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Gray Fox, Guilt, Innocence, and a Question - UPDATE February 5, 2023

Red squirrel

Last night between 7:02 PM and 5:06 AM, the gray fox made about 10 trips up to the second floor deck for chicken. He missed a piece, though, that was a little buried in snow. Today a chickadee found it but looked guilty when he saw that I had caught him at it. Click. Busted. He flew off.

ChickadeeChickadee

The look of a red squirrel was way different as he ate peanuts put out for all. I liked his calm look as he put each peanut to his mouth and nibbled it down.

Then came the male pileated woodpecker with his bright crest and red mustache glowing in the sun. He’s the bird I think about most when putting out suet, and he dove right in pecking pieces from the frozen block. His mate landed a foot or two away. I anticipated a nice picture of sharing. I clicked when she looked at him and took a hop closer. He flew off. I don’t know if he saw something in her look (see what you think) or if he was saying, “It’s all yours, dear. I want you good and healthy to make good eggs this spring. Take all you want.” I’m glad I don’t really have to read animals’ minds.

Pileated woodpecker malePileated woodpecker male Pileated Woodpecker femalePileated woodpecker female

Thank you for all you do,
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center


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