sad news :(

The little red squirrel who has kept us entertained all year has suddenly disappeared. Today his digs are being pillaged by large grey squirrels -- there are at least four of them digging nuts out of all kinds of nooks and crannies in the fallen stumps and stick piles behind the barn where the industrious little red guy had hidden them. I appreciate that the stored food won't get wasted, but it's still not a pleasant activity to watch. In many situations red squirrels are not desirable neighbors - however in our setting, he was not a nuisance but rather an inspiring presence. I know nothing about the social habits of squirrels - I wonder if any other little critters out there are missing him today.