Tis Autumn and Seasonal Hyperphagia Is in Full Swing

And here we have one of the resident Eastern Chipmunks, Tamias striatus, stuffing his cheek pouches to the bursting point as the seasonal hyperphagia has him eating as much as possible, and storing as much as possible in his burrow.  Chipmunks are actually small squirrels and this species is the only surviving member of the chipmunk subgenus (or genus, depending on who is classifying them) Tamias. 

Chipmunk wasn't the only hyperphagia "victim" of the day.

His feeding floor partner the Eastern Grey (or Gray) Squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis, has been working on her winter fat storage for some time.  Note the rolls of fat around her neck.  And she's managed them with a baffle on the pole of the sunflower seed feeder.

 

A Grey Squirrel factoid:  These squirrels were introduced to the UK.  They have displaced the indigenous Red Squirrel in many parts of Britain and are now working on Ireland.

 

Humans really should be more careful.

 

 

Donegal Browne