Late last Winter I found some very old red yarn in a box in my closet so I cut it into about 10 inch pieces and stuffed them into a large suet block holder not doing anything but laying around. It hung out back all Spring and Summer without being noticed by birds....but apparently a Momma Squirrel had her eye on it. It is now high up in a Hackberry tree on the south side of our house preparing to hold baby Squirrels later in the Spring.
I'm sure the babies will love their wool nest Toni. They'll be the envy of all the other who have to make do with twigs and leaves.
Next year the squirrel babies will remember the nice soft nest and will want one of their own You can try several colors of yarn and have a multicolored nests. The squirrels are moving up in luxury. Jerry
The bright red yarn in that nest really took us by surprise. We have squirrel nests in our Hackberry trees almost every spring but this one is by far the prettiest. I think I will scout the thrift stores for old yarn that is too weak to make anything out of and put it out for next year. The nest is called a Drey or Dray and built in temperate areas like that one, in colder climates they are usually built in cavities in trees also called Dens.
Cute! And would be of infinite interest to me if I'd thought of that AND if I could then see a squirrel using it for a nest.
We have a lot of them where we used to live. I could never figure out why they built them so high at the top of the tree. In the cooler months after the trees have dropped their leaves you could see the branches swaying... Interesting photo Toni...the first red nest I have seen...
Their nest is called a drey. I had the occasion to see one the last fall. My kids were so delighted. It's something new for them. These fluffy and cute creatures are interesting for children, not for us adults. The squirrel built its nest not far from our garden. I thought they were innocent beings, but it turned out not. I grew some carrots, but I ran out of none. Guess who was to blame? So, in the end, I had to look for some traps recommendations. I caught her in a few hours, and I traveled a few miles to get her as far away from my house as possible.
