August 2016
Rosie is Bozo’s girlfriend. She was very timid at first but now comes on her own and takes nuts out of my hand. She is very sweet and has nice markings……but……a couple of weeks ago I noticed a small lump forming on the left side of her nose. It increased in size over the 2 wks. so was concerned about a cancer. It does not appear to be an abscess. But…..I just read about squirrel pox so it might be this: http://www.wildthingssanctuary.org/squirrel-pox.html
Another observation:
The first time is just a fluke…..the 2nd time, hmmm, interesting…..and the 3rd time = one very smart squirrel……so now what Rosie has been doing is…..once in a while when I leave for work at 7:30 AM, she is on the lower branch of “our tree”. I wave to her and call her name. She sits there and watches me attentively open my garage door, get into my car, and drive out. I roll down the window and say goodbye. She continues to move her body to watch me every minute and as I drive away.
NOW I’ve got another squirrel coming to visit (for treats). The word about the snack bar lady is spreading fast! It is not that easy to get up onto my balcony. Up and through the tree, onto some precarious branches, and a stretch for the landing (there is only one way to approach). A couple of times I’ve seen them take a flying leap back into the tree. Amazing.
This is Lily.
They all love sunflower seeds, almonds, and walnuts…..but their FAVE are acorns!
August 18, 2016
Yogi
Yesterday, I was doing my coursework for a class that I’m taking; sitting in the chair next to the sliding glass door to the balcony. Out of the corner of my eye I notice these two little eyes staring at me. Now how can I focus on my studies when cuteness shows up? So of course I have to stop what I’m doing and get up to greet my new friend. Yogi is a girl and is very shy.
Before I even opened the door to hand out the treat, she dropped into a modified Superman pose and seemed to be enjoying her Zen moment. Then she moved away from the door when I opened it and went into her pose again behind the plumeria plant. That’s when I ran to get my camera…..and there you have it: Caught in the act. Hey Yogi…..that’s a mighty long tail you have, little girl. All the better to whip those boys around!
August 28, 2016
I have never seen a squirrel lying flat out while eating! Either Yogi was tired that day, or just lazy, or practicing her Queen of Sheba routine.
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September 13, 2016
When squirrels are feeding, there is a temporary hierarchy established. So you’ll have Rocky up on the balcony eating treats. But if Yogi tries to come up at the same time, Rocky goes into fight mode. He’ll chase Yogi down the tree. If he’s successful, he comes back to continue his snacking. But…..if he chases Yogi into another part of the tree and she manages to get to the balcony before he does, she becomes king, and all other comers submit to her. The power of food. You should see the action when there are three squirrels involved! They move at the speed of lightning!
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October, 2016
Rocky, you crazy boy!
My, what BIG feet you have!
What? You have more treats for me?
Quick….I have to hurry up and get down for more! Woosh!
I know you have almonds in there. PLEEEZ can I come in?
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July 2, 2017
I did my usual Sunday early evening workout in the fitness center. On my way home (I took an almond just in case), I saw Joey in “my” tree. As I stood below, I called to him and he got all excited. He saw that yummy treat that I held out in my fingers. He didn’t know which way to turn to come and get it (I’m usually on my balcony talking down into the tree to him).
Well, you know how excited a toddler gets when they want Daddy to pick them up….how they dance around on their tippy toes and stretch their little arms up as far as they can go? Picture that, but just the reverse. Yep. Joey scrambled along the branches to where he managed to get out onto thin twigs of branches and dangled precariously upside down, holding on with just his feet, and stretching those furry little arms down as far as they could reach and his eyes so big they could pop. Yes, I know I teased him a bit (it was so funny!!!), but I’m no dummy and no way was I going to hand over the almond and get swiped by his razor-sharp claws. So I coaxed him down onto the pavement. Rewarded.
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July 3, 2017
Ever wondered how a squirrel sleeps? These little balls of fur are always going a million miles an hour. I’m sure they burn calories like there is no tomorrow. So with having that big tree close by, I get to see it. Napping squirrels in the middle of the day. They usually find a big, solid horizontal branch. Then they will do one of two things: a) they will lie parallel to the branch with their front and back legs dangling (or resting on the branch) and their little heads cocked to one side on the branch, or b) they do what Chickie did today — lay folded over the branch with everything just hanging…..and close their little eyes. Zzzzzz….
Oh, Chickie got his name because he is freakin’ chicken about coming up to get treats. But I’m slowly working with him. Trust is not always easy to come by.
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August 2017
Ah, kids. They sure know how to yank your strings. It’s all about “me, me, me”. Squirrels are no different. When I’m by the glass door but on the phone, a couple of squirrels have tried to get my attention by climbing the screen door. They go up and down, and then poke their heads around the frame to see if I’m looking at them yet.
So yesterday I’m on the phone in the afternoon, trying to ignore a new squirrel who’s come for a treat. Then he starts his antics on the screen…..”Look at me!” I have not been able to get a pic in the past because they are so fast. But this time I did. I had to apologize to my friend I was talking to because I dropped the phone and the ear piece came out of my ear while trying to move quickly to capture this.
