A Squirrel Called Shaft

[smoke665]

I was so busy getting my gear together, that I didn't notice this guy at first, then I had to stare in shock for a minute (completely forgetting I had a camera in hand), as my mind tried to reconcile what it was. Never before have I seen a Black Squirrel, but apparently they are relatively new genetic mutation in our area. I apologize in advance for the picture, by the time I came to my senses, he was moving up the tree out of sight.

black squirrel07042017_624.jpg by William Raber, on Flickr

 

[weepete]

wow, what an unusual find!

 

[Derrel]

Canada has a lot of 'em.

Apparently they live there for the single-payer medical insurance.

Or the maple syrup.

Or the Molson beer.

Or the plentiful professional hockey teams.

Not sure, really.

 

[smoke665]

Canada has a lot of 'em.

So you're saying this is just another SNOWBIRD that forgot to go home?????

 

[Derrel]

Canada has a lot of 'em.

So you're saying this is just another SNOWBIRD that forgot to go home?????

Like my friend Mike used to say, "Diz-actly!"

 

[smoke665]

I suspect that someone either intentionally or accidentally released one or more in this park, because I've never seen one there until the other day. I live about 5 miles from the park and still don't see any here. In addition to all the other amenities the park offers they have a nice campground that gets a lot people headed to or from the Gulf coast, from the NE.

 

[Designer]

We are starting to get some gray ones around here, and there is a neighborhood near my son's house that has white squirrels. Not albino, just white fur.

 

[zombiesniper]

You had me for a minute. I didn't realize that black squirrels were only a northern pest. You can have the rest of them if you want.

 

[jcdeboever]

They are all the age in Detroit. Little ones, big ones, fat ones, some with red tails, gray tails, and some salt and pepper.

 

[smoke665]

You had me for a minute. I didn't realize that black squirrels were only a northern pest. You can have the rest of them if you want.

Having lived most of my life below the Mason Dixon Line, I can truthfully say that I had never seen one till the other day. Even the state conservation department fails to recognize they exist here yet.

They are all the age in Detroit. Little ones, big ones, fat ones, some with red tails, gray tails, and some salt and pepper.

As they assimilate into the population, I imaging we'll have the same thing here.

 

[Gary A.]

"Who's the black private dick
That's a sex machine to all the chicks? (Shaft)
You're damn right

Who is the man that would risk his neck for his brother, man? (Shaft)
Can ya dig it?

Who's the cat that won't cop out when there's danger all about? (Shaft)
Right on
You see this cat Shaft is a bad mother (Shut your mouth)
But I'm talkin' about Shaft (Then we can dig it)
He's a complicated man but no one understands him but his woman (John Shaft)"

I've never seen a black squirrel in this neck of the woods ... but California doesn't have single-payer medical insurance.

 

[smoke665]

I've never seen a black squirrel in this neck of the woods ... but California doesn't have single-payer medical insurance.

Apparently from what others have said they must have immigrated here from up north. Though I've not seen any of the "multi colored" ones that JC described. That must be a Detroit thing

 

[limr]

Did he have a tiny little carpetbag with him?

 

[smoke665]

Did he have a tiny little carpetbag with him?

No, but given the fact that he was less than a hundred yards from the campground, I'm pretty sure this one at the far edge was his.

 

[Dean_Gretsch]

I had never seen a black squirrel until I ran across one posted here too. I believe it was one JC posted and I made the comment then that it was new to me. I still haven't seen one in person.