Let’s Talk About Parks: Squirrels in Winter

A hike on the Bob Harvey trail in Riverview Park, around the reservoir in Highland Park, the lower Panther Hollow Trail in Schenley Park, or Falls Ravine Trail in Frick Park will almost certainly put an eastern gray squirrel in your sights. Our recent weather has been perfect for these abundant non-hibernating creatures that scurry through the woods whenever the temperature is above 30 degrees. When the temperature dips well below freezing, they are likely hiding away in their dens or nests.

An eastern gray squirrel’s den is found in healthy living trees, often in a hole that was started by a woodpecker. Their nests are a bit different, consisting of masses of sticks and leaves, with other bits of found natural and manmade materials woven in to waterproof the structure... Read the full article