62. Red Squirrel

Red Squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)   were more numerous here when we first moved to Leaning Oaks, but in the subsequent years our population of Eastern Gray Squirrels (see 5.) has burgeoned.  Our native Red Squirrel; a much smaller species,  doesn't seem to do very well with Gray Squirrels here, and they only seem to co-exist for short periods of time. The Red Squirrel in these photo has done better than the others and has been here off and on since August - a record 7 months! Given the size of the population of feral house cats and the number of Gray Squirrels in the area, we are amazed he has managed survive.