Tuff Squirrels

When you see those cute little squirrels zipping up and down trees, and darting across the road, you can't imagine them ever abusing any other other critter. Well, here's what happened at our house several years ago that would be hard to believe if we hadn't witnessed it.

There's a large Ponderosa Pine tree by the road in front of our house. Every year a flock of black birds would show up and take up residence in their old nests to raise a new family. The birds were noisy pests, and would dive at anyone walking near the tree. When it was time for the little birds to learn to fly I was forever rescuing them from being run over by cars, or eaten by cats. This continued every Spring for a few years.

One year they returned as usual to set up their annual house-keeping, family raising routine. The birds happily chattered, scolded and pooped on the rocks of our fish pond. Life was good and they enjoyed every bit of it. Then something happened...A couple of squirrels showed up. They scurried up the tree and methodically destroyed all the nests...Tearing them off the limbs so that they and the baby birds fell to the ground. There were about a dozen nests scattered beneath the tree.

 

The blackbirds never returned. Eventually some of the squirrels were killed crossing the road, but their prodigy seem to be here to stay. Our black walnut tree always has lots of nuts to keep them busy and fed. During the winter months, when we're outside, we hear them noisily gnawing on the hard walnuts. Sometimes they bury them to let nature take it's course. The combination of water, soil and the nut's desire to grow causes it to break open so the squirrel has an easier meal. The problem is that they forget where they planted their nuts. They keep me busy pulling up young trees from flower beds and pots where I planted tulip bulbs. Our neighbor says they planted them in his yard too...and I've found some English walnut seedlings from his tree growing here.

Squirrels leave nuts in the funniest places. They carry them around in their mouth, get side-tracked and leave them behind like absent minded little children scatter their toys.

 

However, the squirrels aren't annoying like the blackbirds, so maybe they did us a favor. One thing we'll never forget is their demonstration of nature's harsh law...survival of the fittest. If they want what a weaker creature has, they move in and take it.

He flies through the air with the greatest of ease. Our neighborhood squirrel leaps through the trees. His thick, bushy tail helps him balance and steer. From limb to limb he flies without fear.