A squirrel pokes its head out of a hollow tree in west Albany on Aug. 24.
Until I looked it up, I didn’t know that we have four native species of tree squirrels in Oregon, or that the one I spotted looking out of a tree a week ago Wednesday was probably not one of the four.
Squirrels seem to be with us everywhere in the Willamette Valley, whether we live in the country or in town.
Often, the ones we see are former squirrels. They are squirrels no more. Instead they are road kill, plastered all over the pavement by a passing car.
The reason is apparent. When a squirrel sees a vehicle coming, the animal often will run down the street ahead of the car instead of jumping out of the way.
Or, if it does get out of the way, it will scurry right back across the lane just as the vehicle goes past.
There’s probably a reason why squirrels act in this self-destructive, kamikaze way, and maybe a wildlife biologist can explain it.
Whether they become traffic fatalities or not, squirrels don’t live long. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife says that typically about half the squirrels in a population die every year.
Motor vehicles are just one reason. Predators such as hawks and owls are another, along with parasites and disease, dogs and cats, falls from trees, and being zapped by power lines, according to ODFW.
The department has several pages on squirrels in its online “Living With Wildlife” series. You can read the information here.
From the brochure, I surmised that the squirrel looking out from the tree hole was an eastern gray, an invasive species first introduced on the Capitol grounds in Salem in 1918. Their offspring have been displacing the native western gray squirrels ever since.
This one in the tree looked around for only a few seconds. Then it resumed its summer work, collecting as many nuts from nearby filbert trees as it could find. (hh)
Hasso writes, with urgency, “the squirrel looking out from the tree hole was an eastern gray, an invasive species first introduced on the Capitol grounds in Salem in 1918”.
Surely, Hering has exposed another clear example of government overreach. Kate Brown – where were you when Oregonians needed you? As to the three women running for Governor, a question is begged: What is your plan to deal with this invasion from our Eastern border? Can we afford any more apathy out of Salem when a monumental shift in the natural order is in full view.
Aren’t you the webcam guy? What is your problem??? Why don’t you take your comments elsewhere?
MarK: Your response to Hartman left me wanting.
Like a slave owning former President (Thomas Jefferson) said in his first inaugural speech about tolerating opinions-
“…let them stand undisturbed as monuments of the safety with which error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.”
Instead of expressing a juvenile desire to cancel, offer up some mature reasoning “to combat” Hartman’s response.
How’s this: “Dear Hartman: I would think your comments would be much more useful on a different blog. Maybe even more appreciated. We’ll hate to see you leave, but I’m sure we’ll persevere”.
The knowledge that my few words could elicit such emotion tells me my journey is on track. I thank you – and Hasso – who quoted a slave-holder, because slave-holders are the finest judges and arbiters of right and wrong. Each of you have reinforced my beliefs. For that, I thank you both.
Yes Hasso. filberts. Still haven’t gotten used to hazelnuts even though it’s probably been decades. I found a short article that others might enjoy. https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/hazelnut_industry/
Evolution is an interesting thing. My German Shorthair chases our native grey squirrels relentlessly at about 40 mph. The squirrels often display radical evasive behavior and are only rarely caught. I assume the same result occurs with coyotes. But the same behaviors fail to work with objects traveling at 60. If natural selection works, the squirrels should be more successful as time goes by. I’ll be watching.
I watched one (golden mantle?) yesterday hop from fence to pole. Very entertaining. Nice to take time out to enjoy wholesome life.
Sorry someone peed on your leg and told you it was raining. Derps.