Photo Essay
The Diversity of Midland's Urban Forest: Mammals
The 2008 class of the Llano Estacado chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists and other volunteers took thousands of pictures of wildlife in the urban landscape of Midland. We have selected the 250 best photos. Among the photographers are R.L. Orth, Sharon Long, Nina McCart, Chris Cherry, Randall Rogers, Leslie Harman, Taffy Armstrong, J.D. Drissel.
Related: Essay | Birds | Insects | Plants | Reptiles
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Ground squirrels are born in late April and early May. The young feed voraciously, for in a long hot dry summer they have to aestivate to avoid the heat and lack of food. Ground squirrels in city parks do not have to aestivate, since food will remain available.
Once in a while a porcupine wanders into town. Large scat full of tiny wood chips and vegetation sometimes appear in a back yard.
Fox scat is common town. Both gray and red foxes are common in town, but most people only see the gray foxes which sometimes sleep on top of houses or in trees. The red foxes cannot climb.
Fox squirrels came to Midland in large balled and burlapped trees brought to town on semi-trucks in February and March during the first litter of the season. Once here, the lack of predators allowed the population to explode, and now they are found in all parts of town.
Tree squirrels are often hit by cars.
Prairie dogs also moved into town since the 1980s, moving into parks and the airfield. They have thrived, thanks to few predators.
Prairie dogs frustrate the parks department, for they often set up housekeeping in sports fields.
Cottontail rabbits continue to survive in vacant lots around town, and sometimes raid an ornamental landscape.
Gray foxes are sometimes seen during the crepuscular hours of sunset and sunrise, trotting around parks and alleys, on the prowl for mice, dog food, or fallen fruit.
A fox caught a mouse, but for some reason vomited part of its meal. An Aphanogaster ant found it, and its colony will process the remains within a few hours.
Porcupines are near sighted and relatively unconcerned about predators or humans, so if one is found in town, a person can spend as long as they wish following it around.
If ground squirrels are not bothered they will often become almost tame.
People are always amazed when they see a gray fox in a tree.
Foxes do not hurt cats. When they meet, they warily watch other (usually), and then part ways.
A gray fox knows it is safe in a tree, and will watch people go about their business below - even during a garden party.
A smart prairie dog built an escape hole under a fence.
When a cottontail is caught out in the open, they often crouch down and try to be invisible, waiting for the last second to run.
Cottontails often move into parks with prairie dogs, using the prairie dog holes as escape holes.
This prairie dog seemed to smirk - "I found a safe home!"
At the city airpark jackrabbits join the prairie dogs between the runways. Coyotes are sometimes seen at the airpark, hunting both jackrabbits and prairie dogs.
The prairie dogs in town will become less timid, and allow people to approach them within a few feet.
House mice usually hang out outside during the growing season, but they invade houses during the winter.
Tree squirrels are fun to watch.
They sometimes seem a little smug and arrogant, laughing at cats and dogs below.
To cool down, tree squirrels will find a cool patio to stretch out on and press its belly to the brick. [Photo by Eric Siegmund]