Who trained whom?
Wednesday September 29th 2010, 9:50 pm
Filed under: Wildlife

We’re in the middle of a serious heat wave. I’ve been being careful to keep the water outside filled up for the wildlife, amused and gratified at the finches’ tiny feet gripping the edges of the clear cup as they play bobblehead dolls, leaning way over to sip.

There’s nothing quite like making a small thing comfortable. They’ve been drinking a lot with the temps so high.

Last night, cooking dinner, I was surprised to see my favorite black squirrel with the red belly: usually he’s busy running around in the back yard. Just then, though, he had found me.  In the kitchen.  On the other side of the house.  He was doing the monorail act, lying on the fence just outside the window there, legs splayed two to a side, tail stretched out casually with just a bit of a lilt near the end, trying to increase his surface space to cool down, I’d guess.

He’d found the perfect place to relax and people watch on a hot feels-like-summer evening.

I looked up, startled at first to see him right there right outside the window. What are you doing here?

Watching you cook dinner, was the answer: as I went back and forth from counter to drawer to other counter to fridge, chop cook rinse clean, he lifted his head and turned this way and that, that way and this again, steadily watching, watching as I went about my work, while the rest of him stayed splatted out, completely relaxed. Just hangin’ with my peeps.

I laughed.

He leaped up! Oh good! I made her laugh–that means I get a cashew! And he raced over the house to the backyard to where he knew I would put one out for him, his favorite, as a reward.

How could I resist that?


9 Comments so far
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My husband often comments that it must not be possible to tame squirrels; otherwise they would certainly be pets as they are so cute. It seems you may be proving him otherwise.

Comment by twinsetellen 09.30.10 @ 5:01 am

Do squirrils discuss the possibility of taming people?

Comment by LauraN 09.30.10 @ 6:29 am

My sister used to see a squirrel on her deck who would stare at the back door for long minutes at a time. One day she decided to leave some walnuts out for him. Before you know it, he was waiting everyday for his treat. Eventually, he would come and take the walnuts from her hand. I would never encourage a wild animal, let’s face it – a squirrel is an animal living wild, to eat from my hand. But I enjoy watching them eat from the feeders which I have placed out for them, away from the house.

Comment by Jody 09.30.10 @ 6:42 am

But, oh–if we could just keep squirrels from taking all the bird seed. Used to have a lakeside cabin–seven bird feeders, plus a squirrel feeder. Didn’t work. There is no such thing as a squirrel-proof bird feeder!

Comment by Abby 09.30.10 @ 7:51 am

What a sweet, funny tale! Go Mr Redbelly!

Comment by Channon 09.30.10 @ 8:31 am

We have several black walnut trees and a hickory nut tree really close by.Our yard is a burying ground for the local squirrels, we have at least 5 who make use of the yard. Quite comically they look at you as if to say “turn your back, I don’t want to know where I am hiding my nuts.”

Comment by Kris 09.30.10 @ 6:17 pm

That’s quite a squirrel-ly tail — tale.

Comment by Don Meyer 10.01.10 @ 11:08 am

LOL I can just see you two.

Today I cleared space on our side-table, so Buddha cat could soak in her fill of warmth from Oscar’s ‘sunlamp’.
Oscar was surprised to not be able to find the phone, the remote control, his glass of water….
I figure the cat’s spoil us, it’s only fair we return the favor.

Comment by Diana Troldahl 10.01.10 @ 12:16 pm

You had me at the monorail…

Then LauraN’s comment just about finished me off.

Give the squirrel a cashew from me when you see him, please. He deserves one.

Comment by tinebeest 10.01.10 @ 3:10 pm



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