Oak tree droppings - Ask Extension
I realize the catkins are coming soon. But this year I have been inundated with a lot of these very small seed like droppings from the oak tree over m...
Knowledgebase
Oak tree droppings #787969
Asked April 25, 2022, 1:26 PM EDT
I realize the catkins are coming soon. But this year I have been inundated with a lot of these very small seed like droppings from the oak tree over my pool. Are they seeds? Or what are they? Flowers? Thank you.
Anne Arundel County Maryland
Expert Response
We can't concretely identify them, but they appear to be buds (including those that produce catkins) that have either fallen off or been knocked off of the twigs. (Squirrels might be responsible, or songbirds pecking at insects starting to feed on the tiny leaves inside.) Despite how prolific the fallen buds may be, this shedding is unlikely to cause serious harm to the tree.
Miri
Miri
For the past two years, maybe every two or three weeks, I find a large collection of relatively small twits, not branches at the food of one, possibly two, of the mature oak trees in my yard. There are two other trees that this doesn't happen with.
I get twigs throughout the yard from the trees, but several times a year, even in the summer, I think, I get a vastly greater number very near the trunk of the tree. Do you know what would cause this?
I've circled a couple of particularly large groups of twigs among the still fully large droppings around them.
Thank you for whatever light you can shed on this.
Michael
Hello Michael,
There are a handful of organisms that might be responsible for clipping off tree twigs, and sometimes it's hard to determine which is responsible (and overlap between more than one of them at the same time or during the same year is also possible).
Squirrels are common culprits as they either use the chewing to wear-down their ever-growing teeth, to harvest materials to build or repair nests/shelters (called "dreys"), and occasionally to access nutrients in the sapwood just under the bark (though usually this is on branches too large for them to fully remove). While the familiar Eastern Gray Squirrel may be primarily responsible, we do also have a widespread population of their cousins the Southern Flying Squirrel, which are much more secretive and nocturnal and might inhabit a yard undetected.
Two similar-looking native beetle species use twigs to support the feeding of their larvae: Twig Girdlers and Twig Pruners. Either can cause twigs to fall with neatly-clipped ends, though the details in the shape of how each is chewed off differs between them. As with the squirrels, although their activity might be a nuisance, it won't harm the overall health of the tree, especially one this mature.
The emergence of the periodical cicadas a couple of years ago also might be responsible for some of the twig shedding. The egg-laying damage on twigs from the female cicadas didn't always cause twig dieback (called "flagging") right away, and sometimes the weakened wood around the slit they created breaks off in a future year during windy or icy weather. If you see the dashed-line scar characteristic of this type of injury near the break point on the fallen twigs, then old cicada injury might be a contributing factor in the shedding. It should wane as the branches either seal the wounds more solidly or as the number of unsnapped twigs dwindles given how many have already fallen off.
Miri
There are a handful of organisms that might be responsible for clipping off tree twigs, and sometimes it's hard to determine which is responsible (and overlap between more than one of them at the same time or during the same year is also possible).
Squirrels are common culprits as they either use the chewing to wear-down their ever-growing teeth, to harvest materials to build or repair nests/shelters (called "dreys"), and occasionally to access nutrients in the sapwood just under the bark (though usually this is on branches too large for them to fully remove). While the familiar Eastern Gray Squirrel may be primarily responsible, we do also have a widespread population of their cousins the Southern Flying Squirrel, which are much more secretive and nocturnal and might inhabit a yard undetected.
Two similar-looking native beetle species use twigs to support the feeding of their larvae: Twig Girdlers and Twig Pruners. Either can cause twigs to fall with neatly-clipped ends, though the details in the shape of how each is chewed off differs between them. As with the squirrels, although their activity might be a nuisance, it won't harm the overall health of the tree, especially one this mature.
The emergence of the periodical cicadas a couple of years ago also might be responsible for some of the twig shedding. The egg-laying damage on twigs from the female cicadas didn't always cause twig dieback (called "flagging") right away, and sometimes the weakened wood around the slit they created breaks off in a future year during windy or icy weather. If you see the dashed-line scar characteristic of this type of injury near the break point on the fallen twigs, then old cicada injury might be a contributing factor in the shedding. It should wane as the branches either seal the wounds more solidly or as the number of unsnapped twigs dwindles given how many have already fallen off.
Miri
I was surprised to read this past week that Canada Geese in Maryland usually molt from mid-June through July and, while growing new feathers, aren't able to fly.
I've lived on the water and watched them for almost 30 years, but have never noticed this lack of flight. Is this generally true?
Are there maybe some migratory geese mixed in with the non-migrating flocks who might have molted earlier and are able to fly throughout June?
My dog has routinely jumped into the water to swim after the baby geese, especially when they're on their first swims. I suspect that is usually in mid-May. Non-parenting geese usually swim between him and the families to distract him in the time it takes for me to get the kayak into the water to pull him out. He suffers occasional seizures so, even though I don't think he could catch the babies, I don't like running the risk that he would have a seizure while swimming. Now that he is in his teens, he has less interest in this annual pursuit of the babies.
The mature, non-parenting geese seldom, if ever, flew away from him once he started paddling after them. Is this maybe because they are already unable to fly?
I realize I've conflated the issue. So:
1. Are the geese in Maryland essentially grounded from mid-June through July?
2. Does this happen after the breeding couples brood is no longer distinguishable as babies or juveniles?
Thanks, as always,
Michael
Hello Michael,
It's true some bird species molt their flight feathers periodically and may be unable to fly during that time, but we are not experts about the details of bird life cycles in this regard and encourage you to inquire with either a local Audubon society to ask or peruse resources like Cornell's All About Birds.
Miri
It's true some bird species molt their flight feathers periodically and may be unable to fly during that time, but we are not experts about the details of bird life cycles in this regard and encourage you to inquire with either a local Audubon society to ask or peruse resources like Cornell's All About Birds.
Miri
