Squirrel Pics (and Conversation) Vol. 18

Algonquin, IL(Zone 5a)

Hi Everybody!!

Welcome all you Squirrel Lovers out there! Our last thread had become sooo long it was definitely time for a new one. Please don't forget to go back to the old threads now and then. They have lots of great pics and stories!

We came from here:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1212244/

Here are some pics to get us started:

The new Mama in #2 is a repeat from the end of the last thread.

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Lyndonville, NY


These are all just so so cute! I still like "little mama".

Winter Springs, FL(Zone 9b)

Oh my aren't all those so cute, Mama squirrel is so adorable, they all look fat and happy. I was gone on vacation for two weeks and my son made sure that Peanut and all the other squirrels had their nuts. The first few days I was back from vaca, Peanut followed me all over the garden...think she loves me...lol.

We have blue jays and they do chase the squirrels, like the other birds do off the bird feeder, but that doesn't faze them, they come right back again.

Algonquin, IL(Zone 5a)

Thanks, Debbie!!
Thanks, sunkissed!! It sounds like Peanut missed you a lot!



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Winter Springs, FL(Zone 9b)

http://www.hgtvgardens.com/photos/squirrels-behaving-badly

This link has some cute photos of squirrels.....

Greensboro, NC(Zone 7b)

Fun thread! :)

We have many squirrels in our small neighborhood. five or six blocks bounded by 3 major roads. Gardening for wildlife means squirrels too. I have just one feeder with a baffle so the birds get some too. The only squirrel I know by sight is completely blind, I think. when I see him/her out there and the feeder is empty I do a mad dash only to skid to a stop to th to sneak up on the critter to feed him.

He can hear me, he will run up up the mulberry tree a bit and hang head down while I tiptoe to the platform to place seed usually. I have followed him thru the yard to get food to him because I am always so glad to see him return. I worry.

The eyes have white circles in them, like cataracts.

Thanks for sharing your stories and sweet pictures.




Algonquin, IL(Zone 5a)

sunkissed, Thanks for the link...Cute pics!

Welcome, Amanda!
It's really sad, but also amazing about your little blind Squirrel. It's great that you've been able to get food to the little guy/girl and wonderful that you care so much.

It's fascinating that it's able to find the trees to climb, and yet, if it's been blind since birth, it may have developed more acute hearing and other senses.

Many years ago while in college, I helped to teach Archery to 2 blind college girls. It never failed to amaze me how acute all their other senses were. At times it almost seemed like they could see, even though I knew they couldn't. I would imagine your little Squirrel can detect sound changes on the ground as it approaches an object and most animals already have much better hearing than we do as they depend on it for survival.

I've read that Squirrels are nearsighted normally, which is why you'll sometimes see them hunting around for food that may be right in front of them, but their distance vision is very good. I suppose it's also possible this Squirrel can see a tiny bit at distances but maybe not at all close up.


Greensboro, NC(Zone 7b)

I was very concerned because last summer the power company had a crew come in to clear the powerline easement. I wondered how this squirrel would find its way back to my yard when I know it climbed the pecan to a high limb like the others to use the power/phone lines to travel around the neighborhood.

In the spring I saw him with a friend, who must have traveled with him (?) to get back to my yard. I was so pleased, apparently the power company missed a limb that is between two yards crossing the wires and probably couldn't reach it with their cherry picker.

I saw him always with the other squirrel for a while, and sometimes the other squirrel would abandon him when I came to feed. I haven't spied him for a little while, but I will keep up hope that he is out there okay.

Thanks for the welcome. I'm hard pressed to find folks who do for squirrels like we do. I will enjoy the thread and the pictures. ;)

A.

Algonquin, IL(Zone 5a)

Wow...I hadn't realized the Squirrel was at least a year old! That's so cool!

The other Squirrel may have been a mate. They usually mate a couple times a year, but their "pairings" are short-lived. Once the male contributes his genes, the female is left to do all of the rest.

Hey, maybe your Squirrel is a female. If so, you might not see her for a while if she's nesting. But if you do and she happens to stand up, it will be obvious if she's a female, and especially if she's nursing or her body is preparing for babies.

Here's a link from Ehow that I liked because it's basic, yet fairly complete about the mating process with Squirrels.

http://www.ehow.com/print/how-does_4570892_squirrels-mate.html

Sometimes this thread is pretty active, but Summers are usually slow. Several people have said they rarely see Squirrels during the Summer. Fortunately at least some of ours stick around.


Winter Springs, FL(Zone 9b)

Welcome Amanda, and very interesting story about the blind squirrel. I do agree with all the urban sprawl , we need to realize that squirrels are part of the wildlife in the garden. This past year our trees didn't have as many acorns as the previous and I know they appreciate my raw peanuts. I actually have less of a problem them eating other things around the garden if I give them food.

Interesting link of how squirrels mate...I know just when they are around here, it can be crazy with them running all around the trees and our our rooftop. I've wondered about Peanut, but so far she's not been pregnant....not sure if she's just too young yet. I think she's almost two now. She is certainly full grown now.

I was pulling weeds yesterday and pulled a sprouting peanut up, went ahead and put it back in the ground, maybe I'll grow a peanut plant...lol.

Greensboro, NC(Zone 7b)

Has anyone else seen a white squirrel before? I mean, completely white.

We have a squirrel in the hood with a tail about 1/3 white. Must have hatched a baby because we have one now with an almost full white tail!

I learned about them when I saw my first in Brevard, NC several years back. Apparently tmemoryhere are "colonies" in certain parts of the world. You all probably know about them anyway, but something this morning jogged my memory and now I'm spitting it out.

I don't know much about the mating process but know there are high tide squirrel rescue/baby times for friends who work in wildlife rehab. They are always calling for nut and seed and bug donations. We have a mulberry and a pecan in this yard. Lots of oaks in the hood and other types of fruit trees. Whoever designed this old neighborhood was really keen on horticulture.

Winter Springs, FL(Zone 9b)

Yes I saw some totally white squirrels last year in the panhandle (White Springs, FL)...I have some pictures of them on here somewhere. Go back and look through the previous thread links. None around here in Central FL.

Algonquin, IL(Zone 5a)

I found a link Mrs_Ed posted a couple of years ago about a whole town in Illinois (Olney) that is known for all of its White Squirrels. Unfortunately, the link no longer worked, but there are bunches on the internet.

I really liked this one on YouTube that shows pictures set to a song about the White Squirrels of Olney. Take a look.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2AWvMHKcIs


Lyndonville, NY


We had another member, Dave?, that used to post about his white squirrels also. I had one across the street for several weeks.....all white. BUT he vanished and I am sure was an easy target to a predator.

Greensboro, NC(Zone 7b)

The White Squirrels of Brevard, North Carolina have become so famous that in 1986, the Brevard City Council unanimously voted for an ordinance that established a sanctuary for all squirrels. The ordinance reads, “The entire area embraced within the corporate limits of the city is hereby designated as a sanctuary for all species of squirrel (family Sciuriadae), and in particular the Brevard White Squirrel. It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt, kill, trap, or otherwise take any protected squirrels within the city by this section.”

http://whitesquirrels.com/about-white-squirrels/

Pueblo, CO(Zone 5b)

It is interesting that they are white but not albino. Thanks for the link

This message was edited Jul 17, 2013 8:54 AM

Greensboro, NC(Zone 7b)

My pleasure. :)

Winter Springs, FL(Zone 9b)

I found my squirrel pics, taken last Sept. in Sopchoppy, FL. They aren't albino and there were gray squirrels, but the white seemed to hang out with each other...

Most were not shy, as you can see the one jumped up on my bike wheel while I was photographing it, no doubt they have been fed by humans and that is what it thought I was going to do.

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Winter Springs, FL(Zone 9b)

More....


most were taken with a zoom lens.

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Winter Springs, FL(Zone 9b)

I find it interesting that the NC squirrels seemed to originate from Florida. The rangers there told us they were protected and people have tried to take some before. Madison, FL is only 87 miles from Sopchoppy. So the legend must be true, because they sure look like kin.

Algonquin, IL(Zone 5a)

I guess there are lots of them in different places. I knew about the ones in Illinois and liked the video because it told the story. I'd also heard about a few other places as well.

Thanks for the link, Amanda!

Cute pics, sunkissed!

Totally Black Squirrels are also interesting. There are pockets of them here and there. We had one that was visiting us for a while about 2 years ago, but once, while on vacation on the Michigan Upper Peninsula we drove through a town that had them everywhere. All we saw were Black Squirrels and they were all over the place!


Lyndonville, NY


We have lots of totally black squirrels up here. HOWEVER they are only north east of a certain road closer to the lake. None in the township area...which is really strange.

My daughter to the west of us,(15 minutes) only has red squirrels....and says they are very mean and destructive. She is an
animal lover, so she tolerates it but wishes they would move along.

I just loved all those photos...thank you!!!

Debbie

Greensboro, NC(Zone 7b)

I read about colonies of the white squirrel. Another in troy, NY if I remember correctly, not albino. May all be the same gene pool.

In NC in the mountains near Tennessee they have gray and red squirrels. They battle for territory and I understand that the red squirrels usually and somehow maime or kill the gray squirrels.

As regards the black squirrel I wouldn't be surprised if they have carved out a solitary niche for protection.

No pics I'm afraid. I dropped my fancy camera this spring trying to take a photo of a kittens eyeball that was entrusted to me. Broke the automatic lens. Irony (!?) Was having to spend $700 to have the eye removed and now being with out my dang camera as well. I think replacing/fixing the camera would have been the smart thing. The feral kitten was dropped off by another neighbor animal lover/freak one morning on her way to work and after feeding a feral colony came to the door and just said,"I need help." Of course that's why I must be on this earth, to help, so I said "okay." And then she handed me the smallest kit I had ever seen. It's eyes were both pasted shut. And now I have a feral cat and no camera for pics this summer.

:)

My bad.

Have a groovy day.

Algonquin, IL(Zone 5a)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEBBIE!!!

This little guy wants to give you a kernel of corn for your Birthday!



This message was edited Jul 18, 2013 12:15 PM

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Winter Springs, FL(Zone 9b)

Awwww....Happy Birthday Debbie.

Greensboro, NC(Zone 7b)

How thoughtful. :)

Debbie - I hope you're enjoying your special day.

(and that you like corn).

Lyndonville, NY


Thank you all so much!!! Love that little squirrel face.

And yes...I like corn! LOL And Peanuts!!! You all just made my day!

Debbie

Algonquin, IL(Zone 5a)

"Ahem...Happy Birthday to You ♫ ♪ Happy Birthday to You ♫ ♪ Happy Biiiirthdaay Deeear Sunkissed ♫ ♪ Happy Birthday to You...and many moooore ♪ ♫"

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Lyndonville, NY


Happy Birthday Sunkissed!!! Have a wonderful day!!

Clarksville, TN(Zone 7a)

It's a birthday? Oh, happy day!

Since we back up to woods, I have a number of squirrels in my back yard all the time. Unfortunately, there is also an electrical pole back there and occasionally a squirrel tries to hide something in it. Bam ... lights out ... and a squirrel swan dive. DOA when I find them. I'll spare you a photo. :( You'd think they could make transformers without such large holes. I mean, really.

I have enjoyed all the photos. Luv the albinos ... and all the rest. Luv wildlife in general.

Ya'll have a beautifully squirrelly day.

Algonquin, IL(Zone 5a)

Welcome Cville_Gardener!
Oh, that's really sad about the Squirrels and the power pole/transformer. I so agree with you. Why don' they take wildlife into account when they build those things?

Lucky there are folks like all of us that care about the birds and critters.

Enjoy your day.

Algonquin, IL(Zone 5a)

This pic is a little blurry, but I still thought it was cute with both Squirrels in almost the same pose. I believe these two young squirrels are siblings.

They're sitting on one of the peanut feeders my husband built for them a couple of years ago. They're probably trying to remind us they're empty, although the squirrels do enjoy "perching" up there. It's as though they're relaxing on their private balcony.



This message was edited Aug 7, 2013 4:31 PM

Thumbnail by nutsaboutnature
Clarksville, TN(Zone 7a)

What a perfect shot! Wonderful!

Algonquin, IL(Zone 5a)

Thanks Cville_Gardener!!

I just edited to add a touch of explanation. We must have cross-posted.


Clarksville, TN(Zone 7a)

Honestly, they almost look like they're posing for you. And waiting for you to fill up those feeders. :)

Lyndonville, NY


Love it! And yes, it does look like they are posing!

Algonquin, IL(Zone 5a)

Thanks Debbie!!

It kind of reminds me of those group classroom pics where they'd have you stand on a riser at different levels depending on how tall you were.



Lyndonville, NY

LOL I still have mine from grade school! haha

Greensboro, NC(Zone 7b)

Cute! Mine lay lazily across the feeders and eye me at the kitchen window. No pictures though. Thanks for this. :)

Algonquin, IL(Zone 5a)

Thanks Amanda!! I bet that's an adorable sight.



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