Cyn's Nature Notes: Scarface, the last squirrel

Thursday 2 August 2012

Scarface, the last squirrel

Often I have written about the squirrels in our garden, once more their numbers have suddenly depleted, from having six visit us at any one time, we have dropped to just one. I don't know what has happened to the others.

The remaining squirrel is our old friend with the scarred face. I have no idea what caused such a terrible wound It is still a problem to him as it has never healed properly, although it looks as if it has, but it doesn't seem to bother him. The scar is a bright orangey colour and runs across the left hand side of his face from above his eye, across his cheek and on down to the lower section on the left side of his head.

Another Squirrel -- Not Scarface

Most of the time it looks well healed, other times the whole left side of his head swells up and his left eye which is larger than the right eye due to being stretched open by the scarring, is filled with pus that oozes from the once again infected wound. He seems unconcerned by this and just brushes the pus away from his eye. I am constantly surprised and pleased that he recovers from these infections and has lasted so long.

I wish I could help him, but I know as tame as he is he would never allow himself to be caught.

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About this Blog

When we moved to our present home in December 1987, I was very ill and bedridden. My garden was a life-saver, although it was very different then. The first thing I did was to put up bird-feeders, and long hours were spent lying indoors in a recliner. This was when I discovered many things. Do you know the underside of every blue tit’s tail is differently marked? Gradually, over the years, the garden changed. We put in shrubs and plants that would not only enhance the garden, but would also be good for wildlife. The first rabbit we saw was so joyful for us. The deer eat the flowers, prune the apple trees, eat the marrow, and are wonderful to watch. Foxes have been a major part of our wildlife. We have fed them each night for more than 20 years. They are such a delight, especially in late summer and early autumn when there are youngsters. They behave like puppies and are great fun to watch.

I love all wildlife: the mason bees that nest in the brickwork of the bungalow, the hornets that last year made their home in the roof above our bedroom, the bees currently nesting in the roof above the bathroom. On a hot evening, if you stand quietly in the bathroom, you can hear this amazing sound: it is very rhythmic and reminds me of the waves at the seaside. It is made by the beating of the bees’ wings as they fan their nest to keep the temperature at the right level -- how many people have heard that sound? I feel so privileged.

Obviously, I feed the birds. When I open the window in the morning I call “Come on Bobby and Blackie”, and one followed swiftly by the other they fly immediately to the bird table. Each morning, on rising, I make my way to the kitchen and find the squirrels already sitting on the window ledge waiting to be fed. Winter brings the moorhens and spring time the mallards. Our pond is a poor effort from a human point of view, but wild creatures see it differently. On summer days, the grass snakes spend long hours in the pond: eating the fish, froglets, toadlings, newts, and any other living creature they can swallow. Although I hate to see the pond emptied this way, I do enjoy the snakes and feel they are an important part of the balance of nature in the garden. Watching a dragonfly nymph climbing out of the pond, up a plant stalk, and then over the next few hours gradually transforming into a beautiful dragonfly -- these are contented hours well spent.

It has been my pleasure to write and publish a nature column each month. I am always delighted to hear how much pleasure this brings to my readers. I have often been asked if I have written a book, so I am making more of my writings and photography available through this web site and blog.