz.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">It is definitely time for flying squirrels
to have babies or pups- I think that is the proper name...</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">I suspect that several of those nest
boxes are used by the same family- they can have many dens or nests scattered
throughout in their home range- and they will move around to keep
parasite loads lower and keep predators from detecting them. Surprised
that that the young flying squirrels was by itself. Usually the mother
is quite close and doesn't like to leave if disturbed. When I studied
flying squirrels for my PhD we put up 100 nest boxes in and around Fundy
National Park and we might have 5 occupied in one season-so your numbers
are quite good. In my studies we also found that populations can go up
and down quite dramatically from one year to the next- they can have 5-
6 young in a litter possibly twice a year- one in the spring and fall.
So on good years many flying squirrels are possible!</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Cheers, </font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Matt Smith</font>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br><font size=1 color=#5f5f5f face="sans-serif">From:
</font><font size=1 face="sans-serif">Fritz McEvoy <fritzmcevoy@hotmail.com></font>
<br><font size=1 color=#5f5f5f face="sans-serif">To:
</font><font size=1 face="sans-serif">naturens <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca></font>
<br><font size=1 color=#5f5f5f face="sans-serif">Date:
</font><font size=1 face="sans-serif">01/05/2018 07:15 PM</font>
<br><font size=1 color=#5f5f5f face="sans-serif">Subject:
</font><font size=1 face="sans-serif">[NatureNS] swallow
box clean-out results</font>
<br><font size=1 color=#5f5f5f face="sans-serif">Sent by:
</font><font size=1 face="sans-serif">naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca</font>
<br>
<hr noshade>
<br>
<br>
<br><font size=3 face="Calibri">Hi all, </font>
<br><font size=3 face="Calibri"> I finished cleaning out my
swallow boxes today and the results from 2017 were down substantially.
I have 30 boxes that I've maintained for a number of years and 2017
produced only 9 boxes containing nests with breeding evidence - down from
15 in 2016. This drop was somewhat expected as swallow activity in general
last year seemed low.</font>
<br><font size=3 face="Calibri"> On the positive side
there was a large increase in the number of flying squirrel nests; 8 full
and partial, which was surprising as I had none in 2016. Two of the flying
squirrel nests had adults and one no adult but at least one baby squirrel
(I'm not sure what baby squirrels are called) but no adult. All nests were
composed of grasses (normal) and some kind of fibrous material like blown
in insulation which I haven't seen used here by flying squirrels. No idea
where it originated. All the flying squirrel nests were in one general
area which was also odd. I don't know if this increased flying squirrel
activity is local or has been noted in other places in the province.</font>
<br><font size=3 face="Calibri"> Two boxes were blown down
over the winter and one of those was used by mice/voles. About two-thirds
of the boxes had entrance holes enlarged by squirrels and will have to
have the doors replaced.</font>
<br><font size=3 face="Calibri"> Here are the 2017 results:
</font>
<br><font size=3 face="Calibri">9 tree swallow nests with breeding evidence</font>
<br><font size=3 face="Calibri">5 partial swallow nests (1 had a empty
flying squirrel nest on top of a partial swallow nest)</font>
<br><font size=3 face="Calibri">2 empty red squirrel nests </font>
<br><font size=3 face="Calibri">3 active flying squirrel nests (2 with
adults and maybe young and 1 with at least 1 young squirrel but no adult)</font>
<br><font size=3 face="Calibri">3 empty flying squirrel nests (1 was on
top of partial swallow nest - see partial swallow nests above)</font>
<br><font size=3 face="Calibri">2 partial flying squirrel nests</font>
<br><font size=3 face="Calibri">7 empty boxes </font>
<br><font size=3 face="Calibri"> All the best.</font>
<br><font size=3 face="Calibri">
Fritz </font>
<br>
--=_alternative 0036063784258281_=--
next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects