At the Squirrel Races: In Hot Pursuit!

The squirrels have been very active in the past few weeks. A few days ago, we spotted FOUR of them chasing each other up and down the trees around our deck. Their antics are exciting for the cat, of course, who sits and watches, fascinated, with his own tail twitching up a storm.

It was, in fact, the cat who alerted me to the squirrel races on this particular morning. There were two squirrels chasing each other in the trees - or rather, one squirrel was chasing another - and they brought their hot pursuit down onto the deck.

I am guessing the first squirrel might be a female, and the second - the pursuer - a male. In doing some online research, I have discovered that late January into early February is apparently a particularly romantic time for Eastern gray squirrels. Who knew?

The moment I caught above took place just as the two squirrels leapt from the rhododendrons onto the deck railing. The second squirrel had caught the first in its clutches, but only for a second, before she shook him off and quickly escaped.

They ran across the deck, no more than inches apart, and bounded sideways - Look, Ma, no gravity! - before disappearing up a nearby tree, where the race, no doubt, continued well above our heads.

Here are two songs for these very active squirrels, one for being chased, and one for being caught: Bruce Springsteen, with a 1978 performance of Racing in the Streets; and 38 Special, with Caught Up in You.