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The Rewarding Experience Of Calling Spot | January 2, 2012 |
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There is a particular thrill in socializing with a "wild" animal. In this case, a squirrel, one that I've come to know over the years.
Her official name is Tiny Scoiattolo Jr., as named by squirrelmama, a squirrel rehabber, after one of her first squirrels. However, for practical purposes, this squirrel's common name is "Spot," after Spot's attribute; that is, her spot. So the first factor is identifying the particular squirrel by her spot. On sighting, the question is, Does she have her shoulder spot? |
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I don't have an immediate answer. A number of the squirrels here have bushy tails. |
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Ah! There it is. Her spot over the left shoulder.
She knows me, and I know her. I have sunflower seed and peanuts prepared (for once), which I distribute outside, and so I call her. I toss the food and grab my camera. "Good Spot, I've food for you!" |
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And here she comes, calculating her next jump down the tree outside the living room sliding doors.
A final jump, and she breaks out into a run. (Squirrels move quickly. Note the motion blur.) |
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And so Spot (aka Tiny Scoiattolo Jr., as her official name) comes calling. |
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Spot or Tiny alternates between sunflower seed and peanuts. If peanuts, she often takes one onto a bush opposite the door to eat at leisure.
She's an incredible squirrel!
Photo note: I used a Pentax K20D, with the SMC-DA 55-300mm lens, for these photos, for which the first was taken 30 December 2011, with the final one on 24 Dec. 2011 (as it is really tough to focus on a fast-moving squirrel).
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