Jelly-loving Squirrel

Jelly-loving Squirrel, a photo by Teri DC on Flickr.

I hung this oriole feeder and filled it with grape jelly and the orioles loved it.
Then one squirrel decided he was going to investigate what was in there. I watched climb up the pole, stretch over and reach the jelly cup. At first he was very unsteady and the feeder was swinging all over but it didn't take long before he righted himself, hung on and enjoyed the jelly.

What entertainment!

January 2012: Squirrel's Nest

January 2012: Squirrel's Nest, a photo by apple-pine on Flickr.

A few days ago I noticed a rather serious squirrel on my way through the park. It was early morning and all other squirrels were running like crazy. This one though was gathering some dry leaves from under a tree (and that required some digging under frost-covered top layer (yes, we had some frost here is California). Then it would put a good dozen or so leaves in it's mouth and run up the willow tree. And disappear. Then appear again. After I made a few circles around this tree (squirrel kept running back and forth all this time) I found a hollow part of a big brunch which probably will be a home to a new family soon :)

Squirrels!

I haven't had enough time to sketch this summer, since we're building a tiny studio in the lot next door--but every morning I sit on the little deck with my coffee and watch the birds and squirrels and other wildlife before starting my workday.

This is a young volunteer mulberry, which attracts many visitors when it's in fruit.  Mostly, it's just a quick stop on the squirrels' superhighway, between the woods behind us and the neighbor's oak tree.

We have fox squirrels and grays here, normally not at the same time--and of course they have lots of names, in different parts of the country.  My husband calls our reds, Sciurus niger, a red squirrel, but it's a fox squirrel to me.  (This little guy with the big ear tufts is what Wikipedia calls a red squirrel.  He's Sciurus vulgaris.)

They can BOTH cause a lot of damage, as they have at our old cabin, chewing the red cedar trim...

I guess I won't keep a feeder too close to the new shed...don't want a repeat of this!  They've gnawed the screens right down to the nails that hold them together...

Dead Squirrel in the Park

We came to the park to find a whole bunch of little friends already engaged in some sort of treasure game. One of them came to tell me that there is a "special treasure over there - squirrel sleeping". Since I never saw squirrel sleeping, I decided to check it out and found this poor body. It looked very healthy - with shiny fur and laying in a lovely relaxed pose.

Meet Stubby The Squirrel

We have a grey squirrel that is a daily visitor under our bird feeders.
Despite the fact that he hops around like a bunny, he is a squirrel.
Despite the fact that he has a tail like a bunny, he is a squirrel.
What? he has a tail like a bunny? How is that possible? I've never seen a squirrel without a long bushy tail.
Until this one became our daily visitor.
We call him Stubby, for obvious reasons.
Even funnier, DH and I always announce to each other that, "Stubby is here!"
I did these sketches while he moved around and when he turned his back I quickly sketched his taillessness.