Red Wing Nature Notes

All fall we have been observing a very energetic chipmunk gathering seeds from under our bird feeders.  Once the duel pouches near it’s mouth were stuffed to the max, it would head for one of two miniature junipers to stash the booty for the coming months.  No doubt there is a complex underground burrow system with food storage chambers where these seeds are cached.  Chipmunks usually hibernate from October thru March as their body temperature decreases and they fall into a deep sleep.

Since mid-November, we have expected that any day the chipmunk would disappear for the winter.  Finally with the ten inch snowfall on Tuesday and Wednesday, it’s feeding activity ceased.  With no sign of the chipmunk on Thursday, we were sure hibernation had commenced.  Lo and behold it was back today scurrying around gathering available forage.  I would be curious to know if any of our Nature Notes readers have ever observed chipmunk activity this late?

Speaking of seed gathering activity, I recently received a phone call from Tom Danielson  a friend who lives on Devils Track Lake just outside Grand Marais, Minnesota.  He wanted to share a most unusual observation.  It seems that Tom has a long narrow birdfeeder which is situated on a deck railing within full view of their dining room window.  While enjoying his morning coffee recently, he observed a single blue jay gather at one time 42 sunflower seeds before flying away.  He was amazed and intrigued by this bird’s capacity.  Blue jays are like chipmunks in that they possess duel pouches for storing food.  Once the pouches are full, they fly away and stash these seeds under bark or in various hiding spots for later winter sustenance.  Canada jays which are much more common in the canoe country are also very adept at stashing food for later use.

The ten inch snowfall was most welcome and much needed for winter time outdoor activities.  After spending most of Wednesday digging out, I was more than ready to take my cross country skis out of storage and put them to good use.  Thursday morning I decided to bushwhack ski my own trail out to the summit of Rattlesnake bluff overlooking Lake Pepin, Wacouta and highway 61.  Bushwhack skiing is much more work than skiing groomed trails, but opens up unlimited places to explore.

Friday found me down at Frontenac State Park trying out the wonderful trails that are available to any skier carrying a state of Minnesota ski pass. 

Their various trails are all packed and many are nicely groomed.  A most pleasant surprise was the new Pine loop section that travels through a beautiful stand of Norway and white pines which is a part of the recent 37 acre donation to the park from the Millicent Lange family.  It is a great addition to what is already a wonderful cross country skiing resource for this area.  Be sure to check it out this winter.