A new squirrel

Over the last few days, I have been taming a new female Red Squirrel. I have been leaving small piles of sunflower seeds on the boardwalk and I noticed that she was arriving on scene soon afterwards.

I started placing fewer piles and staying nearer to them while she fed so that she would get used to me. Of course numerous tame chipmunks also see me coming and start coming in from all directions too. There is much entertainment as the chipmunks chase each other off the seed and of course the Squirrel also does a lot of chasing.

Yesterday she fed on her pile about 6 ' away. I could see that she has a small bare patch on her left forearm.

Today when we were eating breakfast on our deck, she arrived in our yard and so I called and rattled the seed bottle. I think she heard our voices. She came to some seeds on the landing and settled in to have a good meal.

Picture by Debbie Broderick

Much entertainment was had with her and the chipmunks until two Turkeys landed in the tall trees nextdoor. All the rodents went into alarm mode thinking that they might be birds of prey, and all feeding stopped.

Sometime later I went to see if I could find her along the boardwalk and set out some seed near to where I sat. A few minutes later she arrived and proceeded to eat and chase chipmunks. At one stage a chipmunk 'flew' off a tree and landed on the opposite side of the boardwalk!

Sitting quietly in the woods, I thought I saw a second Red Squirrel tail. Then wondered if it was another chipmunk, but no, it was a squirrel! Then I saw another... I counted at least four baby Red Squirrels exploring around a hole in a tree!