I didn't realize red squirrels were not as common as grey until I saw my first black squirrels. I really did a double take. I did a bunch of reading on the whole family. Now I have been seeing some mutations on the IUPurdue campus that left me speechless (for all of 2 minutes). The first had a tail that looked like it had been treated with Platinum Blond 101. After learning I was not hallucinating I started seeing others that had large blond patches. I haven't been able to get a picture yet but I keep hoping. Sandy

OMG!!! How cute is that?!?!? :-)

Sooooooooooo jealous here!

C3D

oh i forgot how much i loved those pointy tufted ears! i only see red squirrels when i travel. and, they are fast boogers!

Oh I know...he's so cute I could eat him! Ironically, it was Phat Boy that ultimately ran him off today...little pig. roflol

I *loooove* the black squirrels, Sandy! They are ALL over at my dad's house in Michigan. They look so plush and velvety, I need one. LOL They are like little black cats running around or something...just beautiful! I'd love to see the ones w/ the blonde tails!

Ahhhhhh ..... What a cutie! I think you need to stock up on ritz bits crackers for that little guy.

The black squirrel is a color morph of the standard eastern gray squirrel, at least in this area, but that little red looks different. Cute little thing - so perky, but with a sweet 'baby' look about it. I imagine the Phat Boy Gang Bangers scared the heck out of it.

I think those California ground squirrels are a trip for an eastern girl. I'm watching them while visiting my sister in Lompoc, expecting them to go up a tree, and they dive into a hole in the ground instead.

CT

The black squirrels I saw were descendants of two pairs imported from Japan as breeding pairs for a lakeside cottage property back in the 1800s. The main group is in a fairly small area but ever so often one will show up in the general population of grey squirrels. The greys accept them with no problems. Obviously there was some cross over. There is sometimes talk of eliminating them from the summer visitors but the permanent residents object and the talk goes away for a while. After a hundred years it is probably not going to happen. Sandy

hmmmm, i wonder where my pics of those melanistic wash dc grey squirrels are? or, i think they were greys. its been awhile.

methinks that phat boy, et al should be sent to boot camp...drill sergeant McSquizzy!

Here is a link that might be useful: he'll give them such a doin'!

Ruh-roh, Raggy! Delicious alert! I love how, in pic #2, Sparky appears to be smelling his food, then in pic #3, he decides it doesn't smell "off" and opens wide. LOL

He's such a little man! Andrea, you're so lucky! I've always thought that you have a great haven for humans, but it appears all of the animals agree, too. :)

I love the last 2 pics, as well! He's saying, "Hey...uh, didn't anyone tell you it's rude to stare when someone's trying to EAT? Ahem." LOL

Brenda

In Ohio I thought the only black squirrels were in Kent. Or so I was told. I have been seeing more and more of them in Lakewood. But only around the Warren Road/Clifton Blvd. area. They really show up black on the white snow. Tried to get a pic of them, but they are too fast.

Jenny

FTM - I love that part of Open Season! McSquizzy the Braveheart!

Interesting information on the origins of black squirrels being imported and locally thriving in various parts of the country. I'm surprised they have not expanded their turf.

Our blacks are melanistic color morphs of the greys, no such romantic tales, but they are commonly found in and around DC and MD suburbs that are next to the District. I've never seen one in St. Mary's county in 10 years, so they do keep local too it would appear.

The black squirrels are pretty well turf bound to a tiny town called King.However they have been spotted in recent years as far away as Stevens Point, 23 miles away. They are very easy to identify from the greys. They are smaller and quicker but they are very timid which is a good thing since the hawk population is huge. The color is such an intense black it seems sooty. The guard hair is a deeper shade of black and the combination blurs their outline.