Our Bushy-Tailed Friends

If you have walnut trees on your property, you can be sure that your yard will be very popular with the squirrels! They're interesting little creatures to watch. I think one of the best things that I've gotten from spending time in my garden is an appreciation of the little critters we share it with. Nature is so amazing!

This old mill stone, leaning against the wall is a favorite spot of the squirrels to sit and clean the walnuts.

They build two types of nests in our trees ~ cavity dens and leaf nests. This leaf nest is one that they built in our maple tree.

 

 

 

This is the entrance to another nest that they have lined with leaves.

 

 

If you take the time to patiently watch them interact with each other, you begin to see their habits. They have favorite branches that they like to sit on while enjoying the nuts.

They like to sit with their backs to the base of the trees while they clean the husks off of the walnuts. Look at those sharp fingernails!

As fall approaches they become busy gathering and storing the nuts for the winter ahead.

Squirrels have four teeth in front of their mouths that constantly grow. This makes sure that their teeth don't wear down from all of the gnawing .

In winter they become little seed bandits. I'd hung an old scale pan filled with seed out for  the birds. I looked out one morning and saw this little guy swinging back & forth while munching on seed. Doesn't it almost look like he's smiling?

This one definitely had personality! He was so happy to find the bird seed on the little pedestal. He looked like he was dancing!

They're little acrobats, climbing and hanging from branches to get at the bird feeders.

 

 

This squirrel was making sure that no seed went to waste. He was picking up chunks of snow and chewing it to find the seed that had fallen on the ground. Our bushy-tailed friends are the reason I have to go to Tractor Supply every week for bird seed. I swear they eat half of what I put out for the birds.....but I guess they have to eat too....and they do provide entertainment for us!