wherethewildthingsbeen

[wherethewildthingsbeen]

the boldest little squirrel i’ve met so far, the only one who has ever come right up to me. campus squirrels are far more tame than forest squirrels. i bribe with sunflower seeds, and i was showing her my empty, seed-less hand. all of the ones on campus recognize that as, “i am deeply and sincerely sorry that i have neglected to bring sustenance that you never needed before i showed up and got you addicted. i love you, bye.”

[wherethewildthingsbeen]

not mama bear… bold boy bear?

i don’t know why all squirrels are little bears to me, they just are 🤷‍♀️

is this a one year old? bc has a spot near base of tail that might be mange? that only happens after their first winter, and they become immune

but i think he’s older. very comfy with coming right up to me. no side stepping, no approach from behind, just barreled into the bushes and right up to me

was willing to sniff my fingers today — twice!

this tells me that maybe he is the same little bear that has always come right up to me with almost no fear and has sniffed my fingers 3ish times before. if that’s the case then this little one is prolly more like 4+ years old? ish? did we meet when i first worked here before covid or after we returned? i feel like it was before covid but not 100% sure.

whenever they spot me but i’m empty-handed, i always show them my empty hand, palm up in a non-threatening gesture. this little one here is the only one that has ever been bold enough to come all the way up check out the empty hand. i’m so happy that he has. it always makes me feel elated

i’ve never named this little one, despite knowing him for so long. and despite being the one most comfortable with me. i’ve thought about names before and couldn’t come up with something that felt right. until now. bc the easiest way to spot him is the infinity symbol on his head. but i think i like calling him Bold Bear too. we’ll see which one sticks.

[wherethewildthingsbeen]

i love it when they do this 🥹 like when they drape over a branch with all four paws dangling to either side 😩 it kills me

Mother Squirrel on a very Hot Day

[wherethewildthingsbeen]

The Brush tit (Callithrix jacchus), more commonly known as a marmoset, a small New World monkey native to Brazil. Adults weigh between 182–354 grams (6–12 ounces) and are diurnal and arboreal, spending most of their time in trees.

[wherethewildthingsbeen]

A few seconds of a tiny bunny doing important bunny work.

It looks so soft

[wherethewildthingsbeen]

Squirrels and tomatoes

Image via: (O)

I don’t know why my little guys don’t want my cherry tomatoes. The only ones to show any interest in them at all are chipmunks.

[wherethewildthingsbeen]

bird

[wherethewildthingsbeen]

so freaked out rn ngl the dark crystal just came to life

​the sound of a pine cone with legs trying to sneak up on someone

what if Smaug and an artichoke had a baby

lost his wedding ring over 5 hours ago and still hasn’t given up on finding it (he’d like to live to see tomorrow)

[wherethewildthingsbeen]

Is that you, Kirbett? Proud papa and grandpapa and great grandpapa. My 2nd ever squirrel, hubby to my OG squirrel, Kirby? You have always been one of the boldest and most comfortable talking through the glass at me. You are also the designated ambassador for squirrelkind when the feeders are empty and you have to come all the way up onto the patio and straight to my door to let me know about it. Kirbett’s guilt game is strong.

Could be your cheek marking, though it’s a little darker than I remember on you. You’re supposed to have no discernible markings in cheeks. So maybe this isn’t you. Your tummy could also be darker Dorito orange. But you look like you’re getting a bit older - fur greying a bit?

I dunno. Kirbett is that you?

Or maybe you’re Marshmallow? Is that you?

[wherethewildthingsbeen]

Are wild turkeys meant to like sunflower seed shells? Bc that’s all that’s left out there on the berm, and yet here are 6 wild turkeys eating up all the leavings. And why are they so much prettier, glossier, and healthier than our thanksgiving turkeys? Free range indeed.

6 wild turkeys. I feel like that’s either the start of a walked-into-a-bar joke, or a pirate drinking song. If nothing else, 6 wild turkeys will buy you a serious hangover.

[wherethewildthingsbeen]

Wild animal talking

Look at all this gabbing and gossiping.

Alas, I still don’t speak squirrel. 🐿️ But as long as I keep the conversation going, so will [he].

[wherethewildthingsbeen]

if I used the grill on my patio, would my wild forest animals stop coming bc of the smell of cooked animal meat?

[wherethewildthingsbeen]

My mystery visitor

Definitely not my OG Kirby. Her adult baby Kerbit? Hubby Kirbett?

It can be difficult to identify even my most tame ones — even the ones who’ve visited for years — when the light is exactly the opposite of just right (just entirely all wrong). It’s that time of afternoon on a grey day when all color and detail meld into washed out dark blobs.

Tail: mottled and a little bit wispy, with a dark stripe and orange halo. This tells me it’s possibly papa Kirbett.

Tummy: no idea

Cheeks: no idea except one very dark beauty mark below the right ear

Overall color: too dark to tell

Talks? 100%.

Look at all this gabbing and gossiping. Alas, I still don’t speak squirrel. 🐿️ But as long as I’m moving my mouth with words, so will [he]. Which again tells me it might be Kirbett. Very talkative from years of familiarity. Kirbett is also the boldest of the bold. He’ll come right up to the glass and stare at me balefully, until I feel guilty and go buy more seeds.

Kirbett’s guilt trip game is strong. If I’m taking too long putting on my muck boots, he will wait right there at the window making sure that I don’t break eye contact. Then takes a few steps away, then comes back to the glass to make sure I’m still planning to come out. Back a few steps, forward a few steps, holding my gaze all the while, back and forth, back and forth, just to hold me accountable for definitely 100% still coming out to refill the sunflower seeds. 🌻

It might help if I clean the glass. 🤦‍♀️🤗

[wherethewildthingsbeen]

third wheel is so

[wherethewildthingsbeen]

early spring in my neck of the woods