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"Whiskers" is back...


Photo Information
Copyright: Jay Meeuwig (Shoot_Score) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 473 W: 318 N: 684] (2364)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-11-30
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Fuji Finepix S7000
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): !Critters [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-01-12 2:07
Viewed: 1089
Points: 48
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I recently learned some very interesting information about the North American Red Squirrel
(Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) ,that blew me away! Here is the gist of it:

Biologists* have discovered that these furry critters can anticipate when evergreens will produce bumper crops of seeds, and they respond with larger than usual litters. Keep in mind that baby squirrels are not born "next day"...

Typically, spruce and pine trees use a boom-and-bust strategy in their seed production to counter the big appetite of squirrels.
In lean years trees starve squirrels so that when larger seed crops are produced randomly, there are < from the trees' poit of view, hopefully > fewer squirrels around to eat up all the future seedlings.

Monitoring red squirrels in the Yukon, near Kluane National Park , has led to very surprising results. Months before a big cone season started, squirrels went into a reproductive frenzy!!!!!!! This pattern was seen again in 1993, 1998 as well as more recently in 2005.

The information comes from a recent article in the journal Science Lead author Stan Boutin, a University of Alberta biologist, said: "We usually predict that animals will just track resources and respond at a later date, so this is very surprising,"
and "Lots of animals breed well ahead of the spring flush when babies are born, and they can do that each year because temperature and daylight changes are such good predictors of upcoming changes,"...
"It's a little bit tougher when things are unpredictable like seed production years, but the squirrels obviously figured out a cue."

Squirrels also take quite a chance, he said, because they end up having their offspring during seasons with no resources in order to outwit the trees' swamp-and-starve mechanism.

There's no danger that the squirrels will wipe the trees out, he said. Lots of seed still escapes to produce young seedlings.

Well........ there you have it! For more info, google for "journal Science squirrels Boutin" < without the quotes of course >. Or buy a copy of the Dec 2006 issue of Science.


In this shot my lil friend "Whiskers" is cruising my collection of lobstertraps... The traps and ropes, likely provide an environ that is fun to play in... for some creatures... I doubt that it will influence the reproductive results for "Whiskers".

In any case I enjoy the company of these lil squirrels! Especially when they are not scolding me!


PS Another busy specimen

* Anticipatory Reproduction and Population Growth in Seed Predators
Stan Boutin,1* Lucas A. Wauters,2 Andrew G. McAdam,3 Murray M. Humphries,4 Guido Tosi,2 André A. Dhondt5,6
claudine, Adanac, star74, NellyD, jeanpaul, loot, alguazul, pablominto, whjb, JPlumb, TAZ, blakitan, Silke, Finland_in_Eton, marhowie, mlines has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To marhowie: lobster supper??Shoot_Score 1 06-07 18:31
To Silke: About religious studies...Shoot_Score 1 02-13 20:33
To Silke: Whiskers IIShoot_Score 2 02-12 18:47
To blakitan: I have to cut some firewood!Shoot_Score 1 02-01 14:23
To marmottelolo: Merci LaurentShoot_Score 1 01-29 11:47
To peter_stoeckl: New FactsShoot_Score 1 01-26 07:02
To Nephrotome2: You are back!Shoot_Score 2 01-18 16:02
To alguazul: Gracias Carlos.Shoot_Score 1 01-14 16:02
To loot: Me and my pal!Shoot_Score 1 01-14 15:52
To jeanpaul: Squirrel ESP: < mon pays, c'est l'hiver>...Shoot_Score 1 01-14 15:50
To NellyD: Is onze winter eindelijk hier? Eekhoorn ESP!Shoot_Score 1 01-14 15:44
To star74: Do squirrels have ESP? Is winter finally here?Shoot_Score 1 01-14 15:42
To Adanac: Is winter finally here? Do squirrels have ESP?Shoot_Score 1 01-14 15:40
To claudine: < Mon pays , c'est l'hiver >Shoot_Score 1 01-14 15:37
To clnaef: Merci ClaudeShoot_Score 1 01-14 15:32
To whjb: another pair of horns ...Shoot_Score 1 01-14 15:28
To whjb: .......asleep for the last X hoursShoot_Score 1 01-14 15:26
To pablominto: .......asleep for the last X hoursShoot_Score 1 01-14 15:17
To pankajbajpai: Thanx Pankaj.Shoot_Score 1 01-14 00:05
To NellyD: Thanx Nel!Shoot_Score 1 01-14 00:03
To loot: Thanx Loot!Shoot_Score 1 01-13 23:59
To alguazul: My turn...Shoot_Score 1 01-13 23:57
To claudine: "... start of pixels."Shoot_Score 1 01-12 07:21
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Critiques [Translate]

Bonjour,
Excellent cadrage rapproché.
Bonne journée.
clnaef

Hello Jay,
LOL! What a nice and cute pose from your friend Whiskers. Details seem good to me but I feel that maybe you cropped it a little too much, is it possible? It seems to me that we can see a start of pixels. I like this POV and lightning and those very interesting notes. Thanks,
Claudine

Hi Jay,
Buddy is back again, was he AWOL for a sleep or mate choosing. Capture is sharp and well composed, thanks for sharing.
Rick

Hello Jay,
Very interesting shot of the this cute squirrel.
Nice pose.
Excellent details and sharpness.
Well done

hi jay,
lovely shot,
well composed with fine pov,
nice dof,
lovely colours,
well done,
tfs & regards
pankaj

Hi Jay,

Whiskers....what a cute name for a cute little animal!
I like your capture here, you caught him on a very nice pose.
Beautiful colours, good POV, details and light and your notes are very interesting.
Thanks for sharing.

Greetings, Nel

Bonjour Jay
Encore une superbe photo que tu nous proposes.
La netteté et la couleurs sont superbes.
Merci et au revoir...JP

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5747 W: 606 N: 3503] (9405)
  • [2007-01-13 15:21]
  • [+]

Hi Jay

Your pall Whiskers sure has a magic personality and charm about him and easily raises this shot to a surprisingly pleasant cuteness factor. The lobster traps makes for some interesting props in the shot with a nice evenly BG as captured of the shed wall.

A great composition with good colours, sharp details, and splendid exposure control especially when considering the fact that Whiskers had the sun light coming from his side and slightly towards the back.

Very well done and TFS.
Regards
Loot

PS. Sorry for the short critique, but I’m having problems again with the cellulites and cannot sit at the PC for long.

Bonito contraluz. La luz y los colores muy bien. Hay algo de ruido pero la foto está muy bien.

Hello Jay,
Interesting information given in the note, that means there is squirrel year this year since last year was a big cone year!
And the little guy is captured in a fine attentive pose, like he's got his eye on some food he has to go get...
Good colours, nicxe details, well framed!
Greetings,
Pablo -

  • Great 
  • whjb Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 51 W: 26 N: 172] (683)
  • [2007-01-14 9:24]
  • [+]

Hi Jay,

Nice pic and I absolutely love the note. Very interesting and informative. Well done.

TFS
Willem

PS I posted another pair of horns for your theme

excellent capture.
Good mastering of light/exposition
Nice pose.
TFS

  • Great 
  • JPlumb Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 644 W: 160 N: 894] (2837)
  • [2007-01-22 20:58]

Hey Jay, nicely cropped composition of Whiskers. You've picked up great detail and colour for this guy. You're on the edge with your highlights but it looks like you've managed them pretty well.

Thanks, John

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2385 W: 50 N: 3186] (10922)
  • [2007-01-23 1:27]

Bonjour Jay,
What a cute squirrel ! I am jalous because in my french Alps they are so wild...
The "+++" : nice subject, pose, point of view, sharpness, DOF, colors, instructive note...
The "-" : a white part OE...
Bravo my friend and TFS.
Christian

Hello Jay,
charming, cheerful, vibrantly lively capture of the squirrel, coming with a lot of well prepared and well presented new facts in the notes. Thank you!
Best regards,
Peter

bonjour jay
le BG n'est pas parfait et les blancs OE mais l'ecureuil est trellement mignon que cela merite un grand smile.
laurent

Hi Jay,
Very nicely capturing this cute squirrel.
Nice natural colors.
Thanks for sharing.

Ben Lakitan

  • Great 
  • Silke Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 753 W: 108 N: 1729] (5398)
  • [2007-02-12 17:00]
  • [+]

A very cute little one -- I do hope that the feral cat who has been prowling your neighbourhood leaves this little one alone.
superb POV and comp
TFS
silke

Very nice photo of a chubby, cheeky little guy. Love the way his whiskers glisten in the sunlight. Admiring the successful exposure of a backlit subject, a skill I am still struggling with. Lovely detail, and nice POV. TFS

Hi Jay
Cheer up the weather is going to warm up, it's spring you know. This little Red Squirrel cheered me up when I saw him. He is so cute! Nice colours, composition and pose.
TFS Janice
..going up to +15 Saturday :D

Cute shot Jay..Cruisin' the lobster traps hey?
So when are you going to invite me over for some lobster supper?? :)
Howard

nice picture
I like the posing of the animal!
good
tfs TOba

  • Great 
  • mlines Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 509 W: 17 N: 555] (2560)
  • [2007-08-28 14:59]

Hi Jay. his is a very good close up of the furry friend. Excellent cropping and colours. TFS. Murray.

Very interesting shot of the this cute squirrel.

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