by Carl Strang
Earlier I described squirrels and a few bird species as occasional bud feeders. Last week, as the cottonwoods began to flower at Mayslake Forest Preserve, squirrels including the fox squirrel below began to feed on these fresh sources of protein and other nutrients.
Earlier I had noticed squirrels sniffing around the highly swollen cottonwood buds, but did not see any feeding. Either I missed it, or they were assessing how soon their flower dinner would be served.
