The Answer...

This is all about the huge Norway Spruce tree that gives a lot of shade during summer. I don't know if it was planted or was original when the meadow was dammed up to make the lake. I have been worried about it all winter and have also noticed others in the surrounding area have trees that have dropped many and the grounds there are also covered with new-growth tips. They even catch my eye by a single one falling as I look out the cabin window. This morning I wandered out and across the muddy road to get pictures and to look closer. 

The entire beachfront is covered with them as never before seen! After research I now have the answer and it is believable, and not believable at the same time. The problem is wearing a squirrel suit; to be more specific, a red squirrel suit! I say not believable because I have only seen one of these critters go up or come down from the tree once in a while and never more than one. BUT there must be more!

I learned that during the winter or early spring, they chew the ends of the branches off and the tips drop to the ground. Not all their chewing is first rate, so some are just dangling until a strong wind or snow causes them to fall. Once the ends are on the ground, the hungry squirrel eats the buds. These are pointed and covered with brown bud scales.

Squirrely hangs on an adjacent branch and gnaws off the twig end, needles and buds included. It falls, and if there are several squirrels, the ground may be blanketed with spruce ends. Well they are sure sneaky because there has to be more than the one I have seen and rarely seen to boot!

This is a relatively common problem when there are spruces and red squirrels in the same place.

The GOOD NEWS!! This will NOT kill the tree. It will cause side branches to grow, and may make the tree appear a little fuller in the coming years. I'll now chalk it up to pruning by a rodent!

I read that here is not much we can do about it as long as the red squirrels are there. We are too populated for the pest control method that first comes to mind. 

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Opportunist

The campground is packed this week. It is the Harley Spring Rally and there are thousands of them in the area. Many are here as this is the only campground that allows them to camp with their bikes at their sites and to also ride in, out and about when they are here. The newest campers don't seem to realize that there are many critters sharing the space, so they will learn the hard way. I won't post photos of the bikes, but believe me - they are beautiful full dressers!

All trees have squirrel appendages like these two.

Munching peacefully...

Soooo good...

Oh oh! I've been spotted!

See ya later...

This creation returns every year...

And brings a home along.

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Wildlife in the Park

They came to me looking for a treat. I don’t feed the swans. They went away.

The torn apart side has healed on this little guy. The feral cats often catch and eat tasty little critters. "Lucky" got away...This time!

The flag on the golf cart makes a nice perch.

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Natural Beauty

Here we see many of the little red tail squirrels.

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Today the Yucca plants are in full bloom.

There is so much nature surrounding me and it is all so beautiful that I hardly know where to start!