Red: A Tough Customer

Photo by Bruce Yolton
9/25/05

Readers have been writing in to express interest and some anxiety about the well-being of the lone Red Squirrel that has been hanging out at the Locust Grove for the last few weeks. I made a sympathetic comment in my latest post as well. To provide the other side of the picture, Bruce Yolton writes:

The Red Squirrel seems to be one tough little squirrel. Fellow birders report a dead gray squirrel near his nut cache on Thursday. I saw him chase a gray squirrel twice his size very aggressively on Sunday. This story may not have a storybook ending.

Judging by the expression on the little guy's face in the photo above,["You'd better not tangle with ME!"] I'd say that Bruce has a point.

PS. In answer to Diane D'arcy, who wrote:
Hi Marie:
I have been enjoying Lincoln's photos of the red squirrel family. Looks as if they have been there awhile if there is a breeding population. Isn't it possible that they have been overlooked despite all your sharp eyes?

I answered: No, the baby squirrels on Lincoln's site are Gray Squirrels. There is still only one Red Squirrel in the park