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Friday, April 30, 2010

The Michigan Staring Squirrel

High up in a tree in the big spring forest, I found this fox squirrel staring down at me. I was almost directly below him, but I was still very far away. I stood on the ground pointing my camera at him. And he laid up in the tree pointing his snoot at me. I was now in a staring match with a squirrel. But how did this situation come about?

It didn't start off this way at all, no. As I was walking up the path, all I saw in the tree was a lump laying across one of the high branches of a tall tree. When I looked closer, I could see that not only was it a lump, it was a very furry lump!

After quite a bit of consideration and confusion, I determined the lump was made of fur. And I also determined with my quick and brilliant brain that this obviously must be a squirrel laying up there on that branch. It's pretty easy; tree, branch, lump, fur. Sounds like a squirrel to me. All that was still needed was a little bit of movement.

The movement didn't seem to be happening just yet, so I decided to move around where the sun would give me a bit better angle. I'd be able to see exactly what was going on, and why this squirrel was just laying there on a small branch so high up in that tree. I mean, how is that any way for a fine upstanding squirrel to act?

As I moved in position for the sun to light my view, it hit me! No, not the squirrel! An idea! I knew what the squirrel was doing, and why it wasn't moving. I remembered seeing this kind of thing before. The squirrel was taking a nap on that small branch so high up in the tree. It was fast asleep!

I never thought very much about it before, but this actually shows even more incredible balance than I thought even squirrels had. I knew they were graceful acrobats, but I didn't have any idea that they were so good at it that they could literally do it in their sleep! As a matter of fact, this was only the first of four squirrel I would see this same day sleeping on small tree branches.

Of course, when the squirrel figured out that I was watching him, he began to wake up. He groggily changed his position to get a more advantageous position to stare right back at me. After all, he had to make sure I wasn't able to jump thirty feet or so up in the air to grab him.

And of course, I didn't try to jump thirty feet or so up in the air to grab him. I was fairly sure I wouldn't make it quite that high. So instead I decided to try an alternative. I took these pictures instead. Pictures are easier to share on the internet instead of a whole squirrel anyway.

And that's how I got into this staring match with this squirrel.

At Nature Center Magazine there is another Free Wallpaper for you today. For any of you who don't make your own, you might want to have a look.

16 comments:

  1. What a huge fox squirrel! Thank God no bloodshed this time :)

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  2. I have met and captured the pictures of a squirrel for my post. What you have written just matches what I have gone through.

    Thinking of copy and paste the whole thing to my blog. LOL.

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  3. Given all your experience with squirrels I wonder if you ever notice any difference in behaviour between the different species you encounter. Just curious.

    Bill:www.wildramblings.com

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  4. Wild animals seem so vigilant it's always hard to remember that they DO sleep!

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  5. I think he's adorable. As long as he didn't throw nuts at you. That happened to my childhood cat. LOL.

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  6. Ratty, you interrupted hia snooze. Maybe he thought he was having a nightmare. He is a cute little guy - or maybe it's a girl. Could you tell the sex? It looks like you get pretty close sometime!!!

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  7. What a wonderful experience to watch the squirrel sleeping. I've never seen a squirrel sleeping before. I always tend to catch them playing or jumping from tree branch to tree branch. Moments like these are priceless. Hope you are well and it's good to be back!

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  8. I'm still waiting for you to sneak up on a white squirrel - might have to visit North Carolina for that.

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  9. I'm always amazed at the pictures you take. That first one is my favourite.

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  10. It's a good thing the squirrel woke up when you got there, otherwise it might have tried a little sleep walking and that first step is a doozie.

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  11. What a great story. I find his color so very pretty. I don’t think I have seen a fox squirrel around here. This is a good series of pictures.

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  12. amazing how squirrels manage to sleep on top of tree (like in 2nd picture) and not fall, love your "staring" encounter with the squirrel.

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  13. I think that squirrel was none too pleased that you disturbed his snooze. He probably takes sleeping in those little branches completely for granted and can't for the life of him figure out why you are staring - and with a camera yet!

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  14. Great shot of the Fox squirrel Ratty, he is a cutie. It is interesting to catch them sleeping, I have seen them dozing on a branch outside my windows.

    I think he just wants to get a good look at Ratty, he has heard about your adventures. We watch them, they watch us! It's only fair.

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  15. He is huge :) He probably heard you near and woke up for his closeup :D

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  16. That's one cute chubby furry squirrel.. who doesn't need a hammock to take a nap outdoors. =D And I bet it was pretending to be asleep and was keenly waiting for its photo shoot. =D

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