Sure, they drive you crazy when they empty your birdfeeder or pinch something from your veggie garden. But squirrels’ wild chases and antics do make them pretty amusing to watch. Because they’re incredibly adaptable, they’re able to cope with what we humans do with the green spaces around us. Depending upon where in North America you live, you may see any of several squirrel species: fox, eastern or western gray, pine (sometimes called red), or … [Read more...]
Winter Dens… Timing and Tips
Ahhhh… the winter den… a softly lit, cozy room with a comfy reading chair, a warm blanket, and a cup of hot cocoa, coffee, or tea. These winter creature comforts differ a bit if you’re a small wild animal, but warmth is equally valued, and a winter den provided by a tree or other natural feature can be increasingly hard to find due to habitat loss and urbanization. As temps begin dropping, there’s more wildlife looking for warmth than there are … [Read more...]
Late Summer Baby Squirrels
Pitter, patter…. scritchity scritchity… what’s going on up in your attic? It’s late summer, maybe even fall… it can’t be squirrels who’ve gotten in there to nest, because baby season is over, right? Or, is it? Probably not. For many squirrels, another round of babies may be born in August or September. The window of opportunity for this second breeding season varies widely with location, food availability, and individual cycles, among other … [Read more...]
Squirrel Baby Season – Part II
Did you know that unlike most urban wildlife, gray squirrels have two baby seasons; one in the spring, the other in late summer to early fall? Depending on where you are, this is the time of year that young squirrels start venturing out on their own and can sometimes find themselves in difficult situations. And where you find one in a predicament, there’s always a chance that his or her siblings are also in trouble, so it’s important to do a … [Read more...]
Hearing Flying Squirrels in House?
Unlike the ubiquitous gray squirrel, flying squirrels are rarely seen, because they are usually out from after dusk until just before dawn, and they hang out high above our heads in the seed-bearing trees where they forage. Their favorites are beech, hickory, maple, oak, and poplar—the trees we love to plant in yards and neighborhood parks. This brings them close to the temptingly warm and available shelter attics and other denning areas our … [Read more...]
Finding a Squirrel Deterrent for Bird Feeders
Squirrels and bird feeders—it’s a match against wits and will. We try to outwit them and they have the will (and the skill) to overcome whatever we do to stop them from getting into our bird feeders. It can be a love-hate relationship. On the one hand, it’s fun to watch them scamper about, but on the other, it’s frustrating when they empty out your birdfeeders. It’s time to stop the hate and share the love by using some easy, relatively … [Read more...]