Date:         Mon, 18 Nov 2002 08:25:48 -0800
Reply-To:     Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
Sender:       Maryland Birds & Birding <MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
From:         Scott Baron <brnpelican@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      red squirrel
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I believe that I've read that squirrels will eat eggs
and birds but I never saw it happen until this past
June in the White Mts. of New Hampshire.  I saw a Red
Squirrel sitting in a tree, eating what I thought was
a mushroom.  I looked through my binoculars and was
shocked to see that the "mushroom" had feathers, legs
and feet.  There was a family of Brown Creepers in the
immediate area.  The parents seemed to be unconcerned
with the squirrel's presence, as they seemed to be
feeding normally in nearby trees.  I also saw what I
assume was the dead Creeper's sibling because it was
having trouble flying.  It fell out of one of the
trees and into some saplings.

I'm guessing that this squirrel raided the Creeper
nest and took a young bird.  Meanwhile the other young
bird, not quite ready to fledge yet, must have jumped
out in fear.  By the time I arrived at this spot, the
squirrel had probably been feeding for a while.  When
I left several minutes later, the squirrel was still
eating the bird.

S. Baron
Fairfax, Va.

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