{"id":160259,"date":"2025-10-14T06:19:25","date_gmt":"2025-10-14T11:19:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=160259"},"modified":"2025-10-14T06:19:25","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T11:19:25","slug":"eastern-gray-squirrel-gathering-nuts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/10\/14\/eastern-gray-squirrel-gathering-nuts\/","title":{"rendered":"Eastern Gray Squirrel Gathering Nuts"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last week I photographed this Eastern Gray Squirrel mid-morning while they were gathering nuts near Reeves Slough at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge.<\/p>\n

\"EasternEastern Gray Squirrel gathering nuts at Sequoyah NWR \u2013 Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1\/100, ISO 800, +0.3 EV, Canon 100-400mm at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

There were several gray squirrels gathering nuts, but this one just happened to come in closer to me than the rest.<\/p>\n

It was fascinating to watch the squirrels scurry up the tree trunks to the outer branches where the nuts were. At times, the Eastern Gray Squirrels grabbed the nuts in their mouths, then made their way down the tree and disappeared into the brush to bury them.<\/p>\n

Other times, they\u2019d knock the nuts out of the thin branches, then climb down the tree to locate them on the ground before dashing off to bury them in the brush.<\/p>\n

Eastern Gray Squirrels are well known for their role in seed dispersal. They bury nuts and seeds, and some of these they forget, which can then sprout and grow into new plants.<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t see Eastern Gray Squirrels<\/span><\/a> while I lived in Utah, but I\u2019m enjoying seeing them here in Oklahoma, east of the Rockies, once again.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Eastern Gray Squirrel photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last week I photographed this Eastern Gray Squirrel mid-morning while they were gathering nuts near Reeves Slough at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":160256,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2766,13973,13974],"tags":[4004,970,14190,13984,2767,4620,6949,4962,1632,16134,16882,2768,3826,3827,14132],"class_list":["post-160259","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eastern-gray-squirrels","category-oklahoma","category-sequoyah-national-wildlife-refuge","tag-adult","tag-autumn","tag-bottomland-hardwood-forest","tag-bottomlands","tag-eastern-gray-squirrel","tag-fall","tag-gathering","tag-log","tag-mammals","tag-nut","tag-nuts","tag-sciurus-carolinensis","tag-squirrel","tag-squirrels","tag-tree-squirrel"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/eastern-gray-squirrel-sequoyah-nwr-mia-mcpherson-9195.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-FGP","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":132250,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/08\/12\/female-eastern-gray-squirrel-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":160259,"position":0},"title":"Female Eastern Gray Squirrel Photos Plus A Video Clip","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 12, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Today, I am sharing two photos and a short video clip of a female Eastern Gray Squirrel as she gathered leaves for her drey at Mount Magazine State Park.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Female Eastern Gray Squirrel gathering leaves, Mount Magazine State Park, Logan County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/eastern-gray-squirrel-female-mt-magazine-mia-mcpherson-9472.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/eastern-gray-squirrel-female-mt-magazine-mia-mcpherson-9472.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/eastern-gray-squirrel-female-mt-magazine-mia-mcpherson-9472.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/eastern-gray-squirrel-female-mt-magazine-mia-mcpherson-9472.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":114292,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/07\/11\/standing-fox-squirrel\/","url_meta":{"origin":160259,"position":1},"title":"Standing Fox Squirrel","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 11, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"This Fox Squirrel was one of the four squirrels my dear friend and wildlife photographer, Steve Creek, had living in his yard at his home in Arkansas.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Standing Fox Squirrel adult, Sebastian 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2025","format":false,"excerpt":"During the snowstorm earlier this month here in Arkansas, I didn't just photograph birds in the snow, I also took a few photos of Fox Squirrels in the snow too.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Fox Squirrel running in snow, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/fox-squirrel-snowy-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-8703.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/fox-squirrel-snowy-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-8703.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/fox-squirrel-snowy-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-8703.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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Later, when I viewed the image on my laptop, I had to laugh.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Fox Squirrel in morning light, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/fox-squirrel-winter-poser-mia-mcpherson-1315.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/fox-squirrel-winter-poser-mia-mcpherson-1315.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/fox-squirrel-winter-poser-mia-mcpherson-1315.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/fox-squirrel-winter-poser-mia-mcpherson-1315.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":109753,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/01\/21\/squirrel-appreciation-day-2023\/","url_meta":{"origin":160259,"position":4},"title":"Squirrel Appreciation Day 2023","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 21, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Today is Squirrel Appreciation Day around the globe. Love them, or hate them, there is no denying that they are fun, fascinating, beguiling, fuzzy creatures!","rel":"","context":"In "Summit County"","block_context":{"text":"Summit County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/summit-county-utah\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Dozing Uinta Ground Squirrel, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/uinta-ground-squirrel-adult-closed-eyes-mia-mcpherson-5141.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/uinta-ground-squirrel-adult-closed-eyes-mia-mcpherson-5141.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/uinta-ground-squirrel-adult-closed-eyes-mia-mcpherson-5141.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/uinta-ground-squirrel-adult-closed-eyes-mia-mcpherson-5141.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":137672,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/12\/04\/fox-squirrel-close-up-in-fall\/","url_meta":{"origin":160259,"position":5},"title":"Fox Squirrel Close Up In Fall","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 4, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I haven\u2019t been seeing many squirrels since the temps started dropping below freezing at night. When this Fox Squirrel showed up, I was happy to photograph them.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Fall Fox Squirrel close up, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/fox-squirrel-close-up-driftwood-mia-mcpherson-5449.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/fox-squirrel-close-up-driftwood-mia-mcpherson-5449.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/fox-squirrel-close-up-driftwood-mia-mcpherson-5449.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/fox-squirrel-close-up-driftwood-mia-mcpherson-5449.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/160259","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=160259"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/160259\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/160256"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=160259"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=160259"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=160259"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}