Thursday, April 8, 2021

On Thin Ice

Whilst sitting on my glider bench, drinking coffee with a blanket around me (it was a brrrisk morning), I watched a red squirrel scamper from the opposite side of the cove, across a thin sheet of ice. As it neared the shore, the fragile ice skin collapsed under its weight, and I watched it frantically paddle the last few feet in icy water. I felt quite sorry for it, but it seemed not to have got fully immersed or sodden, and was none the worse for wear.



Later that morning, I came across this little squirrel, in the exact same spot. It explored the outer edges of the stump where it protruded out into the water, and also tested out the fragile and springy twigs of nearby shrubs, putting its paws down into the water, and then turning back to find a better spot. The ice no longer extends all the way across the cove, and it looked as if this red squirrel was trying to find a way back to the other side of the cove without getting wet. I imagine it was the same individual I'd seen earlier.

It didn't succeed while I watched, so it decided to save face by pretending it was here to munch on acorns instead 😀



 

4 comments:

Shelley Burbank said...

Cute...I know how that squirrel feels, lol. Just trying to get through without getting my feet wet.

Wendy said...

What a lovely observation.....I suspect he heard about Dale and was willing to risk life and limb to make it to the other side...where life is so much better!

Debbie said...

Well, so long as you don't get waterlogged, a little dipping never hurt anyone 😊

Debbie said...

I think the word has got around by now, Wendy. What that squirrel hasn't realized is that Dale's been known to do 'house calls' as well!