WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Red squirrels eating buds

Now that it is May, and everything is greening up outside, you might think life is easier for our wildlife. But Naturalist Bridget Butler tells us that's not always the case. This is a stressful time of year for squirrels.

"So is that a squirrel or a chipmunk? It's a squirrel isn't it?"

"Yes, it looks like a red squirrel. And in telling the difference between the two, you want to look for those stripes down the back. No stripes...looks like a red squirrel."

"What's he doing up there?"

"He's feeding, ..on buds! On the ends of the branches there!"

" Is that normal food for him?"

"You know what's interesting? This time of year, you wouldn't think so, but this is the most stressful time of year for squirrels. Their favorite food source is pine cones, little spruce or fir cones. Those peak in the fall, and then through the winter, they kind of finish up all of the food that they have cashed. And when spring comes, it's very, very stressful. They're out of food, and they are looking for something else to eat."

"So what are they eating? Just buds and..?"

"So they move on to buds, this one looks like it's eating elm tree buds, but they'll also eat maple buds and then drink the sap, they'll bite the little pieces off the little twigs, and then drink the sap from the tree."

"One of the struggles with squirrels, squirrels can be damaging. The maple folks have a hard time with squirrels damaging their lines. But then bird population also has a hard time with squirrels."

"Really!?"

"When squirrels are stressed, they can sometimes go after bird eggs, and bird babies as well."

"Oh! No!"

"Yes, a little rough! But it's something that scientists like to keep track of when they're studying birds, how many red squirrels are in the area so they can understand impacts on the population. "

"I think of squirrels as eating nuts and seeds and acorns, ...in all of their pictures and stuff, but baby birds!"

"I know, not baby birds!"