Peanut Tester
I photographed a nest last month, high up in the orange tree. There was no sign of activity so I assumed it belonged to a nocturnal mama, most likely an opossum. This week, purely by chance, I looked up to see a squirrel enter the nest. How I wished I had my camera! I’m fascinated by what looks like a paper bag at the bottom of the nest. I’ll have to dig out some binoculars so I can get a peek without getting any closer than I already have. It’s such a compliment when nests appear in your garden.
According to A Squirrel Place, “Squirrels are usually born in the early spring. The average litter consists of four. This varies with climate and location.”
What have you seen nesting this spring?
Squirrel Nest: March 25, 2012
Squirrel Nest: April 19, 2012
Related articles
- Mystery Nest: Sticks and Twigs (gardeningnirvana.wordpress.com)
- A Squirrel Ran Up My Leg~by rldubour (ourpoetrycorner.wordpress.com)
- Squirrels on a parade (mothergrogan.wordpress.com)
Gardening Nirvana 
I’ve been worried sick about this. Thank God, the mystery is solved.
LikeLike
I’m sorry I’ve been keeping you up at night. So glad I followed up with this post!
LikeLike
Hmm… I guess I never really thought about squirrels making nests. Do you think the squirrel made the nest, or was he just visiting/using it? That does look rather like a paper bag at the bottom — If so, how ingenious! A favorite author, Tom Robbins, wrote in “Even Cowgirls Get The Blues” that “The brown paper bag is the only thing civilized man has produced that does not seem out of place in nature”. On close examination of an enlargement of your photo, I’m placing my bet that it’s leaves, though. I’ll look forward to reports of any more squirrel – or other wildlife – sightings!
LikeLike
I like that paperback quote! I should add that book to my Goodreads list. I’ve heard about it for years.
Apparently squirrels will create a nest. Let me go find the link
LikeLike
Ah yes! From the Squirrel Place site: “Squirrels build nests called ‘dreys’. They are made of twigs and leaves. The interior is lined with fur, feathers or other soft material for comfort. There are normally two exits in this type of nest, and they’re built high in a tree between two strong branches. High enough to provide protection from ground predators, but not too high or the nest will be destroyed by the winds. Squirrels also will build a nest, called a ‘den’, in a hollow tree cavity.”
Indeed, you’ve got yourself a squirrel nest in your orange tree! How cool!
LikeLike
Thanks for the additional info. I was too tired to post last night, but I did do some research as well about grey squirrels and the nests they build. What has always been interesting to me is that for all the squirrels I’ve seen over the years, I never see young ones. They seem to appear in my neighborhood fully grown.
LikeLike