Eastern Gray Squirrel

Here's an Eastern Gray Squirrel that's apparently eating the buds off of this maple tree. We all associate squirrels with eating nuts and acorns, but late winter isn't exactly a boom time for these food sources. At this time trees were starting to bud out, creating a new food source plentiful.

As anyone with a bird feeder knows, squirrels are more than willing to eat the grains and other seeds in bird food. But most squirrels are pretty omnivorous, eating lots of food many of us wouldn't expect. If you're experiencing the Brood X Cicadas, don't be shocked if you see your squirrels chowing down on a few of them.

Just like the nuts and acorns squirrels eat, most of the time trees can handle having some of their buds eaten like this.

March 9, 2021 at the Raritan River Greenway
Photo 126903994, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)


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