Oct 31 2007
Unwelcome Houseguest
I have a bluebird house nailed to an Oak Tree in my backyard. When standing at the window in the kitchen, I can see it clearly. I had observed periodic flashes of blue from flying birds, but had assumed that they were jays. I had seen plenty of bluebird houses over the years, but never any bluebirds. So, my Mom and I were delighted to see several bluebirds checking out the bluebird house. They kept flying around the house, but would not enter. My Mom was convinced that we had to clean out their house for them, so that they would go in. I hate cleaning my own house and felt the bluebirds should clean their own house themselves. My Mom, who cleans everyones house: family, friend, or bird got to work. We read online that you should bang on the side before you open the house to allow the bird to fly away if one is inside. So, my Mom unscrewed the screws and then gave the side of the house a good bang. What looked out at her was no bird. She called Zeke and I to come look and it was something in between a chipmunk and a squirrel. I then went to get Dad in case there was trouble. Mom pounded on the house until the animal ran out and Mom declared it something from “The Secret of NIMH”. It looked like a squirrel, but was too small and had a flat tail. She then opened the box to discover a giant messy nest. The animal was on the oak running back and forth and giving us a piece of her mind. Mom had Dad hold open a plastic bag to push the nest into so it wouldn’t make a mess. When the nest fell into the bag, the baby squeeks started. There were 3 little babies in there and we were all a bit stunned as to what to do. Dad shook them out onto the ground under the tree. The animal then ran down the oak, rolled one baby in a ball, put it in her mouth and hightailed it back up the oak. Mom continued to clean out the birdhouse mumbling all the time about strange squirrels. She and Dad then moved to clean out the other birdhouse located at the back of the property on a post. Zeke and I stayed where we were and continued to watch the animal roll her babies into a ball and carry them up the tree in her mouth. It wasn’t until she flew over our heads that Zeke and I yelled. It was a flying squirrel. I was shocked. I had no idea there were flying squirrels in Virginia. I stared in amazement just as I had when I watched 2 kangaroos boxing on the ridgeline across from our house in Australia. I came in the house and looked online to discover that Virginia northern flying squirrels have been on the endangered species list since the mid 80s. Thankfully, their population has recovered, and it has been proposed to remove them from the list. They will soon be declared no longer endangered in Virginia. Well, at least in areas outside of my backyard.
Oh how I wish I could’ve been there to see it!
Wow! I never thought a flying squirrel would be in a birdhouse!
Anja
i would have enjoyed that sight very much.
HOW are you? HOw are you feeling?
WE miss you and Dale….
I have so much going on….I am going to be a mammaw next June.
Jt has his gf pregnant, they are getting married THIS DECEMBER so we are planning a quick wedding.
THEN Lisa and Robert have moved their date to February o9….so, we are in much planning mode.
love you, Tami
That is so cool mugs. You don’t know me. but Tami and I are Sisters and i went to school and was in JROTC with Jeff and Dale. I also lived on weekends with them for Years. But anyway wanted to introduce myself as tami keeps me up with what is going on with yall. and now she told me about the web site so here i am. She used to send me your emails and i loved them. Dale your Family is beautiful. You can see mine at my web site on myspace. http://www.myspace.com/itzmefantazia Love yall and Please come home soon dale.
Love,
Toni Lea