It is almost the end of April and I haven’t seen one chipmunk. Around here we are usually overrun with the active little creatures. After a winter hibernating in our stone walls, they come out, eat my blueberries and keep my dogs on their toes. I keep a gardening calendar and mark when I see the first little guy. I looked back to double check what is normal. Usually they start to appear at the end of March. 

The population of these small prey animals cycles along with the populations of their predators. Some years there are chattering chipmunks teasing my dogs at every corner, and other years only a few are scampering about. But this year there’s nary a one. I’m getting worried. 

Does anyone know what is going on? I hope there’s not an illness going around, like the white fungus that is killing bats, or the mysterious bee colony collapse. Today is a warm and sunny spring day. It’d be perfect, but I’m missing the silly chipmunks.