By Ande Jacobson
It’s important not to forget about the simple things in life. There’s so much happening every day that takes our attention. Crises seem to never stop, and everything is presented as an emergency. Sometimes we all need a break.
Recently, I was bringing in my garbage and recycle bins after pickup and noticed a squirrel watching me from the nearby fence. It wasn’t on top of the fence though. There are often squirrels running up and down the trees and fences in our development, but this little fellow was splooted vertically, head down, tail up, on the fence. I was intrigued. I’ve seen other squirrels do this on tree trunks from time to time, usually watching and chasing each other, but I hadn’t before seen one do this on a fence all by itself this way. When they are on the fence, they are usually in motion either running up or down or along the top of the fence. They sometimes stop and sit (not sploot) on top in a more stable position for a variety of reasons, especially if they are carrying something and need to adjust their load.
Squirrels often sploot on cool surfaces to dump heat, i.e., lay flat on their bellies with their legs outstretched to increase their surface area on cool grass, or even on cool hard surfaces like concrete in the shade. Anybody with a dog or a cat has often seen them do this on a hot day. It wasn’t especially warm the day I saw the fence splooter. Also, a fence isn’t exactly a cool surface. So why was the little fellow hanging out in that particular spot? It seemed remarkably content for being in such a potentially precarious position.
A few months ago, I wrote a piece about some industrious squirrel(s) I suspected may have deposited and then reclaimed a pine cone from my patio. There was no other viable explanation for how a pine cone could suddenly appear and then magically disappear a couple of days later when the nearest pine tree was at the other end of the house. I noted in that piece that there are often several squirrels running around near my townhouse, sometimes dragging pine cones and other treasures from place to place or chasing one another about.
I watched the little fellow while I put my bins away, and while it mostly seemed to be staring at me, it also would occasionally glance in other directions with a subtle quick head movement, the rest of its body hugging the fence. I went in the garage to close the door, but I kept an eye on the fence just to make sure I didn’t suddenly end up with guest in the garage. As the door lowered, the squirrel stayed still, still staring in my direction.
When I came inside I puttered for a few minutes, and by the time I went upstairs to my study and looked out the window, the squirrel was gone. I have no way of knowing how long it stayed on the fence after I went inside, but I found the whole thing rather curious. The squirrels that run about the development are fun to watch sometimes. There is a large pine tree near the fence where my visitor perched that day, so it’s possible it was just taking a break from its daily routine. I don’t know if there are squirrels living in that tree, or in a burrow near it, but that’s also possible. That tree is covered with pine cones and frequently drops them nearby.
All in all, it was a nice break to just watch and relax, not think about the problems of the world, and instead notice life going on about me. I don’t know what that squirrel was thinking about that day, but it was fun to ponder for a bit.
Further reading:
https://asknature.org/strategy/sharp-claws-increase-vertical-agility/
https://toddmitchellbooks.com/twelve-things-about-squirrels-that-will-blow-your-mind/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2022/08/12/splooting-squirrel-meaning-definition-new-york/
https://agoodreedreview.com/2023/05/12/the-pine-cone-mystery/
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