Mr and Mrs towhee were scratching for seeds under the bird feeder when the
resident douglas squirrel went old guy yelling get off my lawn at them. They
ignored the blustering mammal which seemed to enrage it into action and it
came out of the cedar tree and charged the couple. Mrs Towhee flew up into
the cedar from which the squirrel had come and Mr. towhee hopped up on a
salmonberry. The squirrel whirled around, yelling the whole time as it ran
up the tree and down the branch after Mrs towhee. Such rudeness! She flew
around the corner of the house, Mr towhee returned back under the feeder.
Down came the impertinent squirrel and it stopped at the base of the tree
and started yelling again. This was the last straw, Mr. towhee fluffed
himself up and opened up his tail, showing the white feathers on the side.
The squirrel stopped yelling as if it had been shot, and after some twichy
body language the squirrel ran up the tree and settled down. Mrs Towhee came
back and joined her mate under the feeder, and she dipped her head as if to
say, Thanks dear, that squirrel is sooooo annoying.



Rob Sandelin

Snohomish County

Ps, if you are in Duvall on Saturday I am hosting the mammal station at the
Earth day event at McCormick Park. Lots of fun for the whole family.