When Squirrels Become Ninjas

Many of you know over the last couple of years that I have enjoyed and been fascinated by the squirrels that have taken up roost at my last couple of houses I have lived in. Squirrels are just so fascinating in how they interact with each other, birds which may share a bird feeder, and my family. Then there is the dog, Gus who now has a ‘doggie door’ so he can go in and outside while we are working or away for a few hours.

My bird feeder is just outside the new door a few steps away across the deck, hanging over the side. The birds and squirrels can get to the feed and do so in relative safety with Gus just lurching his way up the railing and barking his displeasure of them eating ‘his’ peanuts.

The Blue Jays and the Robbins play tag team luring Gus away from the feeder while the mate flies up and gets the food and off to the nest. It is funny how they work Gus to the point he tires of running back and forth and lies down under the feeder and watches the wildlife feast.

Luckily we have not had a problem with the local bear population climbing up to get into the feeders but that is always a possibility. It is a possible problem early in the spring when the bears come out of hibernation and hungry looking for any food. It is usually about a month or so before the fish come into the local streams and rivers so the only thing many bears have to eat are the people who carelessly leave out their garbage with bird feeders a close and easy second course.

It seems that many of you are putting out bird feeders then surrounding them with barbed wire, and claymore mines to prevent the Squirrels from sharing with the birds. Squirrels have had it. They are well organized and their training camps are scattered around the nation. Be advised, the next time you put lard on the feeder pole retaliation will be swift.

There is an underground movement going on in the trees around this area where the Squirrel Liberation Army is training and on guard protecting their caches of food. You can see many of them if you look closely into the green leafy areas of their aerie.

The movement is growing as seen here:

"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass . . . it's about learning to dance in the rain!" --Vivian Greene

We had a couple of thunderstorms here this afternoon a somewhat uncommon sight in this area. There were a few pieces of hail that fell on my rig as I waited for the couple of traffic lights to change. We get rain here but few thunderstorms like I experienced living in Georgia for most of my life. Rain doesn’t seem to slow or stop things here as many activities seem to occur in the rain. Fishing for sure but there are soccer games and bicycle rides which continue even with a downpour. Rain becomes our friend so you cannot miss out on the abundant activities available in the summer time.

It’s almost 10:30 pm now with plenty of light outside as my young baby squirrel is sitting now on the railing eating sunflower seeds and looking to see if I come out and place more peanuts in the feeder or on the top of the railings. There is no tension or apprehension for this little guy as he knows I place the peanuts each evening. His only fear is when Gus jumps up and down barking to his new friend sitting on the post.

SLA squirrel or just another of God’s creatures looking for a hand up in this world? I would like to think the latter.

Good Day!

Ice