MD Osprey:

Everyone is entitled to 15 of minutes of fame, right?

Barbara and I earned a part of our quota a number of years ago when the BBC 
was filming two wildlife specials on the Gray Squirrels that the US kindly 
traded to the UK in return for those delightful European Starlings. The 
first show was called "Daylight Robbery" and the second one, cleverly 
enough, was "Daylight Robbery II." Each of these shows featured a Gray 
Squirrel learning a maze and then demonstrating it's prowess at the end of 
the show. Leading up to the finale was a series of vignettes about how 
squirrels steal food from bird feeders. The first show was shot in the UK, 
but the second show included a number of US segments, and also brought-in 
flying squirrel species from around the world.

A BBC producer and videographer came to the US to shoot segments. They 
tried to shoot one with Barbara's sister's father-in-law, who had invented 
a "bird-proof squirrel feeder" (yes, that's right). During the shooting of 
that segment (which apparently did not go all too well), he happen to 
mention to the BBC folks that Barbara and I had flying squirrels coming to 
our tree trunk suet feeder.

They called us and asked if the fliers were around. Since it was 
wintertime, we had to check that night, and low and behold, one was 
feeding. (Some years, around July 1st, we've had as many as fifteen coming 
in at once).

They came the next day, set up their lights and equipment, stayed all day, 
and sure enough captured one of our nocturnal visitors flying in and 
feeding. Clearly, the best part of the segment was a shot of me from the 
"butt end" coming down the ladder after refilling the suet feeder.

Anyway, the show aired later in the UK. At the time, I had a dozen people 
over there working for me. I had not mentioned anything to them about it (I 
didn't know the exact airing date), but some of my folks saw it and called 
me the next day, incredulous that I was on their TV screen. Later, the show 
aired in Australia, and a good friend of Barbara's, who was working over 
there for several years, also saw it and dropped her a note.

The next year, the show premiered here in the US and was shown a number of 
times since then.

So, since our flying squirrel segment was only 90 second long, we are still 
due 13-1/2 minutes of fame.  I don't know about Barbara, but I'm holding 
out for finding a North American first in Gambell or Attu!!! That should be 
worth about another 60 seconds ...

Phil


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Phil Davis      Davidsonville, Maryland     USA
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