Hardly Any Squirrels

January 14, 2025

After more than a week with an abundance of snow on the ground thanks to frigid temperatures, with many, many birds enjoying what I’ve put out for them, I have to stop and think at least for a very brief moment, “Where are the squirrels?”

Eastern Gray Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) stash away many nuts in autumn, in anticipation of winter. Acorns, beechnuts, butternuts, hickory nuts and more put away for extremely cold days. Eating extras as the days go by to add a layer of fat to help protect against the cold.

When the cold weather arrives the squirrels will spend very cold days in their dens – a tree cavity or a nest made of leaves high up in a tree. Several squirrels may share a den for warmth in those cold months. Only venturing out to their stash when hunger strikes.

So that’s where the squirrels are. They staying home all snug and warm. Mighty smart.

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Published by

Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.