So I have been very, very fortunate over the past year. Maybe not everything was perfect - but from a squirrel perspective - it was a great year. I thought it might be fun to pull together some of the highlights of my squirrel obsessed life in 2019. It was a banner year - and I hope to do this every year for Squirrel Appreciation Day - January 21st.
Comedy Wildlife Awards
On Friday April 5th, 2019, I got my picture of the year. There is a cavity nest in the Law Quad in a tree that has since been taken down. I had seen this squirrel coming out of her cavity nest a few times, but I got the picture of the year one day around 10am when I got a great old yawn as she left the nest. I loved this picture right from the time I first saw it.
I decided that it would be a perfect one to send to the Comedy Wildlife Awards. I was thrilled when it was selected as a semi-finalist and then a finalist. In November, it was announced that this picture was recognized as Highly Commended!
Michigan Today Podcast
When I was asked by Deborah Holdship if I wanted to do a podcast about my interest in squirrels - I believe I said something to the extent of "you had me at squirrels." We did this late in the year and it came out just before the holidays.
Dude's got class....
When the Ross School of Business launched their Online MBA this year, the team they assembled to support the new endeavor were located in our suite. Among the team they brought in was Toon Mertens, a tremendous videographer who would produce a number of videos for the online program. They wanted to create a prototype of a 'pitch' video that faculty could use to attract attention for their classes from students.
I had just met Toon and he 'pitched' the idea to me upon returning from a February vacation. I was hoping that he would find a better idea - but he persisted. So off we went - co-writing this piece. Furthermore, he asked me questions that were recorded to get more spontaneity. This is a version that does not have the Block M - but it is just as much fun. This was tremendous fun.
Albino Squirrels in Olney, Illinois
Barbie National Convention was in Kansas City this year and Pam and I decided to drive. I learned about the albino squirrel population in Olney, Illinois from a great article in the Squirrel Week Series from John Kelly of the Washington Post. When I discovered that it was kinda on the way from Michigan to Kansas City, a plan was hatched!
We spent one night in Olney. On the first day, we visited with Belinda Henton, a certified wildlife rehabilitator and she invited me to look her up when we got into town. Pam and I went out to visit. She had a newborn albino (you can tell by the white in the nails) who needs to be bottle fed as it fell out of a nest. Then there was Rocky Dale. Rocky Dale seems to have suffered some brain damage as a result of a fall. He can move around, but only turns left (so he picked up the name Dale to honor the NASCAR legend). She let me hold Rocky Dale and he climbed all over me. It was amazing and the most fun I have had in a good while. She said that Rocky Dale is not like that with everyone - so that felt good.
The following day, I got this great picture of an albino squirrel by the Olney Library - because you can always find everything you need at the library!
The Squirrel Doctor Makes House Calls
I once spoke with a faculty member at Michigan who also is a fan of squirrels - and she mentioned about medication you can give squirrels who have mange. So when I started noticing some squirrels with mange in the Law Quad, I reached out to the Friends of Wildlife Michigan. They connected me with someone who has worked up some medicated pecans for me to feed the squirrel. Each dose is two pecans - to be given one week apart.
Here is "Patches O'Houlihan" on Monday July 1st 2019 in the Law Quad. This was a couple of days after I gave her the first dose. I named all the patients after characters in the 2004 movie "DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story."
Here is Patches on August 7th, 2019. Her fur had almost entirely grown back, with the exception of this area on her left leg that she was agitating. Over the coming months, it would be harder and harder to tell which ones had mange - so that was wonderful news.
Project 365 Squirrel Pictures at the University of Michigan
Here are all my pictures of the day featuring squirrels from the University of Michigan during 2019!
Lefty!
I do not give all the squirrels names - but one is so famous, she has actually two names. In December 2018, I first noticed a squirrel who was missing her front right paw. She also had part of her right ear removed. I have named her Lefty - though colleagues at the President's House and Tappan Hall call her Tripod. She has been seen in Law Quad, behind Martha Cook, in front of the Clements Library and by the President's House. All these locations are near South University.
I have seen a great deal of Lefty over the course of the year. There isn't a day where she does not cheer me up. She does great and does not suffer one bit by having three paws.
Dude is an Artist!
On December 1st, 2019, I participated in my first art show and showed a number of squirrel related items featuring my wonderful campus squirrels. This wonderful event was very well attended and featured 20 artists (including me) at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor). I also had my photos at Carrigan Cafe in Saline in September. Seems I will be the regular September artist at the cafe for the next few years!
Delmarva Peninsula Fox Squirrels
We were in Baltimore for the Integrity Toys Convention. Two hours to the south is Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Was it worth driving nearly two hours each way from Baltimore to see these little ones - ABSOLUTELY! Here are pictures of Delmarva peninsula fox squirrels I saw on the trails near Wildlife Drive. I was very excited to see these squirrels for the first time on the Marsh Edge Trail and the Woods Trail along Wildlife Drive. They were tricky to photograph - as they were constantly moving and deep in the brush on the bottom of these wooded areas. So I did each trail at least three times to make sure that I got to see as many as I did. I ended up tossing nearly 2/3 of the pictures because they were not good. The squirrels are fantastic and I am so glad that I made the trip.
This is my first visit to this wonderful refuge - and hopefully not the last. Taken on Thursday October 10th, 2019.
Been an exciting year - from a squirrel perspective! Here's hoping for another great year in 2020!
Some links if you are still with me:
Comedy Wildlife Awards
On Friday April 5th, 2019, I got my picture of the year. There is a cavity nest in the Law Quad in a tree that has since been taken down. I had seen this squirrel coming out of her cavity nest a few times, but I got the picture of the year one day around 10am when I got a great old yawn as she left the nest. I loved this picture right from the time I first saw it.
I decided that it would be a perfect one to send to the Comedy Wildlife Awards. I was thrilled when it was selected as a semi-finalist and then a finalist. In November, it was announced that this picture was recognized as Highly Commended!
Michigan Today Podcast
When I was asked by Deborah Holdship if I wanted to do a podcast about my interest in squirrels - I believe I said something to the extent of "you had me at squirrels." We did this late in the year and it came out just before the holidays.
Dude's got class....
When the Ross School of Business launched their Online MBA this year, the team they assembled to support the new endeavor were located in our suite. Among the team they brought in was Toon Mertens, a tremendous videographer who would produce a number of videos for the online program. They wanted to create a prototype of a 'pitch' video that faculty could use to attract attention for their classes from students.
I had just met Toon and he 'pitched' the idea to me upon returning from a February vacation. I was hoping that he would find a better idea - but he persisted. So off we went - co-writing this piece. Furthermore, he asked me questions that were recorded to get more spontaneity. This is a version that does not have the Block M - but it is just as much fun. This was tremendous fun.
Albino Squirrels in Olney, Illinois
Barbie National Convention was in Kansas City this year and Pam and I decided to drive. I learned about the albino squirrel population in Olney, Illinois from a great article in the Squirrel Week Series from John Kelly of the Washington Post. When I discovered that it was kinda on the way from Michigan to Kansas City, a plan was hatched!
We spent one night in Olney. On the first day, we visited with Belinda Henton, a certified wildlife rehabilitator and she invited me to look her up when we got into town. Pam and I went out to visit. She had a newborn albino (you can tell by the white in the nails) who needs to be bottle fed as it fell out of a nest. Then there was Rocky Dale. Rocky Dale seems to have suffered some brain damage as a result of a fall. He can move around, but only turns left (so he picked up the name Dale to honor the NASCAR legend). She let me hold Rocky Dale and he climbed all over me. It was amazing and the most fun I have had in a good while. She said that Rocky Dale is not like that with everyone - so that felt good.
The following day, I got this great picture of an albino squirrel by the Olney Library - because you can always find everything you need at the library!
The Squirrel Doctor Makes House Calls
I once spoke with a faculty member at Michigan who also is a fan of squirrels - and she mentioned about medication you can give squirrels who have mange. So when I started noticing some squirrels with mange in the Law Quad, I reached out to the Friends of Wildlife Michigan. They connected me with someone who has worked up some medicated pecans for me to feed the squirrel. Each dose is two pecans - to be given one week apart.
Here is "Patches O'Houlihan" on Monday July 1st 2019 in the Law Quad. This was a couple of days after I gave her the first dose. I named all the patients after characters in the 2004 movie "DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story."
Here is Patches on August 7th, 2019. Her fur had almost entirely grown back, with the exception of this area on her left leg that she was agitating. Over the coming months, it would be harder and harder to tell which ones had mange - so that was wonderful news.
Project 365 Squirrel Pictures at the University of Michigan
Here are all my pictures of the day featuring squirrels from the University of Michigan during 2019!
Lefty!
I do not give all the squirrels names - but one is so famous, she has actually two names. In December 2018, I first noticed a squirrel who was missing her front right paw. She also had part of her right ear removed. I have named her Lefty - though colleagues at the President's House and Tappan Hall call her Tripod. She has been seen in Law Quad, behind Martha Cook, in front of the Clements Library and by the President's House. All these locations are near South University.
I have seen a great deal of Lefty over the course of the year. There isn't a day where she does not cheer me up. She does great and does not suffer one bit by having three paws.
Dude is an Artist!
On December 1st, 2019, I participated in my first art show and showed a number of squirrel related items featuring my wonderful campus squirrels. This wonderful event was very well attended and featured 20 artists (including me) at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor). I also had my photos at Carrigan Cafe in Saline in September. Seems I will be the regular September artist at the cafe for the next few years!
Delmarva Peninsula Fox Squirrels
We were in Baltimore for the Integrity Toys Convention. Two hours to the south is Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Was it worth driving nearly two hours each way from Baltimore to see these little ones - ABSOLUTELY! Here are pictures of Delmarva peninsula fox squirrels I saw on the trails near Wildlife Drive. I was very excited to see these squirrels for the first time on the Marsh Edge Trail and the Woods Trail along Wildlife Drive. They were tricky to photograph - as they were constantly moving and deep in the brush on the bottom of these wooded areas. So I did each trail at least three times to make sure that I got to see as many as I did. I ended up tossing nearly 2/3 of the pictures because they were not good. The squirrels are fantastic and I am so glad that I made the trip.
This is my first visit to this wonderful refuge - and hopefully not the last. Taken on Thursday October 10th, 2019.
Some links if you are still with me:
- Corey's Squirrel Page (home page for many of my squirrel pictures)
- Corey's Squirrels page on facebook
- Corey's Squirrel Museum (of sorts - on flickr)
- My flickr photostream
