As the year closes two fall nature notes await recording
First is the red squirrel bark peeler. Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
Is the squirrel helping with the pole peeling or planning on fluffing-up the winter quarters?
Actually this is a relatively common behaviour – there are even videos on UTube. The industrious squirrel has designs for a comfy cedar bark-lined nest, an ideal retreat for cool winter days. Nice to recline in such a nest after foraging in one’s midden for stored seeds, or after checking in the cool and wet the territory and the humans’ activities.
Second is the ensatina Ensatina eschscholtzii disturbed from a mossy woodland home.
Always an interesting and uncommon site for Denman. This salamander can be identified by the attractive pinkish colouring, constricted tail-base and large eyes. Ensatinas are one of the plethodontid or lungless salamanders that breathe through their skin. They survive in moist (but not saturated) forest environments with ample woody debris, usually supplied by large downed-logs. Dry hot summers are times to hide out below ground to avoid simply drying out. But in the moist fall it’s time to check the territory, do a bit of hunting…removing a variety of invertebrates from the forest or forest-edge garden.
