Red Squirrel Thief !

The cabin where I do all of my presentations here at Denali was constructed in 1924. As chinking material, sphagnum moss and oakum are used. The latter is basically hemp rope, a nautical rope, which was brought up from Anchorage by rail or dogsled.

Oakum, as I was told, is a prized nesting material for the local birds and squirrels. One of the other interps captured a photo of a squirrel last week peeking over the edge of the porch with both cheeks stuffed with it. I was soon to get a dose of their thievery myself.

As part of the display at the cabin, I place a large clump of the oakum on the table outside so when people ask me about the material between the logs, I have an example handy.

Well, I was sitting in the cabin between tours when I heard a noise on the porch. I cautiously peeked out the door not knowing what had caused the sound. Bear and moose are often seen around the cabin, especially the latter. The first thing I noticed was the oakum was gone, off the table. BUT not quite gone as I caught site of it quickly sliding toward the edge of the porch. At the far end and at a full run was a red squirrel. He had hit paydirt and was going to have the comfiest squirrel mansion around !

Or so he thought.......

I grabbed the end of it and pulled. It stopped in his tracks, but he did not let go. He only spun around to face me and started chattering at me through the mouthful of oakum, legs straining backwards locked in a momentary tug of war. I yanked harder and the oakum popped out of his mouth and I quickly retrieved it.

That is when he stood up on his hind legs and let loose this long chattering tirade which could have meant nothing less than cursing me up one tree and down another.

"NO, you are not getting it !" Yes, even pointed my finger at him. He spun and ran off into the grass under a spruce tree.

I replaced the oakum on the table and stirred the fire in the wood stove inside before coming back out to the porch - 20-30 seconds max...... On the porch, I glanced at the table to find the pesky, persistent, little furred brat about to grab the oakum a second time. Again, I fussed at him and this time he took off up the cabin wall and eventually back out to the spruce trees.

Who says animals do not have personalities ? They have personalities AND attitudes !