{"id":113,"date":"2017-06-03T21:26:22","date_gmt":"2017-06-03T21:26:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/toddburras.com\/?p=113"},"modified":"2017-06-03T21:26:22","modified_gmt":"2017-06-03T21:26:22","slug":"on-the-lookout-for-night-eyes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/toddburras.com\/2017\/06\/03\/on-the-lookout-for-night-eyes\/","title":{"rendered":"On the Lookout for Night Eyes"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Northern flying squirrels are frequent night-time visitors to birdseed feeders. Photo by Larry Dau<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

ELY, MINN. \u2013 Those of us who are in the business of trying to attract birds to our backyards by filling feeders with an assortment of seeds are familiar with watching the contents of those differently-shaped tubes, cubes and trays disappear.<\/p>\n

But when a feeder turns up empty of its contents in the first light of dawn after being full at sunset the night prior, one can deduce there\u2019s a high probability that the pilferer of seeds was likely a furry rather than a feathered friend.<\/p>\n

Such overnight guests in Mid-Iowa most likely would be raccoons or opossums, which are primarily nocturnal creatures. In the Superior National Forest of northeast Minnesota where our cabin is located, neither of those mammals has made much of an inroad, yet, so a most likely culprit could be a black bear.<\/p>\n

One late-night seed-eating creature found in both locations, however, is as stealthy as a fox but as seemingly gentle as a fawn. I\u2019m talking about the shy and reclusive flying squirrel.<\/p>\n

Unlike their name indicates, however, flying squirrels don\u2019t actually fly; rather, they glide.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn part, this is due to a large flap of skin (patagium) attached to its front and hind legs and sides of its body,\u201d writes naturalist Stan Tekiela. \u201cTo glide, a flying squirrel will climb to the top of a tree and launch itself, extending its four legs outward and stretching the patagium to make a flat, wing-like airfoil. Its flat tail adds some additional lift and acts like a rudder to help maneuver objects while gliding. \u2026 To create an air brake for a soft landing, the squirrel will quickly lift its head and tuck its tail between its hind legs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Larry Dau, a Boone County resident who also owns a cabin in northwest Wisconsin, has been observing and photographing flying squirrels for many years.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have seen them glide in from more than 100 feet and even pick up altitude at the end of their glide,\u201d Dau said.<\/p>\n

There are two species of flying squirrels \u2013 the northern and southern \u2013 and while the squirrels that are frequent visitors to our cabin and Dau\u2019s are the northern species, those living in Iowa are the southern species, said Jim Pease, emeritus associate professor of Natural Resource Ecology and Management at Iowa State University. Their ranges do, however, ranges overlap in many areas of the country, Dau said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe northern is known for being in the boreal forest,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u201cIn Iowa, they would normally be in the oak-hickory woods.<\/p>\n

The two species of flying squirrels vary in length and weight, with the northern being slightly bigger at around 9 to 10 inches in total length and weighing about 3 to 4 ounces while the southern tends to be around 7 to 8 inches long and weigh roughly 2 to 3 ounces. Both species are active year-round and will often build a nest in an abandoned woodpecker cavity to raise their young. Both species also are omnivores, feeding on insects, seeds, nuts, catkins, eggs, mice, birds, mushrooms and other fungi.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the cabin, we have a mixed conifer and deciduous forest,\u201d Dau said.\u00a0\u201cSo we have lots of acorns and pinecones for them to feed on. At my feeders they come in for peanuts and sunflower seeds.\u201d<\/p>\n

No matter where you live, the chances of seeing them are slim.<\/p>\n

\u201cRarely do they come out in daylight,\u201d Dau said.<\/p>\n

The best chance to possibly see one is to go outside after dusk and to listen for the soft bird-like calls of the adults, the high-pitched squeaks of the young or the sound of something scrambling on the bark. Shining a flashlight in the direction of the sounds might reveal a small brown creature with bulging eyes and a long tail. Often, they will freeze at the presence of light and you can get a good look.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey move very fast,\u201d Dau said. \u201cGuests at the cabin are fascinated by their flights, quick movements and antics.\u00a0They will watch them for an hour or two.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve seen a flying squirrel, it\u2019s easy to understand why.<\/p>\n

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Watch them fly \u2026 or glide<\/strong><\/p>\n

To see video clips of flying squirrels, visit Larry Dau\u2019s website: https:\/\/larryd.smugmug.com\/Nature\/Northern-Flying-Squirrels-Fall\/<\/a><\/p>\n

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Todd Burras can be reached at outdoorstoddburras@gmail.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  ELY, MINN. \u2013 Those of us who are in the business of trying to attract birds to our backyards by filling feeders with an assortment of seeds are familiar with watching the contents of those differently-shaped tubes, cubes and trays disappear. But when a feeder turns up empty of its contents in the first … <\/p>\n

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