I was hiking in central Indiana near the end of January, looking to see what winter had on display for me. The temperatures can be punishing and sometimes the cool things are harder to find, but they’re just as rewarding, or even more so because of the extra effort.
I had been listening for birdsong while I walked along, and had spent some time photographing a Tufted Titmouse and a Brown Creeper- both cool birds that deserve way better PR teams. From another tree came a skittery scratching, and I rounded it carefully with my camera ready.
This behemoth of a fox squirrel was what I found, gnawing ceaselessly on a nut and staring straight into my soul like it had been waiting for me. Now rather than fat-shaming the cute little dude, it’s intriguing to think about these behaviors in relation to the weather patterns, especially when the following weeks were pretty cold and snowy. On the other hand, the following weeks were February, so I’m probably reading entirely too much into it. Keep in mind that society still communally performs augury via groundhog every year, so cut me some slack.
Whatever winter brings, this squirrel is ready.
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