January 21 Is Squirrel Appreciation Day

I Have Enjoyed Tree Squirrels Since I Was Young

I first met squirrels when I was about six years old with my mother at the Capitol Park in Sacramento. They were so tame they would come and eat out of my hand. They were tree squirrels. I thought they were cute and always enjoyed seeing them.

I still always look for them when I'm around trees. I've seen many of them in the oak trees behind Peachy Canyon's Tasting Room On Highway 46 West and Bethel Road in Paso Robles. (Or is it Templeton? It's one of those in between places.) I was unable to  get a photo because the squirrels were moving to the next tree before I could get them in focus. They are very nimble and very quick. They are fun to watch. I support  Squirrel Appreciation Day for tree squirrels most of the time.  The squirrel in the photo above was found in a tree on Oak Lane in Paso Robles.

I Have Mixed Feelings about Ground Squirrels

I continued to enjoy and appreciate squirrels until one summer they destroyed most of my garden, plant by plant, very systematically, until there were no tomato or cucumber plants left. I never saw the culprits, but my husband finally saw the tail of one whisking away one day. Before that we had no idea of what had hit us. These culprits were ground squirrels, and they are very active in our area. I can appreciate how cute they are at Moonstone Beach, where I photographed this one, or almost anywhere but in my garden. Those who venture into my garden, however,  I declare war on.

This photo is of another ground squirrel who lives inside or under this tree stump at San Miguel Mission. I had fun playing hide and seek with it during a visit to the mission last year. Click the link above to see the rest of the photos. I spent quite a while watching it.

I loved this photo of two ground squirrels I saw checking each other out at Moonstone Beach in Cambria.

In case you ever see a tiny ground squirrel that appears to be orphaned and you want to help, my friend Rex Truelove has written this article on Caring for Orphaned Ground Squirrels. I have never run into this problem on my property because the neighbor's cats would have found them before I would have.

Products to Help Fight Squirrels, Learn More About Them, or Express Squirrel Appreciation

Squirrel Traps

If you have a destructive squirrel, you might want to look into one of these traps.  I've been told the Squirrelinator works very well.  Whichever solution you  try, you can expect a tough battle. Before you buy a catch and release type trap, be sure it's legal to release the squirrels in your area. Many areas forbid releasing the squirrels because they aren't appreciated everywhere. They can carry diseases and destroy crops.

Learn more about squirrels or celebrate them.

 Outwitting Squirrels: 101 Cunning Stratagems to Reduce Dramatically the Egregious Misappropriation of Seed from Your Birdfeeder by Squirrels C.R. Gibson 16 oz Porcelain Coffee Mug, Gift Boxed, Dishwasher & Microwave Safe, Measures 5 North American Tree Squirrels Squirrel : Coloring Book Vol.7: A Coloring Book Containing 30 Squirrel Designs in a Variety of Styles to Help you Relax (Volume 7) Rabbits, Squirrels and Chipmunks: Take-Along Guide (Take Along Guides) Aurora World Miyoni Grey Squirrel 8 Squirrels of North America Squirrel Coloring Book: A Coloring Book for Adults Containing 20 Squirrel Designs in a variety of styles to help you Relax and De-Stress (Animal Coloring Books) (Volume 17) Good Luck Sock Women's Squirrels Crew Socks, Size5-9,Grey

How do you feel about squirrels? Are you going to celebrate them today?

Playing Hide and Seek with the Ground Squirrel Who Lives at Mission San Miguel

As I was taking photos of the olive press at Mission San Miguel, I was focusing on the west wall of the mission and suddenly noticed this ground squirrel on this old stump. I always enjoy seeing some wildlife, so I took the squirrel's picture from a distance with my zoom. I didn't dare get closer for fear of having him disappear.

Squirrel Prepares to Hide

Sure enough. As I began to cautiously approach the squirrel, he became nervous. You can see him preparing to hide. As I suspected,  he disappeared into his hole in the stump.

Squirrel Can't Resist a Peek to See If I'm Still There

But I kept watching. Sure enough. Soon I saw his head sticking out again to see if the coast was clear. He decided it wasn't when he saw me, and then he disappeared for good -- or for as long as I was there.

Looks Like He's Gone for As Long As I'm Here

After he made his final dive into his hole. I came by to see what I could see inside. Not much. It was too dark.










If you ever visit Mission San Miguel, if you enter at the west entrance, look to your left for the stump. Many you will see this fellow, too.

Related articles

• The Olive Press at Mission San Miguel
• Tracking down squirrels on the National Mall (2007)
• Y is for York Mountain Road in Templeton, California

The Birds, the Bees, and the Flowers on the Snead/Rambouillet Trail

Revisiting the Snead/Rambouillet Trail

I previously walked this trail on March 18, but at that time I didn't know its name. Evidently the official trail entrances are on Snead and Rambouillet, but I entered on Oxen near Brahma. If you walk across the street from the sign toward the tree on the other side and then turn left on the sidewalk, you will almost immediately see the entrance to the trail on the right. I showed you the entrance in Surprised by a Hidden Trail on March 19. You see stairs leading from the sidewalk down to the trail.

Last week it was dusk when I walked and I didn't have much time to explore. Today I walked in late afternoon while the sun was bright. As one walks down the steps into the forested open space, the first thing one notices at this time of year is the display of colorful wildflowers on either side of the stairs.

I wasn't the only once to notice all those flowers. You could hear them almost before you could see them because the bees were very busy gathering pollen. I caught this one on a clover blossom. They were also doing the rounds of the vetch, but I didn't see many on the lupines and poppies, which were also abundant.

The birds were also quite active. I could hear the woodpeckers in the trees, but I couldn't see any. I did see lots of scrub jays like this one. They didn't seem eager to be captured by my  camera, but I finally found one who decided to show off a bit instead of playing hide and seek in the branches.

Open Space to Explore Nature is Important for Children

As I walked, I couldn't help but regret the suburb of Los Angeles I grew up in didn't have any wild places where kids could walk to a place nearby to explore nature. We had a park with a playground, a tennis court, a cement slab where we could skate, some ball fields, and some trees. There were no "wild" areas to explore. There were no creeks or ponds where one could see ducks and catch tadpoles.

The children lucky enough to live in the neighborhoods around these trails have all of that. Here are a couple of ducks that were resting in the shadows beside the creek. I also saw tiny tadpoles in another park of the creek, but they were too small to photograph.

The ground squirrels I saw wouldn't pose for me, either, but I saw them. They would dive into a nearby hole before I could even see them clearly. Nevertheless I did my best to catch them on camera, and when I got home I found there was one who did not manage to escape my zoom lens. It's not a very clear shot, but it proves I saw him.

 Nature's Playground: Activities, Crafts, and Games to Encourage Children to Get Outdoors

If you'd like to encourage your children to explore nature, one of these books might be a good place to get some inspiration. 

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 Sharing the Joy of Nature: Nature Activities for All Ages Sharing Nature®: Nature Awareness Activities for All Ages How to Raise a Wild Child: The Art and Science of Falling in Love with Nature

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Do you have any wild places children near you can explore within walking distance of their homes? What sort of wildlife do you see most where you live?