Bird/Critter in the spotlight #4 flying squuirrel

[Wrennie]

When we first moved to this house we had a bunch off flying squirrels. Marton asked me why the chipmunks were out on the bird feeders so late at night. Then I saw his 'chipmunks' and told him to look closer.{giggle} One night he went to bring a feeder in and the little guy was still holding onto it! well, then my outdoor cats showed up & they disappeared. Now that the cats are gone my little nocturnal buddies are back!

Northern flying squirrel

((my mouse if freaking out, if anyone wants to add to this feel free))
These rodents are 10-14" long. They live across Canada and some of the northern parts of the US. They do have a southern cousin who looks very similar/ There is a flap of skinthat stretches from their front to their back feet.When they jump from a branch they glide down {fly} to where theyre going. They are usually nocturnal and have big dark eyes for seeing at night.
The southern species range runs down the eastern 1/2 of the US.

[Wrennie]

Northern flying squirrels, along with pine squirrels, are an important prey species for the endangered Spotted Owl Strix occidentalis. They also disseminate spores of the ectomycorrhizal fungi that they eat, and these are essential to many species of conifer and some deciduous trees. Other predators include various other owls, especially the Great Horned Owl, hawks, the American Marten, the Canadian Lynx and the Red Fox.

[jerseycub]

My cousin here in NJ had a family of the little guys living in his home this winter. They got into the house threw the eves in the attic. they managed to trap all of them and remove them from the premises. They really didn't do any damage to there house...seams they were in the TV room when one glided to one of the curtains on the window.

Before there experience I wasn't aware that flying squirrels lived in NJ I have seen Red squirrels Grays, and Blacks.