This rodent first appeared in our woods in 2018. Four years later they have become quite common. And with our oaks bearing fruit I suspect the population will continue to thrive.
Meet Sciurus niger - the Eastern Fox Squirrel - the largest of the tree squirrel family. The gray squirrel is more common but is slightly smaller.
At first blush you might guess this to be a Red Squirrel. However, lacking in the photos is the Red Squirrel's distinctive bright white belly and white rings around the eyes. The rusty coloring and large bushy tail are reminiscent of a fox - implying this is a Fox Squirrel.
The bright orange pelt of this animal and it's loud, scolding call make it an easier visual and audible identification. Unlike the Eastern Gray Squirrel this species has a wider home range and spends more time on the ground foraging. Just like this picture suggests....
This species also buries nuts
for retrieval at a future date - which probably accounts for all the tiny oak
trees popping-up around the joint.
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