My, what big eyes you have...

I'm very behind but instead of trying to catch up, I will write a quick entry about a cute new resident at the BBO. We have a wood box that holds the thermometer outside of the lab (what we call the building we work in - its not really a laboratory).

The temperature box:


We've noticed that nest material has been building up inside the box since the beginning of May, which makes sense; it provides shelter from the weather, is in a nice shadey spot, and the slats may be small enough to prevent some predators from getting in, kind of like a tree cavity which many species use for nests.

The nest material in the box:


We were unsure what animal was building the nest, until Allicia poked it and out popped the head of a flying squirrel. These nocturnal animals usually sleep during the day in their nest and then steal food from our bird feeder at night.



He or she was bothered enough by the wake-up to leave the nest and eventually the temperature box, allowing me to get some great pictures!

Out of the nest and in the corner of the box:


On his/her way up a tree:


Obviously not that upset! It stopped to clean its face on a branch and afterwards, returned to the box. We've bothered it a few times since then to show visitors but it must really like the bird feeder because it's still around.