Squirrel Tales

Sharing some squirrel photos that were in my files:

February 2017: A hungry squirrel plundered for a snack in a mound of dead leaves and pine straw...

while another chattered and vigorously whipped his tail up and down.  He seemed to be looking dead at me- it's probably for the best that he doesn't speak English, lol.  

September 2016:  This precious little mama needed to steal away a few minutes to feed herself...

and this one had a parasite (larval stage of a warble botfly)- yes, it's pretty gross but it's a common parasite on squirrels (and other small mammals) and I posted it for those who are unfamiliar with botfly larva.  Read more about it here.

Poor baby- botfly infestation causes intense itching in the area and the result is hair loss from scratching.  He was fortunate to have only one and probably healed just fine once the warble dropped out.  If you really want to be grossed out, just watch some of the you tube videos of botflies- they're guaranteed to make your skin crawl.  *shiver*

Squirrels Like Them Too

They also partook of the tiny fruits from the Cleveland Pear tree...

Obviously, squirrels aren't bothered with gastric reflux ;)

Spooked Squirrel

I spotted this beautiful fox squirrel as I was exiting Lake Bill Waller.  I stopped the car and watched him for a minute, but he didn't appreciate my company.

At first he just froze on the tree stump.  For several seconds he didn't flinch.

Then he sped off and ran up a nearby tree.

Laying low...

"You still there, woman?!!!"

Have a great week, everyone!

Paul B. Johnson State Park

My youngest daughter and I rode out to Paul B. Johnson State Park in rural Hattiesburg, Mississippi on March 15th.  It had been years and years since I've been there.  My parents occasionally rented a cabin on the lake during summer vacation when I was much younger.  

We walked along the nature trail for a few minutes but didn't see any creatures stirring about. The trail itself is nice and has wooden benches here and there for those who want to sit and rest or watch for wildlife.  

The water level in Lake Geiger was higher than normal due to flooding rains in the area. Water was still overflowing onto the bridge days after the heavy flooding.  

A small group of Canadian Geese were busy foraging in the grass near the water's edge.  

We saw just a few other creatures stirring that morning, including a squirrel and a red-bellied woodpecker.

A whole bunch of turtles were warming up in the sun.  I counted 26 of them to begin with- about half of them scrambled into the water as I approached (guess they were camera-shy).  

That's a crowd!

Thanks for dropping in.  Have a great week!

Along Rookery Road

Rookery Road winds along the eastern half of Lake Martin.  Mostly consisting of rock gravel, it's a dusty and bumpy  ride.  At least it's wide enough to park without blocking others from passing. My husband and I made several trips along this road in our pursuit to seek out birds and other wildlife in the area.  

Portions of the swamp near the southern end of the road are literally covered in duckweed which gives it a bright green, slimy appearance.  The duckweed dissipates and water hyacinth dominates the swamp near the northern end of Rookery Road.  

On my right side (heading north) I viewed some tropical appearing plants (I don't recall the botanical name of these green fan-shaped plants), beautiful yellow wildflowers growing alongside the road, several turtles warming up on logs, a unique camp house, an old wood-framed house (I like old houses), cows in a pasture of yellow wildflowers (signs of spring), squirrels and a variety of birds.

Among the birds we viewed- Red-winged Blackbird, Pied-billed Grebe, Barred Owl, Killdeer, Yellow-rumped Warbler and White-throated Sparrow.  

Thanks for reading!  Have a wonderful, safe weekend!
Linked with Eileen for Saturday's Critters