MySecretGarden

U.S.A., Washington State. USDA zone 8b. Sunset climate zone 5

Squirrels in My Garden








My guess is: these are Eastern gray squirrels. They have some brownish undertones and short ears.
I wish to see a Western gray squirrel in my garden one day.

Eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
Body: 10.5" Tail: 8"
Eastern gray squirrels are mid-sized, with relatively narrow tails and short ears compared to western gray squirrels. They have a pale gray coat with a reddish-brown wash on the face, back, and tail. Their underparts are creamy white. Eastern gray squirrels were first introduced into Washington in 1925. They are now common in many cities, and thrive in developed areas. When hunting this species, special care should be taken to distinguish between it and the similar western gray squirrel.

Western gray squirrel (Sciurus griseus)Body: 12" Tail: 12"
Western gray squirrels are the largest native tree squirrel in Washington. They are steel gray on the back with contrasting white on the belly and throat resulting in the name "silver gray squirrel" in some parts of their range. They are distinguished by their very long and bushy tails that are primarily gray with white-frosted outer edges. They also have prominent ears, which can be reddish-brown on the back in winter; this occasional small patch of brown on the back of the ears is only visible upon close inspection and is the only part of the animal's pelage that may have any brown. The western gray squirrel's large size, bushy tail, and gray pelage lacking any brown on the body or tail are keys to distinguishing it from other tree squirrels in Washington. Western gray squirrels forage in trees for acorns and conifer seeds, but also forage on the ground for mushrooms and bury acorns. They travel from tree to tree or on the ground in graceful, wave-like leaps. They may vocalize in the fall with a hoarse "chuff-chuff-chuff" barking.
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***Copyright 2018 TatyanaS

16 comments:

  1. Tatyana, these pictures are beautiful! Here in Argentina the squirrels are very shy creatures, I rarely see them in my garden.

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  2. Such mischievous little buggers! I hope they don't do too much damage.

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    Replies
    1. Alison, they are angels in comparison with bunnies!

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  3. They are cute and look like they are having fun. Great photos.

    Happy January ~ FlowerLady

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    1. Lorraine, it's fun to watch how two or three of them, babies, chase each other!

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  4. I know they are cute. I know they are fun to watch frolicing through your garden but...they are destructive. I have two words of encouragement for you, squirrel stew.

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    Replies
    1. Lisa, they are less evil than rabbits in my garden. BTW, I had a rabbit leg other day for dinner...

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  5. I hope they don't dig up anything.
    They got to our tulips one year.
    Linda C in Seattle

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    Replies
    1. Linda, they dug up all the tulip bulbs in my garden. I knew that would happen. So, I am returning to planting tulips only in containers.

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  6. It's a joy to watch these mischievous little clowns. Hope they don't do any unwanted gardening (eating bulbs, rearranging plants, etc.)

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    Replies
    1. Peter, you are right, they can be bad, but rabbits are much worse in my garden!

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  7. They have to be the most annoying animal in the garden!

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    Replies
    1. Phillip, I hear you! In my garden, I rank the bad guys this way: moles are the worst, then bunnies, and less harmful are squirrels.

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  8. They are so entertaining to watch, aren't they? For some reason, I have more patience for squirrels and chipmunks than I do for rabbits. Maybe it's because the rabbits actually eat the plants, while the chippers and the squirrels simply mess around in them. LOL.

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  9. They are fun to watch until they get into my bird feeder. I haven't found a squirrel proof one yet. P. x

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