The creature

[F, Calla & Luca]

Today we were having a clear patch before five days of rain, just what we need---sorry Texas but we will send some. I decided to try a few more, okay a hundred perhaps, calendar pictures. The doodles got interested in the base of one of their favorite "maybe we can catch a squirrel"  tree. This is one reason  why taking "simple" calendar pictures is not so simple.

I investigated and found a creature motel. Inquiring snouts were busy at work trying to ferret out the critter. This guy was poking out of a hole, but around the root I saw another hole, perhaps the escape hatch. Vole, mole whatever, any guesses? He was a couple of inches at most I guess.  Needless to say, in my attempt to remove doodles before they had the poor thing, who did not seem frightened,for lunch, and of course to document it for posterity, I hastily changed my camera from sport mode to the wrong setting. But for a change PhotoShop 9 and I made some nifty changes.Why, you can almost make it out! The doodles are on house arrest until I figure out some way to keep them from snacking on the creature. So one little adventure, no decent pictures,  and merely one mosquito bite later here I am. All in all not such a productive session out there in the wilds : )

The tiny creature:

To give some perspective, the hole is about a foot up in the middle crevice with the possible escape route to the left:

Update: I live in northern NJ. Some of you are scaring me to death with foreign critters.

 

[F, Calla & Luca]

Better yet.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

That's it !!!

[Bryce P]

Can i pet it? That thing is so dang cute.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Come on over : )

[Lynn & Casey]

Have you considered a black squirrel? We have some of those in our area.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Wow, the black squirrels have reached all the way to West Islip, Long Island a already?  Interesting.  It is not a black squirrel but good guess.

Kent State University ( 40 mins from me) where they were a LAB ERROR was the first to accidentally release them into the wild.   My area is covered with them and actually, they have taken over the squirrel population.   Mean and brave little creatures but this is not what F. is seeing. 

I say Snookie released it when the hurricane flooded the shore.  It is a Snookie Rat.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

How about Vole Lump Tuous......it could be an attractive female :)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

LOL- that can be Vole N. Teer's wife...she kept her maiden name for professional reasons.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

I wonder if Vole N. Teer and his wife Vole Lump Tuous are friends of Stewpids??

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

They are probably all over at F's house having a party in that tree. The Stewpids get around :)

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Plus I hear that F is a party animal as well.She probably attracts that type.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

LOL