Is Castro Valley squirrel group gathering nuts for the winter?
DEAR JOAN >> The squirrels are busily gathering nuts from our black walnut trees, running away to stash them, then running back to gather more, in the process, making some rather amazing leaps from one branch to another.
Are these gatherings communal, or is each squirrel gathering only for itself?
Given the hardness of black walnut shells, I suspect the squirrels are also doing a good job of keeping their teeth ground down.
— John Friesen, Castro Valley
DEAR JOHN >> It depends on the type of squirrel.
Some squirrels, including Douglas and red squirrels, keep their nuts in a single stash called a midden. All squirrels in the clan contribute to the midden and share the food.
Other squirrels, including grays, store their nuts in scattered caches, which is the most common. They dig holes to bury nuts, and even though they might be part of the same colony, they do this individually.
Researchers have discovered that squirrels use a sophisticated method of deciding where to bury the nuts and how to find them again. They tend to group like nuts — all almonds, for example, or all black walnuts — in the same area.
Researchers say this is using spatial memory. The squirrels often bury their food near landmarks to help them remember where the food is stored and to form a cognitive map of all storage locations.
As someone who can’t remember where I put half of my stuff, I find this impressive.
DEAR JOAN >> My neighborhood recently has been visited by several very large turkeys.
Where did they come from? Will they attack my dog? He’s a Yorkie. Otherwise, I don’t really mind them being in my yard, but I worry about them as my neighbors have a couple of very large dogs, and the turkeys can’t seem to fly.
— Sherry J., Antioch
DEAR SHERRY >> The turkeys are likely not escaped domestic turkeys but part of a large conglomerate of wild turkeys.
For the most part, the turkeys are not dangerous although they can be destructive to gardens, roof tiles and car finishes.
The turkeys are not native to California, but were brought here — first by early settlers and then by the state, which imported the turkeys for hunters. While a lot of the birds are killed during hunting season, the turkeys are quite prolific and their numbers have expanded to the point where 18% of the state is now populated with them.
The turkeys pose the greatest risk during mating season when the toms get protective of their harems. I once had a handsome tom take great exception to my car, flying at it as I tried to back out of my driveway and past a group of contented hens.
Because of their size and the spurs on their feet, they could harm your dog if he gets too aggressive. And in return, the large dogs can hurt the turkeys.
The turkeys, however, are not flightless. They can fly short distances, and they also roost in trees, which is quite the sight to see.
Despite their reputation for being dumb, they are intelligent and know where they aren’t wanted. Spraying them with water or blasting an airhorn will get them to move away from your yard. Unless there is something alluring there, they usually stay away.