Red squirrel and white spruce - sounds Canadian, eh?

Top:  Red squirrel  Bottom:  White spruce on hiking trail
Another glorious day here at Camp Nakamun, Alberta.  The temperature warmed up enough to doff coat and gloves while showshoeing the local hiking trail.  I was on the search for anything which might inspire a photograph, and once again I wasn't disappointed.  The camp offers a tremendous variety of foliage and wildlife, and I discovered evidence of a red squirrel's larder.

The bottom photo was shot while plodding along on snowshoes on the camp's perimeter trail.  The tree on the right is a white spruce, a coniferous, cone-bearing tree which red squirrels seem to approve of.  The brown area at the base of the tree is the remnants of cones which the furry rodents have opened.  Before the cones were cleverly broken up, each one contained dozens of life-giving seeds.  The significant pile is a testament to the volume of food this tree has provided.

No midden exists at the base of neighbouring trees. They do not provide sustenance for these creatures.  Although it has been a long, cold winter, the white spruce has made the difference between life and death.  Red squirrels are very territorial in nature and protect their feeding areas aggressively.  If you hear their chattering while enjoying a stroll, chances are you have encroached upon their domain. 

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