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Author: dawnkinster
I'm a long time banker having worked in banks since the age of 17. I took a break when I turned 50 and went back to school. I graduated right when the economy took a turn for the worst and after a year of library work found myself unemployed. I was lucky that my previous bank employer wanted me back. So here I am again, a long time banker. Change is hard.
Change Is Hard 
June 22, 2016 at 8:11 am
What a great shot!
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June 22, 2016 at 10:57 am
And he was laying on top of the rind of an orange quarter, stolen from the oriole feeder. Guess he was enjoying a spa day.
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June 22, 2016 at 10:23 am
Is that a little black squirrel?? I had no idea that even existed! Outstanding capture!
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June 22, 2016 at 10:58 am
Yes. I hadn’t seen black squirrels except for way up north before last year when they suddenly showed up here. Note his tail is brown. Most black squirrels I’ve seen have black tails.
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June 22, 2016 at 11:01 am
I’ve seen squirrels here with dark-colored feet but brownish bodies and tails. And of course, there are all-white ones just to our south, but I haven’t seen them here.
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June 22, 2016 at 11:01 am
I have never seen an all white squirrel!
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June 22, 2016 at 11:07 am
Seriously? Gee, they even have their own web page! http://www.ci.olney.il.us/visitors/white_squirrels/
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June 22, 2016 at 1:44 pm
Wow. Went to the website. Who knew, never heard of them before. White squirrels!
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June 22, 2016 at 10:50 am
too tired to run from the paparazzi
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June 22, 2016 at 10:58 am
I know! He heard us at the window, picked his head up, stretched out and went back to sleep. Guess we’re not much of a threat.
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June 22, 2016 at 7:51 pm
we use to see the black squirrels at the Detroit Zoo – and in Canada – only place we had seen the black ones
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June 22, 2016 at 7:58 pm
I had only ever seen them way up north. Now they’re here. Probably did come from Canada.
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June 23, 2016 at 12:38 pm
Made me laugh! Interesting place to snooze. We have quite a few black color variants on gray squirrels here. They seem to appear in waves; some years I see lots, other years, none.
Interesting that the Wikipedia post on your eastern gray squirrels mentions the variants: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_gray_squirrel — ” Particularly in urban situations where the risk of predation is reduced, both white – and black-colored individuals are quite often found. The melanistic form, which is almost entirely black, is predominant in certain populations and in certain geographic areas, such as in large parts of southeastern Canada. Genetic variations within these include individuals with black tails and black-colored squirrels with white tails. (See Tree squirrel for more information on these color variations.)”
Ah! Very interesting, I didn’t know this: “Three species of tree squirrels live in the Bay Area: the Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus Carolinensis), the Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus Niger), and the Western Gray Squirrel (Sciurus Griseus). Of these three, only the Western Gray Squirrel is a California native, and its status is of concern to naturalists.” So very possibly the black ones we see are your same Easterns. (Short article here: http://www.wcsv.org/education/species/western-gray-squirrel/)
The things I learn in the blogosphere!
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June 23, 2016 at 2:50 pm
I know! This disconnectedness is wonderful for learning new stuff. I’ve never seen a white squirrel, but apparently they’re common not too far from here. Black squirrels are new here in the past 2 years. Used to be we had regular brown squirrels and that was that. But stuff changes.
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June 23, 2016 at 2:40 pm
A squirrel napping? That’s a new one on me! Have seen plenty of black squirrels but never before a napping squirrel.
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June 23, 2016 at 2:51 pm
I’ve had squirrels napping here before…generally on very hot days, and always up in the trees, stretched out along a branch, all four legs hanging down. Never on a deck railing!
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