FRIENDS

OF

 THE

 NATURE

 CENTER

Fall Issue, 2000
A Quarterly Publication

Prairie is Good in Fall

Fall is a good time to take a walk through our planted prairie, as flowers will bloom until late October or early November, depending on the weather. Check the calendar and join us on one of the scheduled walks to see and learn about these flowers and grasses.
Since we were unable to do a controlled burn of the prairie in April of this year, a November attempt is being planned.

Giant Sighted in Nature Center

While on a recent walk through the Hudsonville Nature Center with Ottawa County naturalists, a Giant Swallowtail butterfly was sighted. It has been several years since any documented sighting of this large butterfly. These butterflies are not very common in this area, but do exist here. Ottawa County is at the northern edge of their range in west Michigan.

Home Landscape Design Survey

A research team at the University of Michigan is conducting a survey about different types of innovative native plant landscape design alternatives. The survey involves viewing pictures of yards and neighborhoods and telling what you think about the pictures. This survey will be done on the Internet and takes approximately 45 minutes to complete. The survey should be available on line starting September 15. The web address is http://www.landscape.snre.umich.edu.

Species Profile

Fox Squirrel
Sciarus niger

The fox squirrel in Michigan originally was most abundant in the oak openings and the forest edges of the southwest portion of the state. Since the heavy logging that took place in Michigan throughout the 1800’s, the fox squirrel has increased it’s range to include the entire Lower Peninsula and some areas of the Upper Peninsula as well. These squirrels are now found in open hardwoods mixed with conifers, woodland edges, clearings, and rural areas. The have also adapted quite well to our rural residential areas. Fox squirrels take shelter in, and raise their young in the hollows of trees or in leafy nests which they construct near the tops of trees, and can be seen

 

throughout the winter months. These squirrels are most commonly seen during April and May, and again in September and October, after the emergence of the weaned young, from each of the two possible litters each years.
Fox Squirrels area a robust, reddish to cinnamon colored tree squirrel, which can reach a total head to tail length of 22 inches. Their head is somewhat square in comparison to the other squirrels, such as the Gray Squirrel. In comparison, the ears are also more rounded, shorter, and untufted. Tricolor course, grizzled guard hairs are mixed in along the back and sides. The bushy tail is black and buff banded on top, and goes from reddish at the base, to blackish to cinnamon near the tip.
Except in early spring, when they eat emerging tree and shrub growth, Fox Squirrels spend much time foraging on the ground for food. The main foods include

beetles and other insects, plant tubers, bulbs, roots, and bird eggs in the spring. The palette shifts to a variety of berries, beetles,grasshoppers, grubs, bird eggs, young birds in nests, and crops for the summer. Fall turns the Fox Squirrels attention to acorns, nuts, and seeds, which are both stored for winter and the next spring, as well as to fatten up for the upcoming cold winter months.
The main enemies of the Fox Squirrel in Michigan, are Red-tailed Hawks, Osprey, Barred Owls, raccoons and domestic dogs. In urban areas the automobile is also a great and ferocious predator. Michigan winters and short food supplies also have an adverse effect on Fox Squirrel populations.
Even though many of us experience these critters in our yards or at our bird feeders, they do play an important part in the food chain and are a part of the natural world. While walking in the woods in the fall, look up to see if the Fox Squirrel is the cause of nuts or the empty nutshells falling on your head.

Calendar of Events

Saturday, September 16
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

White Pine Chapter of the Michigan Botanical Club
Visiting the Prairie
Public Welcome

Sunday, September 17
2:00 p.m.

Autumn Nature Walk – Late season wild flowers, prairie flowers and grasses, trees and birds.

Sunday, October 15
2:00 p.m.

Autumn Nature Walk – Focusing on trees and flowers, which may still be blooming.

All walks at the Hudsonville Nature Center are led by City naturalist Craig Elston and begin at the end of New Holland St. east of 32nd Avenue.  Come prepared for weather and other elements as walks will be held except in the case of severe weather.  The Winter Ecology Hikes are a good opportunity to use snowshoes if you have them.

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