The Chipmunk eliminator

[pepperj]

The Blue Heron
It has returned to take up the duties that it left with last year.
Chipmunk control, 3-5 that we see daily.
Stalking the bird feeders, then through the forest.
Keeping the population in check.

 

[Sod Buster]

Oh boy, how I could use a couple of those around.

 

[pepperj]

Oh boy, how I could use a couple of those around.

For 6 years we saw them fishing, hunting along the shoreline of the bay. Then last year it came up onto the lower road, then the yard, and it started to take the Chipmunks.
I have mentioned it too many folks, and it seems that it's a rarity in these parts anyways.
It's getting use to us more, the dog barking, movement in the house behind the windows, even at the other end of the yard it won't fly away.
Hard to tell if it's the same one or they take turns.

 

[billb]

pepperj..great post I love to also see them ..some days I see one gliding over the house on its way to the creek across the street
Last year the chipmunks seemed to be plentiful but this year there had been a hawk staying close and so far so good

 

[Megalodon]

Great pics of an uncommon predation. Somehow, a bird taking a mammal seems like it is feeding out of phylogenetic order. But not so much as a carnivorous plant - something that really doesn't know its place and its behavior could be called "too big for its britches".

I see the GBHs all the time in the shallow water feeding on small fish. They are definitive hosts for a number of nasty parasites and their wading - and defecating in the water, allows the life stages of the parasites to be taken up by the next host and thus continue the complex life cycles of the parasites. I don't know what happens to the parasite eggs in the feces dropped on land rather than in water. Many of these life cycles are still being discovered.

Many years ago, a saw a locally famous environmental writer lauded for his (successful) efforts to get the GBH on the state license plates. I took him out on a research study and on the way, congratulated him on getting such a definitive host for parasites portrayed on the license plate. I suggested a motto - "spreading parasites". The plates were available for an extra $15 or 20 and no, I did not get one.

But they are elegant and photogenic.

 

[pepperj]

Great pics of an uncommon predation. Somehow, a bird taking a mammal seems like it is feeding out of phylogenetic order. But not so much as a carnivorous plant - something that really doesn't know its place and its behavior could be called "too big for its britches".

I see the GBHs all the time in the shallow water feeding on small fish. They are definitive hosts for a number of nasty parasites and their wading - and defecating in the water, allows the life stages of the parasites to be taken up by the next host and thus continue the complex life cycles of the parasites. I don't know what happens to the parasite eggs in the feces dropped on land rather than in water. Many of these life cycles are still being discovered.

Many years ago, a saw a locally famous environmental writer lauded for his (successful) efforts to get the GBH on the state license plates. I took him out on a research study and on the way, congratulated him on getting such a definitive host for parasites portrayed on the license plate. I suggested a motto - "spreading parasites". The plates were available for an extra $15 or 20 and no, I did not get one.

But they are elegant and photogenic.

Thanks for the info, never knew that about the parasites.

I have theory on the Chipmunks and territory that they have around the feeder.
Take out 10, the next in line take over, and so on, and so on.
The GBH wasn't working this morning, 4 Chipmunks were having breakfast.

 

[Megalodon]

Thanks for the info, never knew that about the parasites.

I have theory on the Chipmunks and territory that they have around the feeder.
Take out 10, the next in line take over, and so on, and so on.
The GBH wasn't working this morning, 4 Chipmunks were having breakfast.

If you've ever filleted a fish and found bright red nematodes encysted in the flesh or mesentery, a great blue heron was one of several hosts necessary for it. I think that's the most obvious parasitic roundworm.

We live one county away from chipmunks. Their habitat requirements must be very specific or we have something here they cannot tolerate. I grew up around lots of chipmunks. When I'd see one knocked unconscious by a car passing over it, I would pick it up and put it in a pocket until it woke up. As much as I handled these and other wild creatures, I'm amazed none ever bit me.

 

[pepperj]

If you've ever filleted a fish and found bright red nematodes encysted in the flesh or mesentery, a great blue heron was one of several hosts necessary for it. I think that's the most obvious parasitic roundworm.

We live one county away from chipmunks. Their habitat requirements must be very specific or we have something here they cannot tolerate. I grew up around lots of chipmunks. When I'd see one knocked unconscious by a car passing over it, I would pick it up and put it in a pocket until it woke up. As much as I handled these and other wild creatures, I'm amazed none ever bit me.

It seems that over the past 3-4 years the Chipmunk population has really exploded.
Granted feeding the birds is a huge attraction for the buffet of free seeds and feed.
Though through out the area it seems to be the norm with the population even for folks not feeding the birds.

Now if they feasted on the Gypsy moth Caterpillars that are denuding the trees it would great.

 

[Chadeaux]

Do you think it could be retrained to eat tree rats? If so, I could sure use a couple.

 

[pepperj]

Do you think it could be retrained to eat tree rats? If so, I could sure use a couple.

The strange thing is the little Red Squirrels will actually walk around between the legs while it's standing there waiting for the Chipmunk.
So we have the black, grey, red ones all around the GBH and it's like they're not afraid, nor does it bother them in any way.

Last year it would just grab, and take off down the waters edge to finish it off-this year it seems to hold it-while the chipmunks squirm-and like this morning gets dropped to live another day.....