Flying Squirrels

The Eastern Bluebirds are sprucing up neighborhood nest boxes, as are the resident Carolina Chickadees.  A House Wren arrived from wintering grounds last week, and is eying the nest box on our front porch.  Not all flying critters that inhabit our nest boxes are avian, however.  In Fearrington Village and throughout the Carolina piedmont, it's not uncommon to get nesting southern flying squirrels.
Despite good numbers in the right habitat, the Southern Flying Squirrel is rarely seen, due to its strictly noctural lifestyle.  On a camping trip to Lake Waccamaw State Park in March, my companions and I saw a flying squirrel just over the campsite.  Screech Owls were hooting nearby, and the bushbaby-like squirrel started chirping high up in a tree, a clear sign it wasn't going to be threatened by the owl.

Little did I know that I'd soon see one in my back yard!  As I was checking the nest boxes this afternoon, I had a little face stick out of one of them, then quickly retreat back into the box.  After running to get a camera, I opened the box fully, and managed to snap a few photos.  At first, the squirrel hid amongst the ball of nest material, surely terrified by the intrusion.  After a minute or two, however, it realized I wasn't a threat, and took a few peeks at me.  I'm unsure if this is a male or a female, but this squirrel certainly is ready for a mate.
Of course, flying squirrels don't actually fly.  They glide from treetop to treetop with the help of a highly adaptive membrane and a flattened tail.  Still, it's somehow appropriate that I'd find one in a home built for flying creatures.