The Eastern Gray Squirrel is the most common animal sighted in our backyards, parks, and cemeteries. In winter, squirrels mate and build their large nests in tree branches or cavities. They are completely vegetarian, mainly eating bulbs, seeds, nuts, acorns, and berries. Sometimes, they’ll dig through a garbage can, but they are generally considered harmless. Avid gardeners who must chase squirrels away in order to prevent them from digging up their flowers and vegetables may disagree with this statement, however. Ever plant something in your garden only to have it sprout up at your neighbor’s across the street? You can thank this bushy-tailed rascal for that. The black phase squirrel, increasingly more common in our area, is the expression of the recessive color gene of the gray squirrel, but both color variations are part of the same species. Photo by Steve Fisher.