Winter food drop spurs wildlife visits
ASSOCIATED PRESS
10/01/2007
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Homeowners in the Ozarks are being warned against leaving food outdoors because of the danger of luring hungry bears onto their property.
In urban areas like Kansas City where there isn’t a danger of bears, residents could see a sharp increase in the number of mice that invade their homes.
A freeze in April and drought in August have stifled the nut, fruit and seed production on many plants and trees, experts say. That means more wildlife than usual will be forced out of fields and into people’s yards looking for food.
“With mice, people better get ready for them this winter,” said Alan Branhagen, horticulture manager at Powell Gardens east of Kansas City. “They’re going to want inside the house because the food crop is so bad.”
In the Ozarks, black bears that typically gorge on acorns to prepare for hibernation will have to look elsewhere for nourishment because the nuts will be scarce. The white oaks that provide food for the bears and other wildlife such as turkeys, squirrels and songbirds, didn’t produce a crop.
On top of that, papaw trees that usually produce a soft fruit that ripens in early autumn and is eaten by many times of wildlife didn’t do so this year.
“We’re probably seeing more animals such as raccoons and possums out and about scavenging for food in the park,” said Conrad Schmitt, director of the Lakeside Nature Center in Kansas City’s Swope Park.
For bird watchers, however, the lack of food in nature could mean a big increase in the number of birds that flock to feeders.
That doesn’t necessarily mean a surge in the most-typical birds that are seen at feeders, said Larry Rizzo, a natural-history biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation. But there should be more birds such as robins, cedar waxwings, bluebirds and mockingbirds that usually rely heavily on fruits in the winter, he said.
“When you have less food available, birds will push into the feeders quicker than usual,” said Mark McKellar, an ornithologist who operates a feeder supply store and tracks bird trends. “We’re already seeing it this fall.”
Obviously I never convinced you that the bear we heard in Waterton was about as close as you want to come to this wild animal. As a mom with 2 little kids on a path in the wilds of Canada, I was extremely nervous we were as close as we were, especially with Rachel having to be carried since she had fallen and scraped both knees as well as her palms.
If any of this confused anyone, just ask Brooke. I think my side of the story is much scarier than her version.
well, i remember dana and i trying to stay away from you and debbie, since you were singing and talking loud to scare the bear away and we wanted to see it. i also remember being cold and wearing flannel and understanding the signs in french since it was right after i’d been to jba. but i still want to see a bear!
Gee, I just saw one last Friday on the way to Marshfield. It was thinking about crossing the road but decided to head back into the woods instead. You’ll have to come and visit. We have a microbrewry and disk golf courses for added attraction.