In a recent post about tree rats, real and imagined, I did make a boo boo, which was helpfully pointed out by a fellow tweeter. That was when I wrote that Eastern Gray Squirrels and Black Rats were both "european imports", which of course is incorrect. I just meant to make the point that they were both non-native species, and somehow europe got in my sentence. However, you can import Eastern Gray Squirrels from europe now, because they've been introduced there too, and like here, and have become sort of a environmental nuisance.



When I was a kid trying to grow up in Seattle, Eastern Gray Squirrels were only found in places like Volunteer Park, or Woodland Park - this was back in the 60's. It was fun feeding them tame park squirrels a peanut. Now them cute imports are all over the darn place! And I helped make that happen.



I like Eastern Gray Squirrels. They are are wonderful creatures that I really enjoyed seeing where they belong -"back east" as we say around here,( referring to anyplace east of the rockies). To see these mammals in their native haunts, places like Wisconsin, or Ontario, was really great. Although hard to quantify, it seemed to me that those eastern squirrels were happier there in the nut-filled Hickory and Oak forests, the trees full of their big leafy nests, than they are around here on peanut welfare. I say "hands across the rockies", lets help them get back home! Could be complicated.



Around here, as a more or less adult, I don't feed squirrels no more. I do enjoy watching their determination to get into my single hanging tube feeder though. But I got 'em foiled! So far.



Jeff Gibson

Everett