Kelly Cassidy wrote:

"To tweeters whose gaze sometimes wanders to small furry items:

Are there Eastern Gray Squirrels in the Olympia-Lacey area?"

Kelly,=20

The answer is a resounding YES! They're pests throughout the area. The =
Starlings of the Squirrel World! I can supply specimens if you're =
interested, as well as recipes for Black Sunflower-fed Eastern Gray =
Squirrel Pot Pie.

Seriously, though, the Eastern Gray is common throughout town. I live =
on the west side of Oly and have seen these exotic deleterious critters =
everywhere I look here on the west side... Darn! there's one at my bird =
feeder right now! Ann Blakley notes that they are at her feeder clear =
out in the Beachcrest community near Tolmie State Park. I have seen =
them on utility wires near the Old Fire Hall, the Library and GA =
Building downtown. They are common over in east Oly near Bigelow lake, =
and I've seen them at Priest Point Park. I've seen a couple in the =
Masonic Cemetary in Tumwater, as well as near the Brewery at Tumwater =
Falls park.

I have yet to see the Western Gray in the area, though I did see one in =
the oaks down by Yelm a few years back. I was just in the Willamette =
Valley this weekend, and it was sure nice to see the *native* gray =
squirrel, for a change.

Jon. Anderson
Olympia, Washington
festuca at olywa.net