TNBillyEarl
Beginner
- Jan 31, 2021
- 75
- 268
My wife and I have a saying that is uttered at least twice a week when we compare our days, "You just never know what the day will bring..." Well, today I was fortunate enough to have lunch w/ a Biologist. I have known him on the periphery of life, but no longer. I knew he was an Ecologist or Environmental Scientist who at one time studied squirrels, so I had in the back of my mind many, many questions should the opportunity arise when our paths crossed.
Of course my questions were about interpreting squirrels while deer hunting and he eagerly obliged. His answers were fascinating: types of squirrels, types of sounds, parts of the country, levels of mast from the previous year, time of the year, air or ground danger, what different tail wags indicate, etc. It was so much more than what I brought with my self-centered queries. He also explained to me why you can't hear Great Horned Owls when they fly (the make-up of their feathers, totally unique). Lunch was over too soon.
One thing I found humorous from his work is exactly how in his research he would startle squirrels to study them. He put a stuffed cat on the top of remote controlled dune buggies and ran them through the forest while doing everything I would do as a deer hunter. He made and threw gliders that looked like hawks, and more, all the while recording sounds and video. You can see a synthesis of some of his work here: https://www.wired.com/2014/06/squirrel-alarm-calls-are-surprisingly-complex/
I made a friend today and am going to do some field work with him soon...
-B
Of course my questions were about interpreting squirrels while deer hunting and he eagerly obliged. His answers were fascinating: types of squirrels, types of sounds, parts of the country, levels of mast from the previous year, time of the year, air or ground danger, what different tail wags indicate, etc. It was so much more than what I brought with my self-centered queries. He also explained to me why you can't hear Great Horned Owls when they fly (the make-up of their feathers, totally unique). Lunch was over too soon.
One thing I found humorous from his work is exactly how in his research he would startle squirrels to study them. He put a stuffed cat on the top of remote controlled dune buggies and ran them through the forest while doing everything I would do as a deer hunter. He made and threw gliders that looked like hawks, and more, all the while recording sounds and video. You can see a synthesis of some of his work here: https://www.wired.com/2014/06/squirrel-alarm-calls-are-surprisingly-complex/
I made a friend today and am going to do some field work with him soon...
-B
