Squirrel antics

One of the species of wildlife that I have been seeing a lot since I have moved, and occasionally before that, is the Squirrel.  While they can at times be annoying and sometimes scare small birds into hiding with their alarm calls, they can also be vastly entertaining.




If you stop to watch them, you will see them racing along the branches and leaping from tree to tree, or bush to bush.

Late for an appointment?

Their athletic feats seem to be endless and amazing, and their bodily expressions can be absolutely  priceless, as you can see in this next image.

Caught in the act?

Squirrels can be seen balancing on the thinnest of branches, traveling head first down the trunk of a tree at high speeds and hanging upside down using their hind feet as grappling hooks.

Balancing act

They can also be very stealthy and curious.  This Squirrel, directly below, was quietly watching me taking pictures of a nuthatch one day.  He's even munching on a treat, as if he were at the movies.  The next one was so silent I never would have spotted it, if some unusually bright fungus growing on a fallen tree hadn't caught my attention.

The next image is of a Squirrel that has apparently decided I'm no threat and is watching something else quite intently under the foliage on the forest floor, making encouraging little chipping sounds.  A girl Squirrel perhaps?

If you wish to see Squirrels a good place to go here in Edmonton is the River Valley or Millcreek Ravine.  Elsewhere any little patch of forest with walking trails will yield the same results, although you can also often spot these little entertainers in your own neighborhood.   I sincerely hope that you will take the opportunity.  Kids will love it.  As always, enjoy.

Susan