Missy, the Hussy

Got this breathless report this eve from M-L: 

I forgot to tell you........... I think Missy is pregnant.  She is huge.  Could she be pregnant already? If Jackie isn't, it's not for lack of trying with all her men, including dear Oscar.

Also, on the really cold days, the squirrels' breath froze on their whiskers and made them look like little Santa Clauses with bushy white beards. Camera batteries dead, or I would have taken a pic.

Mr. Gray says, "Nope, weren't me!"

Jackie is Working her Magic on Oscar

Bit of a hiatus as winter settles in the the squirrels get use to the temperatures. M-L noticed these things this week:

The furred ones are doing okay and somehow seem impervious to the cold. They stay in their homes on the really bad days with the wind chill plummeting the temperature. It was sunny at noon today and everyone was out in force. 

I've got to tell you two neat things.  First, that hussy Jackie and innocent(?) dear Oscar were running in circles around the trunk of her tree a few days ago, and every now and then they would stop and nibble each other's haunches!! Her regular grey squirrel beau was no where to be seen when she did this.  Also, I caught her going into the other nesting box and peeking out. Perhaps she entertains different men in different boxes.

Remember when Missy was released she ran around to the front of the sanctuary and was found up really high in an old maple tree. The last warm day (Tues?) when I went to get in the truck, I happened to look up in that tree and a small squirrel was again up high snuggled up in a space between a limb and the trunk, enjoying the sunshine. Missy. I guess when she wants a bit of solitude, that's where she goes. What an independent little furry one she is.

Levity to Bring us Warmth

Ottawa, home of Baby Squirrel Oscar and his harem of Jackie, Missy and Honey, is experiencing a deep-freeze. So to bring some levity to the moment, please enjoy the following gleaned from the Internet:

IT WAS SO COLD THAT....


.......the clouds froze - so we got out the ice axes and crampons and went mountain climbing.

....the squirrels in the park were throwing themselves at an electric fence! 
 
....when we parked the sled, we either had to plug in the dogs - or keep them running in place!

....the mice were playing hockey in the toilet bowl!!

....I saw a chicken with a capon.

....the cows threatened a milk strike if they didn't get thermal bras for their udders.

Of course, it's all good and with a bit of sunshine this aft, the squirrels in my backyard, Oscar's birth home, were out and dining on dried cereal and bits of fruit. It is a fave of theirs.

A Fun Park for Squirrels

We may be forming a similar fun park at the Baby Squirrel Oscar Sanctuary this summer. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPlapPPnGeo

Snowy on the Squirrel Front

 It was quiet on the squirrel front today with all the snow.  Missy wasn't about, so Jackie took on the job of patrolling the seed area.  Only her beau was allowed to eat  without being harassed.  Honey was harassed, but then Jackie wasn't fond of her inside either.  And she even made Oscar root through the snow raiding other squirrel's cache's rather than allow him on deck if she saw him.  When her back was turned or she was up a tree eating, the deck's seed trays were raided by the others. 

It's funny how squirrels chase each other in a straight line on the ground, but chase in spirals up a tree trunk. Funny little creatures with tons of personality if you take time to watch them interact for a while.

Nuts to You

What she really meant was, Nuts to Me. Here's what M-L wrote this evening:

I didn't see Oscar or Honey today, but Jackie, her beau and Missy were up and about.  I hadn't planned on putting out nuts today as they are supposed to be a treat. However, as I watched them eat seeds from the inside sanctuary, Missy climbed to the nut tray and stared at me. 

 

 

 When I didn't respond, she ran over  the other nut tray and stared at me. Finally she climbed up onto the chair next to the window and stared at me through the glass. She looked at me with her little face a vision of anger and amazement. Okay, I admit it.  I am a softy. I caved in and filled the nut tray... but only one, not both, as I had to salvage some dignity.  Imagine!  Being stared down by a squirrel!!

I spoke to the squirrel expert yesterday and was happy to report the return of Oscar.  She said that the males have a really wide range and that she wasn't surprised that he returned. 

 

At this time, the squirrels are thinking of mating and he probably came back here for the food and to check up on his girls. I told her what a wanton woman Jackie had become and he is no longer her only love. Poor Oscar. But I'm sure he will charm his way back into her nest.

 

 

Name Mr. Right

As people may have been aware, there have not been too many photos of Oscar in the past few days and  not too much mention of him. This is because he seemed to have disappeared somewhere and no sight of him for five or six weeks. And then today come and M-L writes: Hi!!!!! Again today I saw that smallish squirrel eating alone, but he ran high in a tree after I came out.  I watched him for quite a while and I'm sure this is Oscar.  The silver is in the tail, though there is lots of reddish black as well.  Also, there is the honey bear colouring especially about the collarbone and shoulders. It's not surprising he ran away, as he had been separating from my human contact while inside- only would let me touch him, except for taking an almond, every few days and studiously ignored me if I tried to talk to him or play the way he did when he was a mere scrawny "preteen" squirrel.  The lad has come back to visit, at least for a day or two, and is all grown up. Hooray!!   Missy and Jackie did a chase around the tree as if it was a maypole.  Both had half a walnut shell securely held her mouth.  There are favourite places in the trees to eat the nuts- back up against the truck while sitting on a limb. No one can get your nut and you can see if anyone is planning to making an attempt. It's not as if the girls don't know I'm good for more treats.  As I said before, squirrels are tree pigs!  Why was Honey's plush toy picked up from the ground where it lay beside Oscar's toy bear, carried up the tree where it hung on a limb for a few days, and then was found a distance away by the fir tree?  And why was this repeated over a few days?? Who did this??   And how about would any viewers like to suggest a name for Jackie's beau?? He is truly a special squirrel to get Jackie's mind off her Martha Stewart-like obsession with housekeeping. Any takers? We'll name the grandsquirrels after you, you and you.

Bright and Sunny...

And the squirrels had fun in their sanctuary.

New Photos of Squirrels Frolicking

No time lost in hiding food.

First snow-fall for the squirrels but they love it.

There is safety up in the trees away from predators.

Ah, lunch!

Stretching out.


Photos taken by M-L.