{"id":50,"date":"2011-07-15T16:51:15","date_gmt":"2011-07-15T16:51:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/commons.trincoll.edu\/compostvisitation\/"},"modified":"2012-01-09T15:17:42","modified_gmt":"2012-01-09T20:17:42","slug":"gray-squirrel-sciurus-carolinensis","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/commons.trincoll.edu\/compostvisitation\/mammals\/gray-squirrel-sciurus-carolinensis\/","title":{"rendered":"Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis<\/em>)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Order:<\/strong> Rodentia, Family:<\/strong> Sciuridae<\/p>\n

Appearance\/Behavior<\/strong>:\u00a0 This medium-sized (38 – 52 cm) squirrel has grayish fur with a white underside (blue arrow).\u00a0 Its long bushy tail (red arrow) bears a white fringe along its lower side<\/p>\n

The gray squirrel is encountered both directly on the piles and in surrounding areas within the camera\u2019s field of view.\u00a0 During the fall it appears to use the piles as sites for caching nuts.\u00a0 Frequently, another animal foraging directly on a pile will trigger an image, while a squirrel appears in the background.\u00a0 Images are occasionally captured where a squirrel is bounding across the frame or climbing a tree.\u00a0 Typical encounters involve a single individual, but sometimes pairs are seen.<\/p>\n

Relative Frequency of Visitation in Study<\/strong>: Very frequent.<\/p>\n

Seasonal Activity<\/strong>: Throughout the year.<\/p>\n

Daily Activity<\/strong>:\u00a0 Strictly diurnal<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Similar Species<\/strong>:\u00a0 Provided with an unobstructed view, the general shape of a squirrel is fairly unmistakable.\u00a0 Another tree squirrel, the red squirrel<\/a> (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus<\/em>), is a smaller animal (27 – 38 cm) that occurs infrequently at the study site.\u00a0 We have no images of red squirrels visiting the compost piles.\u00a0 The gray squirrel\u2019s larger size and lack of stripes set it apart from the chipmunk<\/a>, a very infrequent pile visitor. The profile of a woodchuck<\/a> sitting on its hindquarters resembles that of a gray squirrel.\u00a0 The woodchuck however is browner shade of gray.<\/p>\n

Well-defined Images: <\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Challenging Images: <\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Help with challenging images: Rows 1-2<\/a>, Rows 3-4<\/a>, Rows 5-6<\/a>, Rows 7-8<\/a><\/p>\n

Near Video:<\/strong><\/p>\n\t