patrick
08-21-2017, 08:38 PM
Hello all,
I've recently started observing the gray squirrels in our yard a little more
closely, and occasionally feeding as well, they really are fascinating creatures.
Anyway, I have a few pics as well as a few questions that I thought some folks on this board might have answers to.
Earlier in the summer there were two females that seemed to be here most frequently, they are in the first few pics.
They were bigger and had nice bushy tales. At one point I observed at least one of them mating, this was a few weeks ago,
end of July. I saw it again the next day, could have been the same one or the other one, I'm not sure.
Following the mating I saw them only once or twice more, and the dominant female's (the one with the darker brown face) tail seemed to look a bit ragged and
much thinner.
The last week or so there's been three new squirrels, one of these is in the last two pictures. To me these look a bit younger
than the other two and definitely have tails that aren't as full.
A couple things I'm wondering, is it normal for a recently mated female to disappear for a bit, or to take it easy for a while?
Or maybe something happened to her? I do think I may have spotted her again this morning but not 100% sure.
The three new ones look almost identical to me, all the same size with the same tail, could these be not quite fully grown
squirrels? Maybe from a litter in the spring, or last fall? Or more likely just different adult squirrels moving in to the
neighborhood? Their behavior seems a bit younger to me as well, they are more skittish around people than the others and seem
a little less sure of themselves in general.
Just asking these out of curiosity as I'm interested in knowing more about these guys. No interest in interfering in their
lives, I only feed them a few treats once or twice a week as I don't want them relying on it or getting too comfortable with
folks, but do enjoy watching them. Thanks for any replies.
I've recently started observing the gray squirrels in our yard a little more
closely, and occasionally feeding as well, they really are fascinating creatures.
Anyway, I have a few pics as well as a few questions that I thought some folks on this board might have answers to.
Earlier in the summer there were two females that seemed to be here most frequently, they are in the first few pics.
They were bigger and had nice bushy tales. At one point I observed at least one of them mating, this was a few weeks ago,
end of July. I saw it again the next day, could have been the same one or the other one, I'm not sure.
Following the mating I saw them only once or twice more, and the dominant female's (the one with the darker brown face) tail seemed to look a bit ragged and
much thinner.
The last week or so there's been three new squirrels, one of these is in the last two pictures. To me these look a bit younger
than the other two and definitely have tails that aren't as full.
A couple things I'm wondering, is it normal for a recently mated female to disappear for a bit, or to take it easy for a while?
Or maybe something happened to her? I do think I may have spotted her again this morning but not 100% sure.
The three new ones look almost identical to me, all the same size with the same tail, could these be not quite fully grown
squirrels? Maybe from a litter in the spring, or last fall? Or more likely just different adult squirrels moving in to the
neighborhood? Their behavior seems a bit younger to me as well, they are more skittish around people than the others and seem
a little less sure of themselves in general.
Just asking these out of curiosity as I'm interested in knowing more about these guys. No interest in interfering in their
lives, I only feed them a few treats once or twice a week as I don't want them relying on it or getting too comfortable with
folks, but do enjoy watching them. Thanks for any replies.