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Notice to viewers: Please do not bookmark individual webcam pages. Links change seasonally as we repurpose cameras and servers for different subjects. Bookmark the Webcam Selection page instead to see the latest available cameras and videos.Red Squirrel WebcamNews flash: Oct 19, 2008: We observed a flying squirrel in the nest box last night at aroung 10 PM EDT. It was only in for a short time but we are wondering if anyone else saw it to confirm our observation. It was not a time when red squirrels would be out and about. We know that this is a distinct possibility because we have rehabilitated flying squirrels and released them in this area. We are keen to confirm their continued presence in the area and will be putting up a nightime squirrel feeder with an infra red camera to record activity. Stay tuned....Update: Sep. 19, 2009: Wow, those 7 baby squirrrels grew fast. They were venturing outside by Sep. 16 and the whole family moved out Sep. 19. They seemed very adept at climbing outside the box and for a few days would come back in to shelter at night and nurse. We wonder if the mother led the family to one of her other nests, perhaps to avoid a buildup of excrement, urine, and perhaps parasites such as fleas in the nest. Now that they are gone, we plan to have a look inside the nest to see if any of these indicators could be the reason for the sudden move. Check back to see what we find. We have recorded at least two hours per day of the nest activities and will be editing it down for replay on the web as you tube videos. In the meantime, we will leave this gateway open just in case there is a return visit by any of the squirrels.Click here for Streaming VideoInternet Explorer only. For other browsers, open Windows Media Player, click on "file," then "open URL," and then type in ( http://penguinpix.d2g.com:8080 ), and then click OK. If you do not see "file" in the media player menu bar, hit the "control" and "m" keys together to bring up the classic menu. If you do not have windows media player on your computer, you may download the latest edition of windows media player here.
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Red SquirrelTamiasciurus hudsonicus The webcamThe squirrel camera is mounted in the top of a Kestrel Box that has been occupied by red and gray squirrels for a number of years. The camera and microphone are enclosed in a piece of plastic water pipe that is mounted in a hole in the top of the box. Four additional holes in the top of the box surround the camera, and these are covered with translucent plastic to provide soft natural lighting during the day as well as protection from the weather. Nighttime illumination is provided by red light emitting diodes that are mounted next to the camera. The soft red lighting does not disturb the sleeping squirrels. The video and audio from the squirrel nest are converted to an rf signal with a miniature modulator for transmission. The transmission is carried by a 400 foot coaxial cable to a demodulator which decodes the video and audio for a capture device in a computer. Power for the camera, microphone, and light emitting diodes are sent to the squirrel camera through the same coaxial cable that transmits the video and audio information. The computer serves the images to our website We are uploading at 5 frames per second at a 640 by 480 resolution to limit bandwidth usage yet maintain clarity. Red SquirrelRed squirrels are very active and aggressive defenders of a territory. Also known as Pine Squirrels or Chickaree, they are found across North America primarily in northern regions where conifers are found. They are reddish brown above and white below and are sized slightly larger than chipmunks but considerably smaller than Gray Squirrels. BreedingTypically, mating takes place in late winter so the 3 to 5 babies will be born in early spring after slightly more than a month of gestation. It is known also that some red squirrels in the southern part of their range will attempt a brood in late summer. Whether the late summer arrivals are a second brood or the result of an early mating by young squirrels is a matter for conjecture and further study. Red Squirrels in more southerly lattitudes may have bothr fall and spring litters in a similar fashion to the larger Gray Squirrel. This is what seems to be going on here. Could this be an effect of global warming? At first we became aware of a depression and new bedding in the nest box. The next thing we knew, the mother was bringing in more bedding material and we soon heard squeaks from the nest from baby squirrels. At first we thought that the babies were newly born in this box which would put them very late. Now that we see them for the first time with their eyes just at the point of opening, we know that the babies are older than we thought at first. They are still way late by Red Squirrel standards for northern latitudes, but the ones whose eyes are already open show signs already of wanting to explore outside the box. At this rate, they stand a good chance of survival. It is our conjecture that the babies were born elsewhere and moved into this box by the mother. There is a ready supply of food in the area in the form of spruce trees, pine, and a variety of oaks, willows, and other trees and shrubs which provide nutritious buds and seeds. There are also plenty of bird feeders in the area which squirrels (both Gray and Red) will visit. Nest TypesIn the north, nests are often made of collected vegetation in the dense inner whorl of a spruce trees. Red squirrels will also utilize rotted out trunks as well as woodpecker holes and even nest boxes put up for other species as in the case of our kestrel box which has also been home to screech owls, and gray squirrels. FoodAlong with the spruce seeds, pine nuts, and buds mentioned above, red squirrels will also supplement their diet with insects and young birds. This wins them the hatred of many bird watchers who decry their depredations on nesting birds. They will also chew on bark and eat fruits and mushrooms as well. In the spring, they are known to tap Maple Trees by chewing into the bark and drinking the flowing sap. Characteristic of the red squirrel is the creation of middens or storage piles of seeds, nuts, and pinecones. These middens may be underground, in hollow logs or under an available shelter which may be some human placed object or even inside a shed or barn. Survival statusRed squirrels are doing well and are abundant in much of their range.
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