SQUIRREL APPRECIATION DAY

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Early this morning I read a FB post from my German photography friend Maren about ‘Squirrel Appreciation Day’ last Thursday, which also included a nice photo of a squirrel. A moment later I looked out the window and checked our bird feeders and had to start laughing out loud. Seven Eastern Gray Squirrels had hijacked the feeders and bird bath and didn’t leave any space for the birds. This isn’t totally unusual but after a very cold night (-19ºC / -2ºF) the squirrels were really desperate to get some food in their bellies. 

Alright, they can be annoying at times but they are also cute and play a role in the eco system. Let them have some sunflower seed too! Here is one of my favorite photos of an Eastern Gray Squirrel as a belated tribute to National Squirrel Appreciation Day.

NATURE CLICKS #316 - EASTERN GRAY SQUIRREL

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports Lens, tripod, gimbal head, SB 800 speed light

Our woods around here support a lot of critters. Oaks, hickory trees, maples, eastern red cedars, wild cherries, and a variety of smaller trees provide food for birds and mammals. The Eastern Gray Squirrels built their nests in the trees, made out of leaves and small branches, and we have always a few of them here. As the winter continues their food stacks become obviously smaller and they take more advantage of the bird feeders than usual. The squirrels must have a really good way to communicate and spread the news, at least as good as the internet…😉  A few days ago, when it was bitter cold here, I counted twenty of them just by looking out the windows. This is a new record and we wonder from how far they come to desperately fight for a few sunflower seeds.

NATURE CLICKS #312 - SOUTHERN FLYING SQUIRREL

Nikon D750, Sigma 150mm / f2.8 APO EX DG HSM, SB 800 speed light

It took me 8 1/2 years to make this photo but tonight I had my chance. We didn’t have to go very far, just step outside the house and look at the big Maple tree right in front of it. The last time I had a Flying Squirrel in front of my lens was in June of 2007. It was a picture of the squirrel feeding at one of our bird feeders. Little did I know at this time about wildlife photography…

We knew that they have been around all these years. We still have big oaks, hickory trees, and maples here that provide food for them. Some of our neighbors have seen them more often but Joan and I just didn’t have another encounter since 2007. Flying squirrels are nocturnal, hence the flash light used for this image. I really like the picture because it shows the fold of skin between its forelegs and hind-legs that allow the squirrel to glide through the air up to 80 meters or more, from the top of one tree down to the trunk of another. It flies with its legs outstretched and the skin between its legs is used like a sail or parachute. In comparison to our numerous Eastern Gray Squirrels, the Southern Flying Squirrel is very small (200-255 mm / 7 3/4”-10 1/8”). Look into its big black eyes and you have to admit that its “cuteness factor” deserves 5 stars… 😊