It was Veterans Day and I was home from school. My regular writing routine had been interrupted by this day off and I was having difficulty coming up with a topic. So, as I often do in these sorts of situations, I set about the task of going through my mail, cleaning up my office desk and working on any other little unimportant task in an effort to let my quiet brain come up with something creative and save me.
The house was silent and from my open office loft I could hear all sorts of quiet sounds. Blue jays were visiting the sunflower feeder on the deck railing and making little clunking noises as they performed a variety of acrobatic tricks in an effort to get some lunch. A pair of crows was perched in the cottonwood tree on the west side of my house and having a loud discussion about something or other. And then I heard a sound that I could not account for. What was that?
It was a combination of bumps and scrapings that sounded almost like someone was working on the siding on my house. The sounds persisted and I finally got up. I walked to the stairs that lead to the basement and decided that the noises were coming from inside the house rather than outside. Not good!
I went around to the foyer area between the house and the garage and found that the noise was even louder and coming from the closet ceiling. Then I went out into the garage and I really heard it. Whatever was making the noise was in the open crawl space in the section of the roof that connects the garage to the main house.
I grabbed my pistol-grip spotlight and a utility ladder and climbed up to see what was going on. There was an animal in their and it sounded like it was trying to scrape through some scraps of insulation paneling that the builders left up there. I could see the panels moving, but I couldn’t see the animal responsible.
So I went down the ladder and grabbed a pole. In doing so I must have finally generated enough noise to alert the intruder and then I heard the telltale patter of footprints galloping across the garage roof. Squirrels!
A quick check of my topics database showed me that it has been 10 years since I wrote about squirrels, so serendipity provided me with a subject to write about. As animals go the eastern gray squirrel (Sciuruscarolinensis) is an active, engaging and attractive mammal that offers humans great opportunity to observe and enjoy during the daytime hours. They are so interesting that some of these animals were introduced to European countries and they are now considered a major invasive species throughout the European Union.
Gray squirrels are small, agile and although I wouldn’t describe them as being “intelligent,” I would say that they are tenacious problem solvers. Hence, the problem with squirrels. They are not particularly afraid of humans, which can lend them an endearing quality, but that is a double-edged sword because they are quite willing to raid bird feeders and attempt unauthorized entry into our homes. Squirrels that are outside can range between wonderful guest and mild nuisance, but squirrels inside houses are a major problem. My fellow homeowners out there may know exactly what I am talking about.
The standard winter quarters for a gray squirrel will be either a tree cavity somewhere, or a leaf nest constructed by the squirrels. These leaf nests are called ”dreys” and they are as complex as beaver lodges. First, the squirrel selects a forked branch in a tree. Then a collection of small twigs is used to weave a “basket,” inside which lining of leaves is placed. Finally, the innermost layer of the drey is made out of softer materials. The entrance to the nest will face the ground to keep rain from getting inside and when the squirrel enters the nest there is no extra room at all.
The problem arises when squirrels figure out that the attics and garage lofts of human dwellings are better than dreys. Totally waterproof and conveniently located near well-stocked bird feeders, the human structures are far superior to anything made of sticks and leaves. These spots are so attractive that squirrels will actually chew holes in houses in an effort to get inside. That’s a problem!
So, I clearly have some work to do as I prepare for winter. Somewhere in my garage there is a hole that I don’t know about and I’ve got to plug it up before the squirrels so more than a little simple prospecting. I’ve actually noticed a drey down in the woods behind my house, so I know there are squirrels in the area. I just need to convince them that my home is not going to be an option for them. Wish me luck!
Bill Danielson has been a professional writer and nature photographer for 24 years. He has worked for the National Park Service, the US Forest Service, the Nature Conservancy and the Massachusetts State Parks and he currently teaches high school biology and physics. For more in formation visit his website at www.speakingofnature.com, or head over to Speaking of Nature on Facebook.