Another Mountain Discovery....

- Sometimes, with patience and a bit of good fortune, mysteries are solved.....

- Recently one of our residents inquired as to what type animal could be raiding bird feeders at night....

- Time passed, night photographs a stretch, but the after hours visits continued......we speculated....the rough and rowdy 'coons? Nope...nothing destroyed....too nice of a crime scene..... Opossum? Didn't believe it for various reasons....Gray Squirrels? Could not come to this conclusion...for they rarely, unless disturbed, move at night....

- The mystery deepened.....noises were heard....imaginations were extended.....

- Then, the photos came! Mystery solved.....from bottom to top....eating sunflower seeds, relaxing, and finally about to glide into the night....The Southern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys vulans). Theyare seldom seen, as they spend most of their time in the canopy and, like the one in the photos, are mostly active at night.

- These small furry creatures, the smallest members of the tree squirrels, are nocturnal (as well as diurnal at times), but this is the first time I have ever heard of one dining on bird feeders. They typically take berries, insects, nuts, acorns, and sometimes even small vertebrates.

- What a treat! These small creatures do not truly 'fly' but glide for distances of up to 100 yards or so, from the top of one tree to the lower trunk of another. They can turn or change the angle of descent and just before landing they drop the tail and lift the forequarters, relaxing the skin and 'cape' between the legs....which serves as an air brake to soften the landing. They land with all four feet and often scurry around the tree trunk to the opposite side, just in case a predator has given chase. They are agile and sure footed in the trees, but clumsy on the ground. Interestingly, they are known to make excellent pets (and clean).

- A big thank you to Rick Meck of Stone Creek for supplying these unique photographs.