Why I love squirrels

Well we finally got the much-needed rain. And the not-needed wind along with it. I took a quick run over to PCV when the sun finally peeked through at 5pm. There I found lots of wet squirrels. And lots of leaves blown off the trees. It should be easier to spot Babygirl now when she's up a tree. Right now she's dry and toasty at home.

There were also many of those branches that make up the squirrels' dreys scattered all over the place. In fact while I was standing by the fountain I heard a huge plop! and saw that a large pile had dropped from a tree. It was such a heavy sound that I thought maybe there was a squirrel entangled in it, but careful inspection proved that it was only branchs from the drey.

Poor little squirrelies! They can't even keep their homes safe and sound with these strong winds we've been having. I wish I could do more to make their lives easier.

Thinking about this made me realize why I love squirrels. They work hard, yet they are constantly beset by Nature's vagaries. And they do nothing to deserve it. They've built some truly impressive nests so far this year, yet these can be blown away in one good storm.

Another thing that makes me love squirrels is that when I give one a nut,  before running away with it, the squirrel will often look up at me as if to say "thank you". Sweet or what?

And here's yet another reason why I love squirrels. See these pictures of Rama Rota and the baby bird? There is no thought in that little head of his of going after the bird, only curiosity. He knows it's not a Stuffie. Wonderful!

Squirrels are victims, not victimizers. Squirrels try to do the right thing, like building nests, burying nuts, caring for babies and fending off predators. Squirrels are polite. Squirrels are perfect. And that is why I love them so.

postscript:

I fed the little black baby with the bum leg. The leg did not look worse today, and maybe even a little bit better. He still has a good appetite. But he has a hunched back and his leg sticks out.  

post-postscript:
There will not be any more squirrel pictures because my camera has gone on the blink -- boohoo :(

If anyone can donate an old digital camera that works please contact me at thenuttyadmin@gmail.com

Slow Release Day 6: Babygirl's Big Adventure

Bernie went over to PCV early this morning and spent about 3 hours searching for Babygirl, with no luck. Later in the day I decided to take a break and go look for her. I went to the same spot we'd seen her in last, but there was no sign of her.  However I did see the little black one with the swollen leg. His rear left leg is so swollen that it hangs off from his body. It's full of pus and needs to drain. We had seen him for the first time yesterday when we were concerning ourselves with Babygirl.

I called Bernie who decided to come over with his net to try and catch the little fellow. As I tried to distance myself while Bernie moved in on him, I thought I saw a glimpse of gold in the tree where we'd left Babygirl, but then figured  it was my imagination. Gold because her tail has been bleached, which helps identify her. When you see the usual silverly glint of a squirrel's tail from a distance you immediately know it's not her.

Bernie was unable to catch the little black one, and ended up chasing it into the bushes and up a tree. We knew that was it, and he would not be coming down again. Bernie hates scaring a sick squirrel when they're already suffering, and he was feeling
dejected about it when suddenly I shouted "There she is!" And then he saw it too -- the flash of gold shooting down the tree -- the very same tree we'd left her in the night before!

She moved like the wind, and gave him a run for his money, but finally allowed herself to be caught. Even though she was squirming and growling when he grabbed her, she didn't struggle all that much, and didn't seem to mind at all when he kissed her. :) He took her all the way home in a cab in his bare hands, as he had not  expected to find her and had not brought the carrier.

He said she acted perfectly normal when she got home, and was playing with him on the bed, not sulking or pouting. Her little friend Julie was excited to have her back!  She was not hungry but she went straight to the water bowl. We've been worried that the squirrels aren't able to find enough water. We've had several hot days in a row with no rain.

Anyway, I'm glad that Bernie's trip was not wasted. And that Babygirl is home again. Now we have to look out for the little black one.  Speaking of little black ones, Bernie said that as he came across the park he saw a very small black baby over by the flag pole. My guess is it's the first sighting of one of Spunky's babies!

Slow Release Day 5: Babygirl's Big Adventure

I found out from some friends on the Squirrel Board that this is not a "soft release". A "soft release" is when you put the squirrel in a cage outside for maybe as long as a week to get used to the Great Outdoors. This helps them overcome their insecurity. Squirrels are sensitive little creatures. They need this. You can "hard release" a raccoon or a possum by opening your car door and dropping them out, but that doesn't work for squirrels. I think that's been the problem for Babygirl.

So maybe we should call this a "slow release", where the squirrel goes out to play then goes home at the end of the day. But so far it doesn't seem to be working that well for Babygirl, and seems to be more of a nightmare than a big adventure.

This morning Bernie called to say that Babygirl was going ballistic, bouncing off the walls with all her excess energy, and he thought he'd release her again. Well she turned out not to like the idea at all. She chattered angrily at him when he took her out of her carrier, to show her displeasure with the idea.

She hid from the other squirrels in the hedges, then finally climbed up a tree and went into statue mode again. All her earlier energy was gone and she was now in a deep funk. She was hanging over a branch like a limp dishrag from about 2:30pm until we left at around dusk, never moving a muscle.  Thank goodness the hawks have left the area!

Soft Release Day 4: Babygirl's Big Adventure

Babygirl has been found!

Bernie found her early this morning in the little park just northwest of where she'd been  released. She was over there with some other squirrels doing just fine, thank you very much -- well -- maybe a tad hungry is all.  He threw her an almond, which she took, then another as he got closer, and finally she jumped up on his arm. Guess she was pretty glad to see her dad! And he's been a good dad indeed. Babygirl is now back at home, playing and resting up for her next big adventure.

finis

All's Well that Ends Well

Soft Release Day 3: Babygirl's Big Adventure

Bernie got up at 6am and went to look for Babygirl, arriving just after dawn. No sign of her in the tree or on the ground. At least she hadn't fallen and been killed. But where was she?

Periodically throughout the day each of us checked on her. At one point we met up, and sat talking on a bench while watching the lawn for Babygirl. We walked around in the different directions she might have wandered, but didn't see her. Come nightfall there was still no sign of Babygirl. Where could she be, we wondered?  Maybe she had climbed into a hole in the tree and was sleeping there? She must be hungry by now. What a mystery.

To be continued...

Soft Release Day 2: Babygirl's Big Adventure

I had an early call from Bernie that he was bringing Babygirl back to PCV today. By the time I arrived she had already been released and he told me I had just missed the big excitement: she'd had a confrontation in a tree with an adult squirrel and there had been a skirmish, followed by a loud PLOP! as one of them fell from the tree. To Bernie's relief it was not Babygirl but the much larger squirrel that had fallen. The feisty little dynamo had won a turf battle on her second day out!

As he was telling me this I watched her climb a tall tree. Up, up, up she went, finally stopping to rest where the branches formed a vee.  She stayed there forever, motionless as a statue. We hung around for over an hour, but she never moved. Bernie said that squirrels do that sometimes, not to worry. But I worried. She was so high up in that tree! And nothing - not even her tail - ever moved. He eventually went to get some refreshments while I kept watching the tree. Nothing happened. We finally both had to leave as the day wore on.

I had some shopping to do, but returned later that afternoon to check on her. I did not see her in the tree, so I started hunting around for her, to no avail. Finally Bernie arrived and found that she was still up in the tree! She had moved laterally to the other side, where I'd neglected to look. She was no longer sitting in the vee, but was just hanging there motionless, hugging the tree. Hawk bait.

Luckily, the hawks seem to have left the PCV area. We think  winters may have been too harsh for them here, and many may have left the city. I can see from reading the sidebar Watching the Enemy that they're still breeding in Riverside Park, but the last time I saw any at PCV was early last winter when there was pack of maybe 9 or 10 of them sitting on the rooftop of one of the buildings here, and they all took off in unison, flying south. I don't believe they ever came back. Throughout last  winter I never saw another hawk. So we were not too worried about her having an encounter with a hawk.

We set up watch, trying to call her down. She neither went up or down but would only move horizontally around the tree. It dawned
on us that she was simply too petrified to climb down. Perhaps
her fall yesterday compounded by the other squirrel's
fall today contributed to her fear. Or maybe just looking down at the ground from that height was causing paralysis. For whatever  reason, Babygirl the Gladiator had met her come-uppance and was rooted to the spot.

Bernie was kicking himself for releasing her by such a tall tree. He walked around looking at all the smaller trees that would have been safer for practicing her first climbs. When it got dark we finally had to go, but it was hard leaving the little squirrel clinging to the tree. Would she be able to stay that way all night long? Would she fall asleep,  then fall to the ground? Would she eventually come down after dark when she couldn't see enough to be scared?

To be continued...

Soft Release Day 1: Babygirl's Big Adventure

The time had come to start a soft release program for Babygirl. Here she is back in May:

Babygirl

Today she's a total dynamo, strong and muscular and built like a sumo wrestler, a proud testament to her dad's Kozy Shack infant formula (which consists of Kozy Shack tapioca pudding and hazelnut milk).
The babies love it and lap it up. And the recent addition of some delicious cuisine minceur - fresh, locally found baby acorns -  has rounded out her powerful physique. When she visited my place a few weeks ago it was non-stop energy all afternoon, with her running back and forth and jumping up and down--  even on me!  After she left I was so exhausted from watching her that I needed an immediate nap.

What to do with all that pent-up energy? Perhaps it was time to introduce Babygirl to the Great Outdoors. So her dad took her over to Peter Cooper Village, having decided that it was an ideal environment. It's truly a squirrel's paradise, with big, shady trees, plenty of hedges for hiding and great lawns for foraging. Plus many Nice Humans for frequent feedings. And the weather has taken a turn for the better these days, with an endless series of golden autumn days. So it's the perfect time and place.

And so... here we go!

Come out, come out!

I don't know...

Dad, I don't think so...

It did take some persuasion, but her aggressive and dynamic nature took over, and soon Babygirl was cautiously exploring the hedges, checking out the lawn beyond and running up and down the trees just a little ways. She didn't go very far up which was good, because once we heard a PLOP! and saw that she'd actually fallen from a tree. Luckily no harm done. Climbing trees was a learning experience for Babygirl, and we could see that she was climbing a bit hesitantly and awkwardly. She had been rescued before her eyes had opened, when she would have still been in a nest. Apparently climbing trees does not come naturally even to a tree squirrel! Who knew?

Babygirl spent a while getting used to the territory and the other squirrels that were milling around. She became fairly relaxed and even started burying nuts (her favorite activity).

That was fun Dad, but can we go home now?

After her first day outside, Babygirl gets to go home.

babies falling from trees

This has the makings of  a shaggy squirrel story. First I met a man over by the fountain who told me there was a woman over by the flagpole who was wearing a running suit, who had found a baby squirrel and did not know what to do with it. He said he had seen her just 5 minutes ago, so I rushed across the park hoping to catch up with her. When I arrived there was no woman with a squirrel to be found. I began walking around looking for a baby squirrel on the ground. Then a UPS man came over and told me that a while ago he had seen a baby squirrel over by Bldg. 510, which is the easternmost building in the park. So we walked over there but there was no baby squirrel there now.  He said it had been right by the entrance, acting like it was trying to get in the front door. He peered into the lobby as if it might already be in there.  I spent some time searching around, but finally left when it began to get dark.

Later that evening I was speaking with Bernie Goetz, who  had called from upstate and unfortunately was not around to help, but he said he'd heard from a woman who found a baby squirrel that he was going to retrieve as soon as he got back. I figured that must be the woman in the running suit by the fountain.   I was glad to hear that and asked him to be on the lookout for the other baby as well, who might be still out there. He retrieved the one but wasn't able to find the other, so later that day I went back to search again. I was delayed feeding the other squirrels who had decided to be very hungry that day, so it was late by the time I got back to the spot where the baby had been seen by the UPS man.

There  I met a woman with a dog, who told me that just a little while ago she had seen TWO baby squirrels! She said they must have fallen from their nest and pointed to a tree by the park entrance where there was  a  large nest.  She said that one of its nest mates was already dead on the ground, but this one was alive and running around all over the place! She said it ran up a man's pants leg, then it ran straight towards her dog! "So you know it was acting crazy" she laughed. "Throw some nuts around for it" she sang out as she left. I didn't find it funny. I spent time looking for the poor little thing but to no avail.   I was cursing myself for always being in the wrong place at the wrong time. In fact I was heartsick about it.

A couple days later I was sitting on a bench having fun with my new friend Tom. Tom's a pigeon that thinks he's a squirrel. I've never fed  pigeons because I hate the way they all flock around all over you. But Tom was different, because he actually kept other pigeons at bay while I was trying to feed the squirrels. I liked that. So I started throwing an occasional shelled peanut morsel at Tom. And Tom liked that. Of course he didn't have a name yet.

Then a pretty young woman with a big basket sat down next to me on the bench and asked, "Would you like to see my squirrels?"

I said "Sure!"

She opened her basket and brought out a baby -- and it turned out to be the same baby that had been acting crazy the other day! She said its sibling had died but that she was able to save this little one. When she found it, it was unconscious on the ground but still breathing. Now it seemed to be just fine and looked up at me with a curious little face.  I was so relieved to find out it had been saved because I was still worried about it! Then she showed me the other one that she was given by a vet who was a bit younger and hadn't opened his eyes yet. She let me hold both of them. What a thrill.

Then she noticed my pigeon and told me about Henry, who is a pigeon that she'd recently healed and released.   I think it was the one that has no left foot but does very well in spite of that. He's very aggressive. She said he comes to the name Henry when you call him, and that I should give my pigeon a name. She said they're very smart, as smart as Dolphins. So that is how Tom got named (although I have no idea if he's a Tom or not, and really have no desire to know). But he is funny. When he's not scaring the other birds away or scaring the squirrels away, he creeps up close to my feet to grab a nut the same way a squirrel does it -- sneaking up slowly and sort of crouching so as (it believes)  not to attract attention - then either quickly grabbing the nut or sometimes losing its nerve and backing away. She said pigeons love peanuts for some reason. Maybe because they think they're squirrels?

So it looks like a nest of babies somehow lost their mama, but at least two were saved and have homes for the moment. Bernie now has his hands full with Baby Girl and Julie as well as the new baby and also an injured adult that arrived around the same time.

Bernie with Baby Girl and Julie

Can you spot the squirrel?

(hint: Baby Girl is burying a nut!)

Bernard Goetz on Aftermath with William Shatner

Just got word that the new show "Aftermath with William Shatner" is premiering on August 2nd, 2010 on the A&E Bio channel ... and Bernie Goetz will be the first episode! Here's the schedule of dates and times when the show can be viewed on TV:

http://www.biography.com/search/schedule.do?keywords=Aftermath
Looks like the video may be available on the web, meanwhile there's a preview available: http://www.biography.com/video.do?name=aftermath

Bernie's Biography: http://www.biography.com/articles/Bernhard-Goetz-578520

Yes, it's our squirrel pal, Bernie Goetz! And he may be talking about  squirrels (we can hope), among other things.  So be sure to tune in!!!

Subway Gunman, veggie Bernie Goetz plays with his squirrel

The Tale of Rama Rota

Rama Rota is a Variegated Squirrel who lives in a Castle in Costa Rica with his wonderful Mom and Dad, who found him when he fell out of a tree. Rama Rota means "broken branch". Variegated means being of various colors. They only grow 'em like this in Costa Rica! You can follow the enchanting tale of Rama Rota (as well as the growth of his enchanting tail)

right here:
http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20907

They're Just Like Us

A baby rat likes sleeping with his Stuffie...

Dog Days of Summer

The dog days have arrived, and we're in the middle of a long, hot summer. The squirrels don't come out much when it gets to be 90 degrees. We've been having days in the high 90's all week, and there's no let-up in sight. I walk around passing out frozen grapes and cherries for the takers, but many squirrels are just too hot to come out (no doubt preferring to stay inside their air conditioned holes).  We did have one cooler day that dipped down into the 70's and all the squirrels were upon me with a vengeance. They were famished after days and days of no eating!!  Several of the big grays actually jumped on me when I was sitting on the bench by the fountain (the blacks and brownies are way too shy to ever do that). Passersby were watching and laughing, and I called out to them, "I feel like Alfred Hitchcock's The Squirrels!"

First Day of Summer

In the United States and the rest of the northern hemisphere, the first day of the summer season is the day of the year when the Sun is farthest north (on June 20th or 21st). This day is known as the Summer Solstice.

I had fun yesterday. First I saw Foxy -- the REAL Foxy. She grew larger, but she still has her wonderful butterscotch tail. We hadn't seen each other in a while, so we had fun together. Then I ran into Miss Pretty, who was having a grand time running with a pack through the early twilight. I tossed them all some cherries.

Then I saw that all the little black babies in the Baby Tree by the Guard's Gate have gotten much bigger and much bolder. They were actually descending from their secure kingdom of branches to have a look around at the rest of the world.

Then I went over to look for Spunky and there I found Bernie, sitting by the flagpole! All the squirrels had been fed and were now cavorting in the smaller trees over by the side of the building. They were in peaceful and playful moods. Spunky was there stretched out on a limb, and would not come down to me. That was a first -- she must have been VERY well fed! The others were more fun, especially the little ones.

Bernie discovered something strange. Someone had taken a bunch of branches and pushed them into a hole in one of the trees, and at the end of each branch was a gob of black mud, as if someone had tried to plant the branches in the hole! Very strange indeed. Nothing a squirrel could have done.

Then we walked all around the park, which was enchanting as the night descended and the fireflies began blinking at us everywhere. We discussed past squirrel adventures and the state of the world, and it was altogether a good time to be in the park, enjoying summer.

June is Busting Out All Over!

It's the beautiful month of June and the wild strawberries are growing all over Tubby's field! I love it over there because they rarely bother to mow, and the grass and clover grow high. And right now it's loaded with those tiny red morsels everywhere you step!

For a long time we did not see Tubby or any of the three brown juveniles that lived in the meadow. We wondered if something bad had happened to them. Or had there been a sudden exodus to Stuytown? But what squirrels in their right minds would leave the little bit of heaven that is Tubby's field for parts unknown? Could they have succumbed to (shiver) rat poison? Would anyone really wish ill to PCV's most beautiful squirrels? It seemed highly unlikely. It was just going to be another one of those squirrel mysteries. Bernie said that sometimes squirrels will disappear in summertime-- in sort of a hibernation in reverse!

So I was greatly relieved to spot a brownie over there the other day, and a fat little female to boot, which means more brown babies in the future. She could be the new Tubby, keeping the brown line alive!

Then yesterday I had a wonderful surprise -- the heat wave had finally dissipated and had been replaced by classic June days that have been cool and breezy, with big billowy clouds in crystalline blue skies. And guess what--our Ms. Tubby made her grand RE-appearance, along with TWO of her brown juvies! I also noticed that the little brown female I'd seen the other day was now in heat and being dogged by a gray male who was sniffing her relentlessly. Whatcha gonna do? I was just glad to see them all!

I also saw Foxy yesterday, whom I haven't seen in a while, since I've been spending most of my time feeding Spunky or Miss Pretty. Foxy is getting so big! And darker. Maybe it was Foxy's double.

How Spunky Got Her Groove Back

Spunky looks soooo much better now! She has fixed up a little bower of leaves on the branch just outside the hole where (I assume) her babies are, so she can stay comfortable and close.

She looked so raggedy the first week after she had her babies! Something was wrong with her rear left leg, so she walked lop sided and had trouble going up and down the tree. Now her fur is shining and her limp is not as pronounced. I have been faithfully feeding her each day, and she is much improved. All I have to do is go by her tree and call "Spunky!" and down she comes like a puppy!

What I love about Spunky is that the first thing she always does is look up at me with the most earnest expression on her face. Like she's asking: what's our relationship all about?

Once that's out of the way then it's back to business-- eating. But that first look is always her sweet greeting!

I also feed three little ones - one black and two gray - who have attached themselves to Spunky because I guess they realize that she's a meal ticket. Spunky is not their mama, but they somehow like staying near her. And they can see how friendly Spunky and I are. At first they were too shy and ran away when I threw then a nut, but now they are getting braver.

Miss Pretty, who lives over on the other side of the park, has also had her babies, and is none the worse for the wear. She looks healthy and is full of energy. She's a spoiled little squirrel who loves spending time with me even after she's eaten her fill. She seems to love interaction. She has unusual fur that is gray but spotted with a strawberry color, that matches her "strawberry blond" tail. And she has such a sweet face. Reminds me a lot of a sweet little squirrel that I once knew named Strawberry, who just disappeared one day.

Heat Wave

91 degrees at 6pm! Oh yes, summer has arrived-- and just in time for Memorial Day Weekend, official start of the season. I went to the park bearing "frozen" cherries and grapes and they were a fairly big hit.  There were not a lot of squirrels to be seen around PCV.  My squirrels came out -- and came over to greet me. They were not that hungry for nuts and instead chose to lounge languidly on the branches of the small squirrel trees over by the rose bushes. They were all relaxed, and seemed to be enjoying my company, because they stuck around, pancaking out, and not looking for food. Or maybe it was just that their holes were too hot for comfort :)

Only one squirrel - a mommy squirrel of all things  - was in full gear. She was in a MOOD. She kept chasing the others and kept begging for more nuts, which she would then go off and bury. She was not particularly hungry, but was spoiling for some action!

I retrieved the water "cup" from under the hedges and filled it with water, thinking the poor darlings must be dehydrated. But except for one brave sq, I could not get them to drink from it.  A few would slink stealthily over to it, then back away, sensing a trap. Silly little things! I poured water on a couple of them but they did not seem to like that and tried to wipe it off.

There was a tiny black baby there, eating roses off the rose bushes. It was adorable to see his mouth full of rose petals. I tried throwing him a cherry and hit him by mistake (** oops, cherry bomb **) and he jumped sky high!

Speaking of mommy squirrels, I then went over to the east side and looked for Spunky to give her a frozen cherry. She was high in a tree and seemed hesitant about coming down, whereas she usually bounds right over to me in her spunky manner (hence her name). When she finally started  down, she was moving awkwardly, almost like she had arthritis.

 I thought there might be something wrong with her. And then when she finally got down, I realized that SPUNKY HAD HER BABIES!!! IN THIS HEAT NO LESS!!!!  She was skinny again, and you could see now that she is really quite small,  almost still a baby herself.  Spunky ate quite a bit. She was very calm. I'm the one that was excited -- can't wait to see her first batch of babies! I think she'll be a great mommy.

Precious

Bernie's Baby Girl

click on a picture to enlarge it

Amazing Grace

Nuts! Amateur photographer captures the moment a hawk let its furry prey get away

Grok these amazing pictures of hawk and squirrel. For the full story go here (it does have a happy ending):

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1275758/Nuts-Amateur-photographer-captures-moment-hawk-let-furry-prey-away.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

click pic to enlarge

Foxy's First "Words"!

It was so exciting. I've never heard Foxy make any sound before. I went over to the park late today. I had not been there for several days, due to a heavy schedule. Foxy's area was pretty empty. I fed the couple of grays that showed up, then walked around the empty space calling for Foxy. I crossed the sidewalk and went over to look in the cherry trees, as that was the last place I'd seen her.

Suddenly I heard a very loud sound coming from the winter tree (the tall tree by the bushes that a lot of them seemed to be living in all winter). I looked up to see who was producing the cacophany and it was none other than Foxy! She was not in distress, but crowing joyfully! She was making that classic squirrel sound - that sort of chuck chuck sound that every squirrel NEEDS to be able to make. I was so proud of her! She not only came when called, but she actually spoke! I like to think it was because she was glad to see me...

Sick Squirrel Caught

With the help of a tenant, Bernie managed to find and trap the squirrel with the goppy stuff covering his face, ear and eye (see more pictures in the Sick Squirrel post below). A lot of it dropped off with the peroxide bath he was given, and it looks like he should be ready to be released in a couple of weeks. We don't know what it is, but we don't think it's mange. Maybe a fungus?

Salad Days

As I was cutting across the park on my way to the grocery store, I saw Foxy darting into one of the big flowering cherry trees. I went over and found Foxy already up in the branches with her mouth full of pink petals! Then I noticed that the tree was swarming with squirrels. Everyone and their mother was there! Each looking for a bite to eat. The squirrels eat "salad" on days when they don't get "steak"!

I Kissed a Squirrel!

Well not really, but almost -- I could have, I was that close.  Bernie brought his new little Babygirl over to PCV in a shoulder bag. I actually got to hold her! And it would not have been hard to kiss that tiny pink V each time she yawned. This was the first time I've held a squirrel, so it was a real thrill. She is so precious. She only opened her eyes a few days ago. She is very curious and alert, but very calm and not afraid at all. Her gray and white coloring is beautiful, and she has a perfect little tail with a white stripe running through it. Sort of looks like a chipmunk tail. But she is all squirrel! She gets fed very well - all sorts of fruits and veggies and eggs are in her liquid diet. And because of that her fur is soft and shiny. I'm in love! And I'm going to need another Babygirl fix real soon.

Bernie put her down on the grass for a few minutes and she seemed to like that. Then he put her back into the shoulder bag where she was ensconced in tissues. He then bent down and started feeding all the squirrels that were circling around. He didn't realize that Babygirl had crawled out of her bag and along his arm to have a looksee, and there she was sitting on his wrist watch, watching all the commotion as the big squirrels darted to and fro for nuts. It was quite an outing for her! I would have pictures but my camera ran out of gas. Next time...

April Flowers

It's good to be back to normal April temps now, in the 60's and 70's. Much better in my opinion, my favorite weather, and the favorite weather of the squirrels. They don't like it when it gets too hot. And they definitely don't enjoy the cold!

We've been treated to the flowering cherry and apple trees etc. for a couple of weeks now, but today was a big breakthrough day when the pale green leaves started appearing on all the trees, turning Peter Cooper Village into a veritable paradise in the heart of New York City.

The playing field of Foxy and his friends has turned into plush green grass, strewn with violets. Lovely!

Unfortunately I saw another sick squirrel today, with those horrid red spots all over his back. Or could it have been the little one that disappeared after the big snowstorm? I was standing there for over half an hour feeding him and Foxy, both of whom kept eating nut after nut, like the nuts were keeping them warm. Foxy was sneezing and trembling from the cold, but couldn't seem to get enough to eat. All the larger squirrels had retired to their (relatively) warm holes and only the two little ones were out there with me. And a whole bunch of PCV kids, who were sledding and making snow balls. Suddenly giant snowflakes started falling and it was so beautiful!

I never saw that little gray squirrel again after that, and assumed he had died. But was that him back today? Either that or a squirrel that looked just like him...spots and all. He was acting very friendly like he knew me, and I fed him coconut and walnuts and grapes, as well as peanuts.

Squirrels are magic like that. They disappear, then they reappear. Sometimes a squirrel will seem to dissolve into a tree, as if the bark liquifies, allowing it to pass through to a secret realm where we cannot go.

Sick Squirrel

The weather has been unseasonably warm this week, and dry. When walking around I saw several squirrels lounging around. I had to go up to them to see if they were ill. One woman was on her cellphone while a squirrel lounged next to her on a bench. She was laughing as she told someone that she had this squirrel that was chillin' beside her!

Chillin'

The squirrels are no longer suffering from the cold weather, and they're surrounded by budding trees, shrubs and flowers, but now they get hot and thirsty, and have no readily available water supply.

The Baby Tree
I saw the babies today - Oatmeal and Duckling! They did not eat that much, and quickly disappeared, but at least I know they are still around. Their "spots" do not seem to be worse, but these cysts or boils are insidious things that are often internal, and full of pus and smelly, as we know from the ones we caught. They don't seem as happy and playful as they should be at their age. Mr. Operator's lesion has completely healed up. I've been feeding him lots of fresh coconut.

Sick Squirrel
Now here's a little fellow with a new problem. Here he is eating with Foxy looking on. I gave him fresh coconut, grapes and various nuts today. 

You can click on the picture, then click it a second time to enlarge it.  His left eye and ear are completely occluded. I'd like to find out what this is, and any comments would be appreciated. Here are more pictures:

I tought I taw a puddy tat

Springtime is lovely, walking around Peter Cooper Village, breathing in the perfume of all the flowering trees and bushes. Only one problem -- the nice weather brings all the dogs out. Every time you turn around, you see another dog being walked. It's stressful on the squirrels!

I was out there today when suddenly the squirrels were all atwitter over on the north side of the east park. I walked over to find out what was causing such a racket. One squirrel led the pack, making a funny noise that was a cross between a wail and the "chuck chuck" squirrel sound, its tail twirling like a pinwheel as it advanced down its tree. Once the alert had been sounded other squirrels chimed in, and it became a cacophony of frightened squirrel sounds.

I looked around for a hawk. The squirrels usually will sense one before I see it. But no... no sign of a big bird anywhere. Finally I saw the object of their attention -- and it was quite far away, by the back wall of building 6. I was surprised they had even seen it, as squirrels do not have very good eyesight. It was a very large tabby -- probably the largest cat I'd ever seen! And it was walking without a leash, its mistress nearby. It turned out to be 13 year old Riley, out enjoying the beautiful weather. Riley was curious about his surroundings, but did not pay much attention to the squirrels, who were not paying Riley the same respect. Eventually he walk right over towards the tree where the leader of the band was poised, causing the squirrel to go totally bananas. At that point I thought there might actually be a confrontation, as there sometimes will be with a hawk, but Riley finally turned and left, after which it took me a long time to calm down the little fellow, who could not stop making his noises. It seemed to be a reflex action, sort of like having the hiccups. I kept feeding him, but he continued to cry as he ate, until finally on the pecan that he stopped crying. He'd probably never had a pecan before, and it took his entire concentration.

I thought it was odd that the squirrels gave such a reception to a cat, because when a dog appears they simply run up the nearest tree. They reserve their caterwauling for the big birds, who they know as predators. So -- I wondered how they were able to distinguish Riley from a dog, especially from such a distance, and why they deemed Riley to be a predator. Another squirrel mystery. They obviously have some sort of 6th sense.