Friday, September 2, 2011

It Strikes Me Funny: “Unusual natural sightings” in London PT 2

In a recent column I asked readers to send me news about their own “unusual natural sighting.”

Shirley P. emailed the following:

“I enjoyed your column and wanted to share our recent "unusual natural sighting".

Yesterday afternoon we had a visit from a red squirrel in our backyard.  It ran towards the deck where we were sitting and started to climb an ash tree about five feet away.  When it was about six feet up the trunk it stopped and looked at us then climbed a little higher and turned around.  

After a couple of minutes is started back down and stopped to look at us again.  I had gone to get some peanuts but he left just as I came back with them.


["Want me to chase yer squirrels? Call me.": GH, circa 1953]

We live in north London and have all the usual wildlife visit us, including grey and black squirrels.  I never realized there were red squirrels in this area.

Isn't it great to be retired and have time to enjoy these encounters!” SP


I live in Old South, London where black squirrels seem to dominate the trees and yards, but I do see some with red tails. A mix? An accident of nature? A new hair style? I’m not sure.

I don’t have a picture of a black squirrel handy but I found one of a young kid who grew up to be a man who - now that he's retired - chases squirrels away from hid bird feeders more than 20 times per day.

(And that’s how he stays fit for hockey).

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Please click here to read “Unusual natural sightings” in London PT 1.

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