Squirrel love to visit our place for a tasty treat

Seeing squirrels enjoying themselves in the backyard is a daily occurrence. In the spring they gather twigs and leaves to build their nests high up in the Bradford pear trees. In the fall, they collect the fruit from these trees, and at our bird feeders, they look for sunflower seeds or cracked corn. It’s fun to watch them scamper about as they eat. We know that they are busy preparing for the colder part of the year.

On occasion, I sit on the back patio with a cup of coffee while I read. I like to toss out a few nuts nearby so the squirrels can enjoy them. Before long, they come to investigate the source of this easy meal. The squirrels are so curious that they often come right up to me to see what else I might have to offer.

The first squirrel to become brave enough to approach was a little brown squirrel. I named him Sparky. He was quite shy, at first, but after a few weeks, he became quite bold. It wasn’t long before he would come right up to me to take a nut from my hand. I also made friends with a gray squirrel I named “Smokey.” With a little patience, I was soon able to hand-feed him as well.

As the weeks went by, I made friends with other squirrels as well. There is Lightning, Squeaky, Little Red, and Jumper. I often give them peanuts, almonds, and pecans. They love them all.

Recently, I discovered a squirrel nest in one of our Bradford pear trees. The nest is in a tiny little crotch at the very top of the tree, about 40 feet from the ground. I can’t see inside the nest, but I can see movement as the babies stretch and move about. I imagine that they will be out exploring the world soon.

One day while I was sitting on the patio, I cracked some walnuts and set them on the wall. Before long, Sparky came over to get one. To my surprise, Little Red was right behind him with her own little baby squirrel in tow. The baby was old enough to eat solid food, but he was still very wobbly on his feet. As the baby squirrel ate, Little Red watched attentively, ready to swoop down on his food if given the chance.

Watching the squirrels has given me a lot of joy. It amazes me how intelligent they are and how they have learned that I am a source of easy food. I hope that they continue to visit me for many years to come.