Tropical Storm Update

So far, so good, more or less. The clouds that two hours ago were zipping along from east to west are now racing from west to east. We must have been inside the rotation. Those winds aloft are impressive, but except for strong gusts, not very impressive here below.

The major damage so far is that while Demetrios was watching, a squirrel nest fell from one of our trees. The mother squirrel came running down the tree and we could hear at least one baby squeaking. We went out in the pouring rain to search for any survivor(s). We could hear the screaming, but could not locate any baby, so perfect is their camouflage - until Demetrios took a step backwards and stepped right on it! And that was the end of that baby, much to Demetrios' distress. (And if you know him, you know how distressed he is. He has actually gone to bed.) But a moment later, we heard another scream, and there was a second baby nearby, cold and drenched. She is now warm and dry and snuggling with the other four I already had. She'll be fine. They're all sort of hugging each other, in one big ball of fur.

No wonder the mother was helpless; her babies were much too big for her to carry. This baby's eyes will be open in a few days.

Mamma squirrel is probably one of the several I released in my yard this past Spring, Puella perhaps. She is still racing up and down the tree trunk, looking for her babies.

Similar scenarios will be repeated a hundred times or so all over Richmond and the wildlife rehabbers will soon be flooded with furry little storm survivors. Chris already has 28 or 30; she comes up with a different number every time she tries to count them. I said I could take a few more on acount of it being an emergency; but I think I will not try to do more than 10 or 12. It takes me an average of 5 to 6 minutes to feed each one. Four times a day. That doesn't count the time laundering their linens, washing their bottles and other dishes, cleaning their cages, mixing their formula.