[AlArchie]

I have a couple of those molded, dumb looking three piece faces placed on trees in the backyard. One in particular seems to require at the very least, daily maintenance. As this one is located just below a tubular bird feeder, that the squirrels raid all the time, I thought that maybe the squirrels were moving the features around as they ran up and down the tree.

Well, yesterday morning, after filling the feeders, I straightened the "face" and came in to have a cup of coffee. As I was siiting on the couch, looking at the birds, a squirrel climbed up to the face, looked at it for a few seconds, then with his front paws, moved the mouth around a bit. He (she?) then stepped back to look at the darn thing, and then went and made a few more adjustments to the whole face.

A squirrel with a sense of the absurd???? I just dunno!

Al

[Ashbys]

Al,

Thats Susan's squirrel! , she trains them and then sends them out to modifiy trees

I have one here that keeps hiding walnuts in the tree carvings .

I know they are Susan's !

rofl

He has a good eye.

[Nancy-ID]

Al, What a great story. I learned a long time ago that animals do in fact think and reason, everything they do is not just instinct, habit or coincidence. I have a rooster that became a wonderful pet (long story why), anyway he got where he followed me everywhere and would knock on the door with his beak when I went in. I would open the door for him and he would strut in, dance around me making a movement like pecking at my feet. It was as though he were telling me off for leaving him out. He would then jump up on a recliner that sat near a computer desk and bob his head at the desk as though pointing at it and clucking. He would continue doing that until I put a towel on the desk then he would get on it and settle down. He knew what he wanted and how to make that known. He really taught me to never underestimate the intelligence of an animal. I once thought of chickens as the stupidest creature alive. I still have him and hope he lives a very long life!

[Thor]

Great story Al.
I've had a flying squirrel, Boo Boo, for about 8 years now. She has enriched my whole family's life as the very clever little rodent that she is.
You must have a very interesting squirrel to arrange facial positions on its tree.
Very funny tree ornament too. I've never seen one like it.
Thor

[whitecree]

My wife's grandfather had a pet squirrel he took everywhere with him. When he was around other people, he'd tie a piece of string around it's neck and lead it like a dog (mostly for the squirrels' protection)

A squirrel with a sense of art/humour? Why not? If a dog or cat can play tricks on you, why not a squirrel as an art critic?

[DICK "chipncut" CAIN]

We have a Squirrel at our cabin that hops around like a Kangaroo. Then we discovered he had a right front paw missing. We call him Lefty. He seems to be taking care of himself.
Dick

[wade clark]

Last Monday an Amish neighbor was helping me put up some poles for a wing on my barn. The wind was blowing like crazy with just enough rain to keep us wet. All of a sudden, a squirell fell out of a tree, landed on his head right beside us, not 5 ft. away, knocked out cold! Never saw anything like it! I think he jumped for a limb and the limb moved! Nevin, the Amish neighbor, held him down with his foot, gently, while I looked for a box to put him in. As I got back, he came to life and was gone like a bolt of lightning! He doesn't have a clue how close he came to living in a cage, the pet of a little Amish boy, Nevin's son!
Wade