We had never really seen Red Squirrels or Pine Squirrels as they are called before moving to UP Michigan. We've seen Grey Squirrels our whole life and an occasional Fox Squirrel - but that was about it - to this point. We still see Grey Squirrels occasionally, but Red Squirrels are our daily visitors. They did visit us right inside our cabin in the beginning - but I think because we are feeding outside, and we have two dogs in the cabin - they are now preferring outside dining. We also have Black Squirrels and Fox Squirrels.
The Red Squirrels are smaller and so comedic. Grey is grey. The Fox Squirrels are larger, fluffier, slower moving and almost cartoonish. The Black Squirrels appear stealth like. One Black Squirrel visitor is without a tail - maybe not stealth enough - but the other does have a fluffy tail.
These are a few of the year-round pictures that I have taken - because they are our year-round visitors.
I cut the big drying heads off of the Mammoth Sunflowers we grew and spread them out on the bench on our deck. It's like a buffet for squirrels and birds.
This is our Black Squirrel - with the tail - there is another one with no tail - we wonder what happened.
This fatty Fox Squirrel is tall enough to reach the bird feeder without much trouble.
This poor mama, on a hot day, needed to be away from the little ones and take a rest. I put out water for them and fresh cut apples, table scrapes, mealworms and peanuts.
They are smaller so they can fit in and on our bird feeders.
Red Squirrels don't really run away when we step out of the cabin. I can toss peanuts or food their way and they just kind temporality move aside.
Red Squirrels are so cute, looks like he's wearing mittens.
We can sit in front of the wood stove with a fire blazing, coffee or tea in hand and through our new full glass front door, just watch these funny squirrels all day long. They prefer to be the only squirrel on the feeder - one at a time - but do not mind sharing seeds with the birds. They chatter loudly if another squirrel comes around when they are on our big feeder, telling them to wait their turn, I guess.
If we leave the door open for even a moment, to let the dog come in or while we are bringing in firewood - the little Red Squirrels will walk right up to the door as getting ready to go on in. This cabin was basically vacant for years - hunters here and there. So, the squirrels especially, found their way into the cabin and it became part of their daily routine. We saw signs of them in the cabin after we moved the enormous amount of junk out and away - and then we would actually see them on our kitchen table - for a few mornings in a row. They were hoping that we were leaving I'm sure - like the hunters did. But we were there and so were our two dogs - so they began staying upstairs and outside. We are keeping the upstairs closed off for now - we will begin clearing it out in the spring and see if we're going to use it for more than storage.
Meanwhile, until we get cable - this is our entertainment...and we really like it this way. When I go to the library - usually once a week - I go onto their computers mostly to search for information about the large gardens that we are going to plant in the spring - but, I do peek around and catch the latest - not very important to me- news also. We're not missing television, at all. Amazing how you find things to do when you don't have the television on...listen to music, read, daydream, watch the birds, squirrels, deer just outside your window or door....talk to each other...it's a welcome change.
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