Be sure to thank your nutty & bushy tailed friends as the Smithsonian informs us that today is Squirrel Appreciation Day. According to our well researched sources Squirrel Appreciation Day was first celebrated on Jan 21, 2001 in Ashville, NC:

"Squirrel Appreciation Day is an opportunity to enjoy and appreciate your tree climbing, nut gathering neighborhood squirrels. It's held in mid-winter when food sources are scarce for squirrels and other wildlife. Sure, squirrels spent all fall gathering and "squirreling " away food. But, their supplies may not be enough. And, the variety of food is limited. So, give them an extra special treat today to supplement their winter diets."
--- Holiday Insights

Are you appreciating Richmond's Flying Squirrels yet? The Smithsonian tells us more about this very special variety of winged creatures:

These Squirrels are gregarious, travelling from one Tree to another in Companies of ten, or twelve together. When I first saw them, I took them for dead Leaves, blown one Way by the Wind, but was not long so deceived, when I perceived many of them to follow one another in one Direction: They will fly fourscore Yards from one Tree to another. They cannot rise in their Flight, nor keep in a horizontal Line, but descend gradually, so that in Proportion to the Distance the Tree, they design to fly to, is from them, so much the higher they mount on the Tree they fly from, that they may reach some Part of the Tree, even the lowest Part, rather than fall to the Ground, which exposes them to Peril, but having once recovered the Trunc of a Tree, no Animal seems nimble enough to take them. Their Food is that of other Squirrels, viz. Nuts, Acorns, Pine Seeds, Pishimon Berries, &c.