Grey squirrels share our homestead property, likely several related families who have staked out particular groups of trees along the edges of the north and south ravines. Oak, hickory, black walnut and a few smaller beech trees provide ample supplies of nuts for winter storage.
The black walnuts along the curve of the driveway are the first to begin falling. We have marveled to see squirrels lugging these large nuts to the edge of the tilled garden spot, scrabbling their treasure into the soft soil, scampering back for another.
Surely there is easier foraging when the acorn 'caps' have loosened and the segmented brown shells of the hickories have fallen away to expose the round white nuts, which lie in rich profusion along the east boundary hedgerow and litter the paths that run along the edges of the wooded ravines.
Several weeks before Christmas I came upon a squirrel so intent on stashing acorns that he/she didn't notice my approach until I was a few feet away. The astonished creature dropped the prize nut and ran at speed to disappear in the underbrush.
Drying my hands before the north-facing bathroom window I often see a pair of squirrels swinging through the now bare branches of the trees; I marvel at the leaps that carry them from one high branch to an adjacent tree. In summertime their presence is less obvious, a flash of grey tails and the shaking of leaves tracking their gymnastics.
Visible from the kitchen window is this tree that stands a few yards below the spot where I dump kitchen waste. The neatly rounded hole is the entrance to what appears to be a sizeable cavity, protected and snug. When two squirrels are playing in the area it becomes a hidey hole in a game of hide and seek.
Today, washing up the dishes from the cats' 'tea' I noted a squirrel popping in and out of the hole.
Finding jacket and scarf, tucking my little camera in my pocket I closed the door quietly and tried to saunter nonchalantly along the path as though I had no awareness of the lurking squirrel.
He/she spotted me and whisked into the hole.
I moved closer settling myself to lean against a nearby tree trunk, adjusted the zoom on my camera and positioned it for a good view of the hole.
If you look closely at the lower left edge of the hole in the above photo you will see that a cautious curiosity is moving the squirrel closer to the opening.
A little head is visible.
And there we are!
This is as good as it gets with my simple camera at the extent of the zoom lens.
Note the bright eyes, the tiny ears and the pink nose.
I have friends with wonderful high definition cameras, sophisticated skills in using them and perhaps more patience than I can muster to wait for a perfect shot.
Still, time spent in squirrel stalking is a delight!
So lovely outside with sunshine, blue sky and almost no wind, a rare day to enjoy being outside.
I walked the perimeter of the acreage, stopping to admire other tree holes and wonder what creatures might make use of them for shelter and nesting.
I had to clamber through a tangle of wild rose briars to avoid my own shadow for this shot.
An old oak near the east boundary fence. I wonder if limbs were removed when the tree was younger allowing these cavities to hollow out.
The base of this tree is so hollowed there is only a shell left to support bole and branches.
Could it be an abandoned hobbit house?
A niche for a giant's key.
Willis made the rounds with me, stopping to sniff and rub in a tangle of roots and leaves.
I hope that my squirrel watching doesn't influence Willis and his minions.
We seldom make a move outdoors that we aren't shortly joined with the outdoor cats.
Back in the house, preparing supper for Jim I found I kept glancing out the kitchen window, focusing on the squirrel tree, watching for a scurrying form, a flicking tail.
Perhaps with evening coming on, the cheeky pair were already tucked up in their snug nest.
