Tamiasciurus douglasii

There seems to be a new tenant in the abandoned woodpecker hole in our neighborhood--this Douglas Squirrel, or Chickaree. I just noticed it today, dashing in and then out with mouthfuls of fresh sawdust. It would appear that it's working on its winter abode; at least I'm guessing so because it seems too late in the season to start making baby ones. This species is definitely the cutest squirrel in the Sierra, made cuter still by its habit of dumping the sawdust in a different place after each excavation--a little in the top branches, a pile on the ground, small mounds crammed into the crevices of the bark, etc. I couldn't guess why it was spreading it around so much, but an adorable technique nonetheless.