3 October 2022
The hardest thing to notice in Nature is the date of an absence. When did the last junco leave in the spring? When did the last groundhog go into hibernation?
Right now eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus) are busy gathering nuts to store in their underground burrows for the winter. As the season changes and temperatures drop they will disappear into their burrows to enter torpor, sleeping off and on through the winter.
The warm winters of climate change can fool them into not entering torpor but the result is deadly. Only 10% survive. Find out why in this vintage blog:
Meanwhile I will hope our chipmunks disappear and will try to figure when they do it.
Here’s how I notice an absence: I write down every day when I do see them and then scan my notes for days when I’ve not logged them anymore.
(photo from Wikimedia Commons; click on the link to see the original)
I saw one yesterday during a 90 minute walk
I’ve still been seeing chipmunks madly dashing across the road in front of my car and “chipping” outside of our window (and I can’t figure out why, there doesn’t seem to be any danger around). One thing this morning, I heard a white-throated sparrow, which would be the first winter bird I’ve heard/seen this autumn.
i feed them but i have not seen them in two weeks .
I have not seen any of my chippies in about 10 days. I just love these little critters. I hope they come back soon, the weather is still warm.
Mine disappeared too in August. He came every day for peanuts and seed then he didn’t show up anymore.im worried he was caught by a fox or raccoon.
They usually do come back. It is 8:30 am on September 15 and I wasn’t sure if they were gone for the year but I just saw one eating seeds and nuts .It is 54 and chilly here in Massachusetts.
As much as I love them, it is just about time for them to hibernate. I would rather they stay safe. By November they retire so I will cut the food to bird seed and save the sunflower seeds in case the weather. I wonder if we are all from New England.