Wow!

I was sitting on the couch, minding my own business, when James burst in.

“Hon! Hon! We have–on the feeder–thing–sugar glider!”

“That’s a neat trick,” I said, getting up, “since sugar gliders are Australian. What we have are–holy crap, you mean there’s a flying squirrel on the feeder!?”

And so there was. Happily munching suet, darting back and forth with astonishing speed, the Southern flying squirrel. I have always wanted to see one, but didn’t think it was too likely–they’re exclusively nocturnal, and while they’re supposed to be pretty tolerant of people coming up to the feeder, and not uncommon, it’s just plain tough to see a small bark-colored critter in the dark. But there he was!

His camo was really amazing–we could only see him side on, when the white belly patches were visible, and when he made a bump on the side of the tree. Face on, looking at his back, he might as well have been bark. He moved very very quickly–suet, away, suet, away, suet, munch munch, away, yay, suet! He was painfully cute, even in the dim light.

“I’m putting this on my lifelist,” said James smugly. “One flying rodent down!” (Well, I suppose some people specialize…)

I feel privileged.

And now, goddamn it, I can never buy hot pepper suet again…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Flying_Squirrel