[Bob]

The animals might also notice more of these cone buds in the spring ahead of the harvest and have an extra litter based on this visual cue.

Gee, ya think?? So much for these squirrels' "predictions".

[Unmarked Package]

"McAdam suspects that the animals might detect higher levels of certain hormones in the cone buds that appear on the trees a year before the large harvest."

Rather than "detecting" the hormone, perhaps a plant hormone present in the cone buds in greater concentration before a bumper harvest actually increases the reproductive fertility of the squirrels when ingested.

That's my wild theory and I'm sticking to it. Don't try to dissuade me with facts and data. :-)

[Old Professer]

More likely there is some weather related event common to both of these examples.