I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – I LOVE SQUIRRELS! This is not something you usually hear a birder admit, but I just love ‘em. A friend asked me how I became interested in birds. The answer – squirrels. At a time in my life when I could use some cheer, I was endlessly entertained by my backyard squirrels and their antics. My first thought, after I fell in love with them, was to feed them. When birds started to hang around at the corn-on-the-cob that I had offered to the squirrels, something clicked – and the world of birds opened up to me. That was about three years ago, and I have never lost my affection for the squirrels that always made me smile.

I no longer offer corn, and my squirrels get more than their fair share of the “snacks” that I now offer – but I never try to keep them away from my two feeders. Yes, I said TWO – not twelve or twenty. Just this morning I watched a harmless and amusing interaction between a squirrel and a Blue Jay. The squirrel wanted the black-oil sunflower seeds and the Blue Jay wanted the peanuts. The squirrel shook his tail and the Blue Jay squawked, but they both got what they wanted!

I recently photographed one of squirrels drinking from a natural water hole in a tree cavity. I think this is so cool! I have seen various birds going to the exact same hole and ducking in for a drink as well. The photos of the birds just look like a bird’s behind – but the squirrel uses its hands. That’s the technical term.