Black Squirrel with an Attitude!

[PixelRabbit]

This guy was around early winter and disappeared until a few days ago.
He came back with an attitude lol
C&C always welcome and appreciated.

Caught him getting into the new bag of seed before I got to put it away:


Black Squirrel by Judi Smelko, on Flickr


He was none too happy about being busted! I couldn't help but laugh lol


Black Squirrel by Judi Smelko, on Flickr

 

[IgsEMT]

NICE
great capture

 

[PapaMatt]

Nice

 

[greybeard]

I like it

 

[PixelRabbit]

Thanks IgsEMT, PapaMatt and Greybeard

 

[Derrel]

He's cute! Are black squirrels common? I've never,ever seen a black squirrel. Any idea on what the deal is with them?

 

[PixelRabbit]

He's cute! Are black squirrels common? I've never,ever seen a black squirrel. Any idea on what the deal is with them?

Thanks Derrel. They aren't common, they are the offspring of two greys. 1/10 000 squirrels is black in North America. They are more common the further north you go.
They are more common here in Ontario, apparently we shipped these guys to the US a few times many moons ago and there are some who live at the White House that are descendants!

(I looked them up today after someone else said they had never heard of them before and I was puzzled lol)

 

[o hey tyler]

According to studies, black squirrels can run faster, and jump higher than grey squirrels.


























Obvious joke is hopefully obvious.

 

[PixelRabbit]

Lol O hey Tyler, I would respond with an observation about the size difference compared to the resident Red Squirrels but I digress

 

[Forkie]

Nice!! I love squirrels that poke their noses down your lens!




Squirrel Revisited by Forkie, on Flickr

He's cute! Are black squirrels common? I've never,ever seen a black squirrel. Any idea on what the deal is with them?

Derrel,

Black squirrels are the same species as greys. They are just a melanistic colour variant, like the black panther is a melanistic variant of the normal leopard (also sometimes jaguars and cougars).

They are starting to appear here in the UK now too and the number of sightings is increasing every year.

 

[Netskimmer]

Love the expression in the second one. That is HIS seed bag, he found it and you can't have it!

...apparently we shipped these guys to the US a few times many moons ago and there are some who live at the White House that are descendants!

:shock:

 

[PixelRabbit]

Thanks Forkie and Netskimmer

Great shot and PP Forkie!
Haha Netskimmer! You can almost hear him say that lol boy did I make him mad

 

[KenC]

Good shots. Whenever the squirrels visit and become pesty I wonder why the red-tailed hawks don't visit more often.

 

[Joel_W]

Judi, nice shots. Solid compositions. Picture #2 just seems to show the "attitude" more. To be honest, this is the 1st Black Squirrel I've ever seen.

 

[PixelRabbit]

Thanks Ken and Joel.
Ken, I didn't mind the two or three red squirrels and flying squirrels that hung around all winter, they are both small. Over the past couple days I have seen the black one and this morning there was a grey one at the feeder (with the most impressive tail I have ever seen on one!) both about twice the size of the red and flying. I'm getting a little worried about how much they will eat and how many more are going to show up! We have a pair of red tails that hunt here, perhaps they will step it up lol

Joel, glad I could show you someone new!