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| Newsletter January 2007 |
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Winter Winter has finally arrived. I know this because the fish pond in the yard has frozen over and that's the first telltale sign the frigid cold has arrived. Snow will soon be on its way (albeit a little late this year).
It's strange to see fish swimming around under a layer of ice, but this won't last long. By tomorrow the pond will be completely frozen except for a small opening where the water is pumped to the surface. The hole is necessary to put oxygen back into the pond. There are eleven goldfish huddled together in the corner of the pond trying to catch a few fast vanishing rays of warming sunlight. That's about all they can hope for when the temperature is in the single digits and the wind chill factor makes it feel like it's ten below. We probably won't see them again until the end of March or the beginning of April when the weather warms and the ice begins to melt. Sleep tight fish. We'll see you in the spring. Here in the northeast we expect to have a lot of snow by this time of year. This December, however, temperatures were in the 50's, and during the first two weeks of January they climbed into the 60's and, on at least one occasion, the 70's. We broke all kinds of records over a 30 day stretch with temperatures (in some cases) more than 20 degrees above normal. Then BAM! Our friends out west decided to share the wealth and we found ourselves shivering in the teens with an ice storm that left many in the dark and without heat for more than a few days. After the storm, the whole outdoors glistened in the sunlight like the finest crystal. Every outer surface was coated with at least 1/4 inch of ice. It was truly a beautiful sight for those who didn't have to leave their houses and still had heat and electricity and no tree limbs and debris to clean up in the frigid cold.
As for the chipmunks, they're snuggled in their chippy holes cutting a few zzzs no doubt. Although chipmunks don't hibernate, their metabolism changes and they do sleep a lot. They still wake up to eat, and the food they gathered throughout the summer and fall will have to last until early spring. Chipmunks are very careful about the food they gather to store in their borrows. I paid close attention to Chip E. one fall when I brought her home a very large bag of acorns. I thought I had done a good job checking the nuts for cracks. Every day for a week I placed a large handful out on the stoop. Chip would visually check them one at a time. It appeared she was checking the color as well as making sure the cap was secure. Those that had a loose cap or were darker in color were tossed aside. Then one by one she removed the caps from the remaining nuts and examined the newly exposed area. Any that didn't meet her approval were also discarded. After visually examining the acorns she would pick one up with both paws and while slowly turning it she would run her tongue over the entire outside of nut. She was obviously feeling for hairline cracks and tiny holes. When she was through there were only two or three nuts left on the stoop. Many that she discarded looked perfectly fine to me. In all, she probably took 20 acorns or less back to her den and left the mess for me to clean up. After that I decided to leave acorn gathering to the professionals.
I've noticed that chipmunks do the same thing with sunflower seeds. They only take seeds that are completely enclosed back to their dens. Empty shells and stems are moved out of the way as they gather their seeds. Seeds that have fallen from their shells are usually eaten on the spot. When I think about the process, it all makes perfect sense to me. The area within the den for storing nuts and seeds is limited, and if you're going to be inside for the duration of the winter you don't want food that will spoil or contaminate other food that's been gathered. I still have an acorn Chip brought me when she was just a baby. The color is still a light golden brown, there are no holes or cracks in the outer shell, and when you shake it there is nothing loose inside that would indicate insect infestation. This acorn is 7 years old and is as perfect as the day she left it for me. (See "A Chippy Gift" on our website to learn more about Chip and the acorn). Thinking of Chip E. makes me think of spring. March is only two months away and soon the yard will be filled with chattering chipmunks bringing a smile to my face. Until then I still have my pictures of my frolicking, fun-loving fur-faces. From all of us at Chippy Tails, we wish you a very Happy New Year and may you be as warm and snuggly as a chipmunk during this winter season. Jane Roberts ~~ Please feel free to forward the link to this newsletter to your friends. ~~ Don't
forget to check out our website at
www.chipmunk-pictures.com ~~
Hope you've enjoyed our visit and from all of us at Chippy Tails have a "wonderful" day!
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