Kelly and others,

Are Douglas squirrels really declining or are the areas where they are
reported to be non-existent just in a less than desirable habitat? Where I
live it is heavily forested, a high hill (for Bothell), and I am inundated
with Douglas squirrels. They do get a good supply of peanuts (meant for the
corvids and varied thrushes, etc.) which keeps them happy. When I moved
here twenty years ago, they were a novelty; one was really a sighting. Now,
if I go outside, I can easily see a dozen, at times. Do I just have a
little pocket of these native squirrels or could they be found in most
desirable habitats?

While I enjoy all of the wildlife that comes here, the Douglas squirrels a
couple years ago, chewed through the drier vent area and ran rampant
through my two-story house while I was at Salt Creek. It tried to get out
every window in the house, knocked things over, etc., etc., etc. and, of
course, ate all the peanuts in the kitchen bowl. They can truly be
devasting indoors, but I suppose that would be the same for any type of
wild animal.

Sorry to get off birds, but the squirrels are part of our backyard
ecosystem most places.

Cheers, Diann
Bothell
tvulture at vei.net