THE GREAT SQUIRREL ENCOUNTER

The spruce tree which spans our neighbour's yard and our own is home to this little black squirrel, who has made her nest at the very top of the tree. I watched her while she was making her nest by biting small branches from the deciduous trees and carrying them to her treetop home. She actually dives from the branches of the hardwood tree down into her nest until she disappears.

This is a documentation of the interaction between this little squirrel and her stalker -- my Dante!

The squirrel is very bold, which you see in this series of pictures. She comes very close when she sees me as she knows I am the provider of nuts -- she looks straight into my eyes as if asking me politely to go fetch the food. I complied and these pictures are the result.

At first Dante was ready to chase her, but later on he sat very still and watched her hop to and fro gathering one nut at a time -- then sometimes burying it, and sometimes eating it.

I was amazed at how the distance between the two -- the little black squirrel and my big red kitty -- lessened as time went on. I guess there was a certain amount of trust that had built up, and Dante was satisfied to be a spectator rather than a hunter.

Dante finally says a fond farewell to Squirrely (that's our nickname for her), until the next time they happen to meet -- which could be as soon as tomorrow!