I can only imagine from the three puncture wounds healing on this little beggar that he was able to wiggle from the grasp of some bird's large talons. I felt so sorry for him I set out a plate of Wildlife Blend for him to nibble. Fox Squirrels are fattening up for the winter months ahead and may increase their weight by as much as 25 percent. The added weight mine has already gained may have just saved his life. Fox squirrels don’t hibernate like Woodchucks. With a little extra weight, squirrels can spend the bad weather days in their nests. Then the extra flab along with a nice winter coat, helps them stay warm on the other days when they seek squirreled-away food and other nourishment.

I'm guessing he had an encounter with a hawk. The Red-tailed Hawk uses its fast flight and large, sharp talons to capture a variety of different animal species. It feeds on small sized mammals, like squirrels, rabbits, and mice as well as snakes, birds, fish and insects.

Although we have hawks year-round in mid-Michigan, in the fall some of the northern hawks are migrating south and young hawks have just become independent.

By late September and early October the Cooper's, Red-tailed, and Red-shouldered hawks; Golden and Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcon, and Merlin are moving through to their winter territories. And watch for the Broad-winged Hawk, which at times can be seen in flocks, or kettles, "boiling" high into the sky. The next most commonly seen migrants are the feisty Sharp-shinned Hawk, American Kestrel, Osprey, and Northern Harrier.

The fall migration continues through October and into November, with good opportunities to see Northern Goshawks and eagles, along with Rough-legged Hawks and sometimes a Gyrfalcon.

I had a call today asking about a bird about the size of a jay but black and brown perched on the deck. It is always hard to ID a bird by someone else's description. Luckily she had a Bird Identification book and figured out it was a Sharp-shinned Hawk.

One good field guide is Birds of Michigan by Stan Tekiela. With this best-selling bird guide, identification is simple and informative. There’s no need to look through dozens of photos of birds that don’t live in your area. This book features 118 species of Michigan birds organized by color for ease of use. Do you see a yellow bird and don’t know what it is? Go to the yellow section to find out. Crisp, stunning full-page photographs present the species as you’ll see them in nature, and a “compare” feature helps you to decide between look-alikes. Plus, Stan Tekiela’s naturalist notes feature fascinating tidbits and facts.

The new edition includes six new species, updated photographs and range maps, expanded information, and even more of Stan’s expert insights.

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