Dratted Red Squirrels!

 I think spring will be early this year. I spotted mosquitos down by the frog pond. The brown creeper was another sign. I decided to work on the nest box. The ducks come and check out the wetland. I want to be ready.

I went back to the rehung nest box Sunday, and screwed in the hex, and stapled the baffle to the tree. The wood across the face of it is looking pretty rotten. There is a slit all the way down from the top to the bottom. I'll have to remember to try patch it somehow. Although truthfully, they nest in dead trees otherwise! The hole is carefully sized for wood ducks. I hope the piece doesn't fall out. 

 

The baffle is supposed to prevent squirrels, weasels, and raccoons from getting into the boxes. The bears are another story. The weasel hopped across the canopy and destroyed the eggs one year. I may regret the placement, but we shall see. Soon, I'll put a trailcam up in front and watch the actions.

I noticed a red squirrel who appears to be pregnant. There were 4 of them out front, and she chased another one away. A 5th squirrel was out back near the deer feeder. They are prolific but, as JB pointed out, they have a lot of predators. 

  

pregnant squirrel from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The squirrels are also eating things like leaf buds. This was a Bala squirrel from 2009.  They really are pretty little things. Also, aggressive!

This is the nest they created in this nest box, called a drey, in July 2015. They got into the wood duck boxes. The wood ducks are finished nesting in July. The squirrel moved in.

 

You can see the babies deep down in the nesting materials. They are furless!

Finally, I thought I needed a haircut. Ya think This was after I'd been tromping outside, getting sweaty in a ball cap. 

I am on hair stylist #4 since COVID. It's always a crap shoot. I was quite pleased! It was a nice, quiet Tuesday in the salon. That was a bonus. 

I had a new respite client in the afternoon. That went fairly well despite having some chest pains from stress.  We brought dinner in. I was pretty fried, mentally, physically, and emotionally.