First winter for this squirrel, I see

It is snowing hard. Our first real snowfall of the year; yesterday's was just a dusting.

As soon as the cold weather sets in, I step up my provision of bird seed. Yesterday, instead of the half-dozen or so juncos I usually see, I had a regular flock of them. I threw out a small handful of peanuts onto the bare cement under the roof, to give them something extra to ride out the cold on.

This morning, besides the juncos, chickadees, and the pair of nuthatches that are always here, I saw a Jenny wren and a very large sparrow-like bird that flew away as soon as my shadow showed up at the window. And, of course, one of the black squirrels that live in the cedars.

I replenished the feed, adding plenty of peanuts. Since it was snowing hard, I threw a couple of handfuls under the hedge, where there is shelter from the snow.

And this squirrel promptly showed up to collect peanuts.

Under the hedge, nibbling on a peanut. Snow falling heavily all around.

Watching him (really, looking out for that large unidentified bird), I realized what he was doing. He was collecting peanuts and taking them out into the snow to bury them.

In the snow. Not underground. Just in the snow; I checked.

Here he is, "burying" one on the 4x4 board that encloses the flower bed areas.

Another one successfully buried on (not in) the perennial bed.


And in a flower pot.

I gather he's never had any experience with snow. Imagine his amazement in a couple of days when it starts to rain and all his carefully buried peanuts are once again out where the birds will get them!

And this one, just because I liked it. I think that's the last stalk of the astilbe. With squirrel tracks.