Deer and rabbit explosion

The severity of our winters has a direct impact on the wildlife population. Last year’s mild winter meant that insects, nuts, berries and other food sources for wildlife were abundant. As a result of the mild temps and the rich food supply, the deer and rabbit numbers on the farm have exploded. Every morning and evening we see lots of rabbits, young and old, grazing in the yard and along the edges of the lane. The deer browse the fields (checking on the ripeness of the blackberries and wineberries, no doubt) before bedding down for the night in the tall grass.

We don’t hunt so regular visitors like this young white-tailed deer are brave enough to come to the salt block behind the house, usually in the cool of the evening. She had a fawn with her, but it remained well hidden in the underbrush.

The dogs love the excitement and it makes for a lively time when they catch the scent of anything furry. The three of them race around the porch barking (except for Noah, who is mute) like we’re under siege from Bigfoot and a few of his relatives. You would think they would get used to the deer visiting, but no, it’s fresh and exciting every time. It’s gonna be a long summer.

Remembering the monarch butterfly and northern bobwhite

I got to thinking today about how common monarch butterflies were in my neighborhood when I was growing up (many years ago!) in Silver Spring, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, DC. Back then, monarchs were as common as tiger swallowtails are today. I would sneak up on these orange and black beauties and gently catch their wings between my thumb and forefinger, and keep them just long enough to admire their exquisite markings and study their body parts before letting them go.

Today, monarch numbers are declining rapidly, largely due to loss of habitat (as our country grows in population) and use of pesticides for agriculture and our zeal to keep our lawns weed-free. When we moved to southwestern Virginia in 2011, I watched dozens flying south in September on their way to their wintering ground in Mexico. Every year since then, I have seen fewer and fewer monarchs. Last year, I saw only three monarchs on the farm all summer and the fall migration was barely noticeable.

Monarch on purple ironweed

Same with the northern bobwhite. There was an abandoned orchard next to our old subdivision that had become overgrown with tall grass and wildflowers where we regularly heard their whistled bob-white calls. They foraged in groups and we would see them scurrying between cover or bursting into flight if they happened to see us. Like the monarchs, bobwhites have been in sharp decline throughout the past half-century due to habitat loss and changes in agriculture. According to the North American Breeding Bird Survey, bobwhites have declined 85% between 1966 and 2014.

Male northern bobwhite

Bill and I made the decision when we moved to our farm to create more habitat for wildlife. We only mow around the house, and in six years, the fields that were once cow pasture have grown up into shrubs and young trees, creating a diversity of habitat and more cover and food for wildlife.

I guess our 20 acres is a drop in the bucket compared to what’s needed to help these declining species. We’re doing what we can, but what I wouldn’t give to see monarchs on the wildflowers or hear the cheery song of the bobwhites once again.

Five-lined skinks

Anytime I am weeding, cultivating, or mulching I frequently come across a five-lined skink, a common lizard in our area. They are also called blue-tailed skinks for the bright blue tail sported by juveniles (shown below). As they grow and age, the pattern becomes less conspicuous; the stripes darken, the body lightens, and the tail turns gray. This skink grows to anywhere from 5 to 8-1/2 inches in length.

Active foragers that feed on crickets, flies, grasshoppers, grubs, beetles, snails, ants and spiders, skinks keep garden pests under control and help to maintain a healthy ecological balance. We frequently find them in our compost pile where they are welcome to anything they can find to eat — a fair exchange for all the garden pests they consume.

Skinks prefer moist, partially-wooded habitat that provides ample cover, as well as open areas to bask in the sun. The female lays eggs between the middle of May and July in a small cavity in leaf litter or beneath a rotting log, stump, board, loose bark, rock, or in an abandoned rodent burrow.

A fascinating fact about skinks (and some other lizards) is their ability to evade predators including snakes, crows, hawks, shrews, moles, opossums, skunks, raccoons and domestic cats by losing all or a portion of their tail when grabbed. Skinks are usually able to escape their predators that are distracted as the wriggling tail continues to twitch.

Offering a diversity of habitat enables us to attract many different kinds of wildlife, and skinks are always welcome!