Cute little bugger. We call them chickarees or more formally, Douglass squirrels, or more scientifically Tamiasciurus douglasii.
Pretty fun watching them run rings around the Zen Pear Tree a couple weeks back.
Less fun when they decided the house was a good place for a nest.
Pretty weird when the little guy/gal showed up staking out it’s territory against me on the kitchen floor. Our kitchen floor, but yes, mostly mine, as I don’t grudge it its’ space in the trees.
So we have an issue that needs to be resolved. Yes there is a gap into the basement where you can hide and then arise to taunt me* (*fixed now)
But I have a live trap. So the game is on.
But you’re a little tiny chickarree and you can tap dance on the trigger of the live trap without a care, then steal the walnut and stand on the porch flaunting it in my face.
But I’m clever too. I let you take a couple nuts, then I tie a string to the trigger of the live trap. I’m at work on the computer. But I hear you. I sneak over. I watch you dancing around the trap. That’s a nice walnut, friend, isn’t it? Go for it… i stretch the string taut. You cannot resist. I baited you, literally.
I pull the string and — snap — you’re caught, safely, but freaking out nonetheless.
Lift the cage by the handle. Cutie is a rodent after all and we don’t want any rodent scratches or bites.
Quick as possible into the back of the truck.
Drive across the river — if you come back here you’re gonna have to be Stewart Little to do so —
pull over in the woods, find a nice tall cedar tree; place the cage on the ground and open the gate.
Little bugger darts as fast as possible for the nearest cedar tree.
Be free, little friend, just don’t come back!