Not related to MC...

Joefnh · Post by **Joefnh** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 6:02 pm

Recently there have been a couple of posts about squirrels and their antics... I actually put out several 'engineered' feeders for them in the winter and enjoy watching them solve the rather complex problems that I design for them to get at the food. Yesterday I was able to take great picture of one of the northern gray squirrels that had solved the problem of how to get to the sunflower seeds that I setup...

Nestle does have her fun chasing them and fortunately has not gotten hurt in the process.

Here is the most recent winner of the sunflower seed challenge which involved a lot of balancing and sequencing to get at the food.

--Joe

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 6:07 pm

Awesome photo, Joe! How close were you? Seeing him this close-up makes me realize how long and numerous the whiskers are. And those liquid eyes......awwwww, I want to hug him! One of my most favorite animals!

Thanks for sharing.

Love,

Polly

Joefnh · Post by **Joefnh** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 6:27 pm

Polly I was about 13 feet away using a zoom lens, carefully stabilizing it. He only stood still long enough for 2 pictures, this was the best. Squirrels and beavers are truly natures engineers.

--Joe

mbeezie · Post by **mbeezie** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 6:46 pm

Joe,

Your photography skills are impressive. Great shot.

Squirrels are very good at figuring out how to get food. Every squirrel-proof bird feeder I have ever purchased has been a joke

I also have a squirrel chasing dog. It's his main form of exercise. Unfortunately he did catch a baby squirrel once and brought it in the house to show me his great catch. Ugh.

Mary Beth

Post by **tex** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 7:57 pm

Joe,

I can almost see the gears turning in that squirrel's brain, as he tries to figure out how to get some food out of that camera you were holding.

Great shot.

Tex

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 8:55 pm

What a great close-up! I'm curious - did you create such adventures for your children?

Gloria

Joefnh · Post by **Joefnh** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 9:07 pm

LOL ... not for food Gloria, but I did make opening presents interesting at times. The tree house I built had strange locks and trap doors that were operated by interesting mechanisms. The kids loved it... too bad it has not been used for the last 8 years.

--Joe

JoAnn · Post by **JoAnn** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 9:40 pm

Joe, love your picture and the challenges you give your squirrels. I wish you could design a few things for my second graders

JoAnn

Linda in BC · Post by **Linda in BC** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 9:46 pm

Dear Joe;

That is a truly awesome picture! We can even see his little scraped-up nose.. AAAWWWW! Thanks for posting it.

Linda

JoAnn · Post by **JoAnn** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 9:54 pm

Wow Linda, you are observant! I had to go back and look again

JoAnn

Linda in BC · Post by **Linda in BC** » Sun Dec 12, 2010 10:56 pm

That was the first thing I saw! maybe I'm always looking for injuries on animals from having these accident-prone horses...

Linda

harma · Post by **harma** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 2:16 am

Great picture Joe, and amazing how you can get a photo like this, so close.

Kari · Post by **Kari** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 3:37 am

Hi Joe - love the picture - I never realized squirrels had such big ears until I saw this close up :). Squirrels are truly persistent in pursuing their goals - we can learn from them in dealing with MC - try, try, and try again, until we finally succeed :).

Love,
Kari

MaggieRedwings · Post by **MaggieRedwings** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 7:04 am

Love the picture Joe and you definitely have a talent for photography and getting people and animals to solve puzzles. They are amazingly "intelligent."

Love, Maggie

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 7:55 am

Mornin'!

Kari, great observation! We should make the squirrel our PP mascot in view of its persistence, dogged determination, creativity, and ability to try anything possible to reach its goal.

Love,

Polly