Squirrels

At first there was one, then two pretty regularly. For a couple of days there were definitely three.

They are usually on the wall, in the sun, first thing in the morning.

I’ve expressed some skepticism in the past about the safety of these locations given the presence of hawks and owls in the area.

But, there they were, pretty much every day. Often one, sometimes two on the wall at once with the third down on the ground eating leftover bird seed.

Sometimes I would see them in full “sploot” mode, spread eagled on top of the wall, soaking up photons.

Sometimes one of them would be off on the end of the wall, looking for activity in the neighbor’s yard.

But they were skittish. If they saw me at all in the window, taking pictures, they were down the trellis in a flash.

Down to the ground, then into their hidey hole under the pergola.

Proof that there were at least two – the third one was out but they never got close enough together for me to get all of them.

There must have been something different about the lighting on this occasion, with some overcast and the Sun higher, later in the day. They were in the planter just outside of the kitchen window, but didn’t spook at all when I came up to the glass to shoot pictures, seemed to not see me even through they were much closer than when they’re on the wall.

And then all of them have vanished. I have no clue what or why, but it’s been about ten days since I’ve seen any of them. Not three, or two, or one squirrel. For the last week and change, ZERO squirrels.

Hawk? They moved, temporarily or otherwise, to another yard or spot out in the empty lots surrounding us? They’re hibernating? (Do they do that?)

Circle of life? Who knows.

If/when they show back up, the camera is ready. The birdseed is everywhere. The pergola awaits.