1. Sunday, October 11, 2015An edition of the
outdoors
F
Imagine taking your dog out for a walk
early in the morning when you notice the cat
near the food — just like every other morning.
At first, nothing is of concern. That is, until a
white stripe becomes visible amid the dark fur
on the animal.
While many people would expect to see
skunks in rural areas, it is not uncommon to
see them in residential areas and in cities.
Shawn Rossler, a furbearer biologist for the
Indiana Department of Natural Resources, said
through observations and phone calls, he has no-
ticed an increase of the skunk population locally.
“A lot of times, there are issues if they’re
getting into crawl spaces (around houses),”
Rossler said.
Anyone who has a skunk near their home
or in their yard can watch the animal leave
its burrow and then close off the entryway, so
the mammal has to find a new spot to live. On
the Indiana Department of Natural Resources
website, it recommends packing a burrow with
leaves or using a “mild repellent” such as rags
soaked in ammonia to make the skunk leave
the burrow.
If you have tried to exclude the skunk and
it is still sticking around, contacting a wildlife
control operator would be the next option, to
get help with relocation of the animal or eutha-
nasia, Rossler said.
An increase in skunks is nothing to be
concerned about, though, because the skunk
population tends to fluctuate “like a roller-
coaster,” he said.
The population could be higher for sev-
eral years, but it then will go down naturally
through disease and overpopulation, since
skunks do not have a lot of natural predators.
People might notice an increase in the early
spring, the breeding season for skunks, and
several months later, around this time, when
the young leave their mother and begin to look
for their own territory and burrows.
Rossler said people don’t have to worry
about the mammals, unless they have rabies.
Even with an increase in the population, no
more problems have been reported this year,
Population increase no big concern
By Madeline Dippel
812-331-4399 I mdippel@heraldt.com
Are you still seeing hum-
mingbirds? I have at least
one still visiting my feeders
and flowers. No need to take
down the feeders. It may help
a straggler make the trip south
and the presence of food will
not prevent them from migrat-
ing. You can follow the hum-
mingbird migration and report
your sightings at the Journey
North website, www.learner.
org/jnorth.
This is the time of year to
start watching visitors careful-
ly to see if you have something
other than a ruby-throated
hummingbird. Every fall, a
couple of unusual humming-
birds turn up in Indiana. A
few years ago, a female rufous
hummingbird visited my
feeder from November until
mid-January, surviving nights
as cold as 8 degrees.
As the hummingbirds and
the other summer birds leave,
other birds are making their
way south to us. Warblers
and shorebirds are migrating
through our area, and the first
juncos and white-throated
sparrows are appearing. A few
days ago, I had several golden-
crowned kinglets in the hem-
lock trees behind my house.
A few weeks ago I attended
the Midwest Birding Sym-
posium in Bay City, Michi-
gan. Migrants were coming
through and we saw lots of
warblers and shorebirds,
plenty of ducks and geese,
gulls, terns, great egrets and
herons, eagles and quite a few
hawks.
This event, sponsored by
Birdwatcher’s Digest and oth-
ers, is held every other year at
various places in the Midwest,
with each city hosting the
event twice. I had attended
several since the 1990s, in
southwestern Michigan;
Lakeside, Ohio, on Lake Erie;
and Green Bay, Wisconsin. I’ve
made many trips to Michigan,
but had never been to the
Saginaw Bay area before and
this seemed like a good chance
to visit.
The Doubletree in Bay City
was the headquarters for the
event, and about 400 people
attended, all interested in
birds. Some were profession-
als, others were expert birders,
regular backyard birds, or new
to the hobby. The Midwest
Birding Symposium bills itself
as “The friendliest event in
bird watching” and it was
easy to see why. Everyone
was interested talking about
birds. There were also plenty
of vendors selling books, nest
boxes, bird-themed jewelry, art
and more. A whole room was
devoted to optics and all the
latest scopes and binoculars
were there to try out.
My friend, Jo Hargesheimer,
and I arrived Thursday so
that we could enjoy a dinner
cruise on the Saginaw River
with friends who live in other
states. It was a good way to get
our bearings and see the city
from the riverfront all the way
into Lake Huron. Gulls, eagles,
ducks, geese and night herons
Symposium, local outings, apps are all ways to learn about birds
By Cathy Meyer
Special to the Hoosier Times
BIRDING
JEREMY HOGAN | HERALD-TIMES
Cathie Hutcheson bands an adult female rufous hummingbird caught Friday,
Dec. 15, 2006, at the home of Nancy and Chuck Buckles in Ellettsville.
BELOW: Two striped
skunks play on a log.
At this time of the year,
most first-year skunks
are venturing out on their
own and may discover cat
and dog food near homes
as easy food sources.
GETTY IMAGES | COURTESY PHOTO
LEFT: A skunk
lifts its tail as
it checks out a
possible threat.
Although known for
spraying, skunks
are usually timid
and nonagressive
and won’t spray
unless they feel
threatened.
GETTY IMAGES | COURTESY PHOTO
SEE SKUNKS | PAGE F2
SKUNKS
SHOW
THEIR
STRIPES
SEE BIRDING | PAGE F2
OCTOBER 13–14 IUAUDITORIUM.COMHT-6272793

2. F2 | SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2015 | HOOSIER TIMES | OUTDOORS
made their appearance,
with guides pointing out
each bird sighted. It was
a great way to meet some
people and get to know
the area.
The following days
started with a nice break-
fast on our own at the
hotel followed by several
hours of bird trips. There
were several destinations
to choose from each day,
some with transporta-
tion provided and others
driving on our own. Lo-
cal guides provided help
with identifying the birds
and everyone had a good
chance to see them.
The remainder of each
day, there were sessions
and keynote speakers.
Topics included mating
behaviors, hawk watch-
ing, listening to birds,
conservation topics, gull
identification, purple
martins, Kirtland warbler
status, birding by impres-
sion and more.
Doug Tallamy, who
has made presentations
at Indiana University
and Indianapolis based
on his book “Bringing
Nature Home,” spoke
about Rebuilding Na-
ture’s Relationships —
Conserving Nature by
Conserving Food Webs,
based on his new book
about landscaping. He
stressed the need for in-
sects that birds require to
feed their young and the
native plants that sup-
port those insects. A few
amazing facts he shared:
A pair of chickadees feed
their nestlings about 30
caterpillars every half
hour from 6 a.m. till 8
p.m. Over 16 days, that
amounts to about 6,000-
9,000 caterpillars. A pair
of red-bellied woodpeck-
ers needs eight times
that number!
Plants develop chemi-
cal defenses to avoid
being eaten. Only a few
insects that co-evolved
with each plant can
digest that plant and
overcome the defenses.
So insects specialize on a
particular plant or group
of plants. Besides birds,
many other animals
also rely on insects for
food — bats, fishes, am-
phibians, lizards, small
snakes, spiders, skunks,
raccoons, foxes and even
bears. Other predators
rely on these animals for
food. A world without
insects is a world with-
out biodiversity.
Non-native plants
do not support these
insects. Tallamy suggests
that we need to think
of landscaping as more
than decoration and look
at the functions of the
plants. They should sup-
port life, sequester car-
bon, manage water and
support pollinators. He
envisions neighborhood
with linked backyards
filled with native plants
that provide corridors
for wildlife. If Americans
reduced their lawns by
half, 20 million acres
could be converted to
natural spaces that help
birds.
I look forward to read-
ing this new book, “The
Living Landscape,” and
hearing Tallamy speak at
the Indiana Native Plant
and Wildflower Society
conference in Indianapo-
lis on Nov. 14. Details can
be found at the website,
inpaws.org.
Another session fea-
tured smartphone apps
for birders. This was
very interesting to me
since I am still somewhat
naive about this technol-
ogy. Sharon Stiteler, or
“Birdchick,” shared the
ones she found most
useful. She claimed
just about everything
you need to go birding,
beside a water bottle and
your binoculars, can be
carried on your phone
— maps, compass, GPS,
weather, notes, flashlight,
dictionary, camera and
special birding apps.
One tip: To save battery
life, switch to “airplane
mode” when you aren’t
using the phone or In-
ternet.
For bird identifica-
tion, you can pick an app
related to the field guide
you like — Sibley, Audu-
bon, Peterson, National
Geographic, etc. A new
one devoted to warbler
identification is called
Warbler Guide. This
amazing app lets you ro-
tate an image of the bird
to see all views. There is
a new book with similar
detailed information
about warblers that you
can look through when
you get home. These
apps will cost more than
99 cents for a compre-
hensive guide, but some
have low cost or free ver-
sions that show the most
common species.
Some apps, such as
Merlin, will help you
identify a bird by asking
some questions about
size, color and so on.
There are 400 species
listed in this app from
the Cornell Lab. You can
also browse species to
use this as field guide.
Birds Eye will help
you find out what spe-
cies might be in an area
you are planning to
visit, based on sightings
reported by birders. The
more common species
are listed in the free
version; an upgrade will
get you more species
listings. There are handy
charts showing how fre-
quently a bird is reported
each month of the year,
too.
Another very popular
app is eBird. Like the
eBird website, this app
lets you record your ob-
servations for a bird out-
ing and keeps a list for
you. You can also search
locations where anyone
has reported a list and
see what they found.
Some special features are
only on the app, includ-
ing start timing when
you start birding and the
time and distance you
covered will be recorded
automatically. You start
the list and just keep
adding birds as you go
and it will all be record-
ed when you are done.
There are more —
bird quizzes, rare bird
alerts, Flickr for storing
your photos, etc., but
these are a good start.
Birding groups and
events are great ways to
become a better birder
and have fun. Contribut-
ing your observations to
Journey North or eBird
helps advance knowl-
edge about birds. You
can be a citizen scientist
while enjoying your
hobby! Participating in
Christmas Bird Counts,
Breeding Bird Surveys,
and feeder counts can be
both.
Cathy Meyer is a naturalist with
Monroe County Parks and Recre-
ation Department.
BIRDING
CONTINUED FROM PAGE F1
Rossler said. He added that
there is always the potential for
problems.
Skunks are generally small,
around 4 to 6 pounds, and are
not very aggressive unless they
are pressured or feel threat-
ened. Usually, it is not people
that are sprayed by skunks, but
pets, especially dogs, because
they tend to get curious about
another animal being around.
An easy solution to get rid
of the smell on your animal is
to apply a mixture of 1 quart
hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup of
baking soda and 1 tablespoon
liquid soap.
So, if you have noticed an
increase of skunks around the
area, the problem will be solved
within the next several years
naturally. In the meantime, you
can reduce the chances of an
encounter with a skunk by not
leaving out dog or cat food and
keeping your yard clean.
More about striped skunks
Skunks have been a protected
animal in Indiana since 1905.
Skunks are onmivores, eating
vegetables, animals or insects.
They eat chickens, young
animals, insects and grubs
and are important in helping
control rodent and insect
populations.
Skunks are non-aggressive
and will not spray unless
threatened. Usually, they will
raise their tail as a warning
before spraying a fluid —
n-butyl mercaptan — from the
animal’s anal tract. A skunk
can accurately dispense this
fluid at distances up to 10 feet
away and can shoot five or six
spurts at a time.
Skunks are members of the
mink and weasel family. An
adult skunk weighs between
4 and 6 pounds. Skunks are
nocturnal, so they should not
be seen during daylight hours.
Skunks hibernate in the winter,
but males will venture out to
search for food in midwinter.
Indiana landowners and ten-
ants can live-trap a skunk that
is causing damage on their
property without a permit
from the Department of Natu-
ral Resources. The skunk must
be euthanized or released
within the county of capture
on property with permission
of the landowner. People
can also contact a licensed
nuisance wild animal control
operator. There is a list of wild
animal control operators on
the agency’s website, www.
dnr.in.gov. Select “Divisions,”
Fish and Wildlife, Get Help
with a Nuisance Animal and
the Nuisance Wildlife Control
Operators.
SOURCE: Indiana Department of
Natural Resources
SKUNKS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE F1
To add an event to the Outdoor
calendar, email outdoor@her-
aldt.com or call 812-331-4359.
Items need to be received by
noon Monday to be included in
that Sunday’s paper.
Slow Saunter hike
The Indiana Forest Alliance
will host its Second Sunday
Slow Saunter hike through the
Leota State Wild Area Oct. 11.
The hike will include part of
the Knobstone Trail, known as
the little Appalachian Trail of
Indiana. A group will meet at
11 a.m. at the Seminary Square
Kroger on Second Street in
Bloomington. If going directly to
the trail head, contact Jason at
jason@indianaforestalliance.org
for directions.
Brown County tours
Join IndiGo Birding every Friday
in October to visit the trails and
back roads of southern Brown
County. The tour will focus on
the history of the land, fall col-
ors and the resident and migrant
birds there. Tour will include
a walk on the Nebo Ridge trail
and lunch at Story Inn. The tour
will depart from Nashville with
transportation provided. Cost
is $30. To register and for more
information, visit indigobirding.
com/calendar.php
Work and Learn Day
Stop by the Bloomington Com-
munity Orchard 1-4 p.m. Satur-
days in October and November
to help maintain the community
fruit garden. No registration is
needed, just stop by and they
will show you what to do. This
is ope to people of all ages,
abilities and experience. The
orchard is at 2120 S. Highland
Ave., Bloomington. For more, or
to schedule large groups, email
getinvolved@bloomingtoncom-
munityorchard.org.
Lilly Library
The Sassafras Audubon Society
will have an evening of Charles
Darwin at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
The night will include a guide
to a collection of books, letters,
photographs and other artifacts
of Darwin. The event will be at
the Lilly Library, 1200 E. Seventh
St. on the Indiana University
campus in Bloomington.
Audubon Society walk
The Sassafras Audubon Society
will lead a walk to look for late
fall migrants Saturday at Porter
West Preserve. SAS President
Tommy Grav will lead the
walk. Participants can carpool
by meeting at 8 a.m. at the
Kroger on West Third Street in
Bloomington.
Autumn Getaway
Patoka Lake’s annual getaway
weekend is Friday and Saturday.
Bring canned vegetables at 5
p.m. to contribute to Friendship
Stew that will be served at 7
p.m. Bring lawn chairs, crackers,
bowls and eating utensils to
gather around the campfire and
eat with family and friends. At
7:30 p.m., following stew, there
will be Autumn Colors crafts.
Saturday will be full of events:
• 9:30-11 a.m., Fall Family Fun:
bring own pumpkin and carving
tools for the pumpkin carving
contest; bring a pre-washed
white cotton T-shirt for tie-
dying. Kids can bring a few
OUTDOOR
EVENTS
SEE EVENTS | PAGE F3
INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES | COURTESY PHOTO
This skunk was photographed in Harmonie State Park.
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2015 Events-
Nov. 6 & 7 -Holiday Bazaar
Gasthof Amish
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Green: Compost your Leaves!
Recycling your leaves by composting is the greenest way to both reduce
waste and create useful fertilizer for your yard. It’s natural, easy, and
requires almost no maintenance and can be done in any number of
ways. Plus, the leaves you compost can be used as mulch or as a
valuable nutrient in your soil.
You’ll reduce bagging time, save money, return precious nutrients and
organic matter back to the soil,reduce the need for fertilizer applications,
and keep the materials out of the waste stream. And when taking care
of your property remember it is very important to avoid leaf buildup on top of storm drains. This habit
will help to decrease the chance for flooding.
The City of Bloomington 2015 Curbside Leaf Collection will
take place November 2, 2015 through December 24, 2015
Each residence will receive one pickup.
All leaves must be as close to the curb as possible and may not be in the roadway or around fire hydrants.
Leaves will be vacuumed, so please DO NOT include other waste as it may clog equipment.
See the City of Bloomington website on the subject: https://bloomington.in.gov/leaves
And to find more information and learn nifty ways to reduce your footprint on the planet visit:
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Tri-State Gun & Knife Show
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National GuardArmory
Oct.24th
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Dec.5th
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Evansville,IN-
National GuardArmory
Nov.13th
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& 15th
Dec.18th
,19th
& 20st
Indianapolis,IN-
National GuardArmory (Holt Rd.)
Nov. 27th
,28th
& 29th
Starts Black Friday Noon-6