Saturday, April 6, 2013

Cirque du Squirreleil

They are so agile they can hang from a branch by their toenails to get at the corn I've hung out for them. But it's never enough. I supply corn, peanuts, and bread and as soon as they've gone through that they head straight for the bird feeders.
I stand at my kitchen window and lecture them on the consequences of greed and their noticeably expanding waistlines. I tell them that one of these days I'm going to cut back on the food I supply and then where will they be? They look at each other, giggle and roll their eyes. Then they stare me down as they continue to eat.
Why do I keep feeding them? Because it's like having a yard full of furry circus performers, and I kind of like that.

37 comments:

  1. haha they are entertaining...i love squirrels...they def entertain me...so please, keep feeding them...

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  2. I can understand that. It's worth having squirrels around for their incredible displays of speed and agility and alertness, even if they're greedy scavenging little so-and-sos. We don't get many in this neighbourhood, and certainly not in our garden, but when I happen to see them they're wonderful to watch.

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  3. Okay, first I have to say the I love your post title! BRILLIANT!

    And second, I adore squirrels so this post ROCKS! And I agree, I keep (and will KEEP) feeding them in the park (even though most of the people in this city can't stand them) because they are so entertaining and CUTE!!!!

    Great photos!

    X

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    1. Thanks, I knew you'd like this post since we share a love of squirrels! They are ridiculously cute.

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  4. i love your title for this. it's so perfectly descriptive!

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  5. Great title! And hilarious post. I would take your squirrels over my moles. Could we trade?

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  6. I feed the squirrels too, and the pigeons and the starlings and all the other creatures are considered "pests". I just don't get the animal hierarchy that suggests that somehow one form of wildlife is more deserving than another of being fed and appreciated. I like them all!

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    1. Now I have to admit, that if they were rats I might feel differently. But I also feed starlings and pigeons if they are around.

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  7. Love your title! we have a squirrel who regularly climbs up on the pool cag, then sits there , yelling down obscenities at our poor, bewildered cat!

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  8. We are always chasing away the ones on the bird feeder. They can leap through the air with the greatest of ease.

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    1. I bang on the window and yell at them. SOmetimes they jump off, sometimes they don't.

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  9. The ones with the most noticeably expanded waistlines are probably females about to give birth (it's that time of year). Can't begrudge a lady who's eating for 3 to 6! I love the sheer insouciance of squirrels. You captured their essence well.

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    1. Yeah, I was a farm girl long enough to recognize pregnant animals. It just didn't fit with the flow of my post.

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  10. They crack me up! Great shots of their acts! I had one last week act as though he was hiding from me. He looked as though he was doing the army crawl thing in the dirt of our garden, which was something I've never seen a squirrel do.

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    1. That's really funny. I also like it when they pretend they are statues.

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  11. Squirrels fascinate me, I love watching their antics. :)

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  12. What fun!! And all for a few foodie tidbits:)

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  13. Squirrels are uncommon here, perhaps the winters or lack of food (no nut trees, few fruit). Chipmunks occasionally, but not as many as one would think. Our amusement comes in the form of the moose that wander into town in search of god knows what. Two winters ago we had a pack of wolves camped near town that you could hear howl at night.

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    1. I listen to the coyotes yipping and howling out back at night. Eerie noises!

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  14. My mom has been feeding the local wildlife lately with birdseed and peanuts. She expects that they will start knocking on her door when she runs out of stuff to give them.

    Her cat was super excited today, because the birds were in plain view, just outside the patio. His tail was twitching like crazy and he was squeaking.

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    1. Sometimes the birds will land on the windowsills and stare at me if their feeder runs out. They come to rely on the constant supply.

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  15. Brazen little things and some lovely shots! My squirrels out here at the edge of the Atlantic are awful grey tiny things, much like some of the rocky landscape. I must send them down to spa at your place.
    XO
    WWW

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  16. Seeing a squirrel around here is like spotting a movie star in the suburbs...it rarely happens!

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    1. I guess I've never lived anywhere without squirrels. Well, Switzerland, but that was just one year.

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  17. Love the photos! There are quite a lot of squirrels in this area as well. My favorite thing is when they get clumsy and take a little tumble on the grass.

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    1. I love when they are chasing each other around and around a tree trunk.

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  18. Feeding them just increases their number. But if you get a kick out of watching them, go for it.

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  19. WE have them everywhere too. My youngest never tires of pointing them out to me. "Look mommy there's a squirrel....look mommy there's a squirrel etc."

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