A Fairydiddle is a Flying squirrel which can jump and spread itself and coast a little on the wind when flying between trees for safety so it doesn't have to crawl along the ground and get eaten by a predator.
In the 1980s when we bought our land and built our A-Frame to live in for several years, I went out one frosty morning to the edge of our 2 1/2 acres near a spring at 4000 feet on the side of Mt. Shasta. One Fairydiddle stood upside down on a huge cedar tree above my reach and scolded me for being there. It wanted me to leave so it would make loud racket until I left.
I stood there and just laughed at this silly creature who would be like this with a large human being. The crazy situation of this little Squirrel about 10 feet up a huge Cedar Tree making ear splitting chirps while standing upside down where every chirp moved it's body up or down the tree a few inches was just so funny to me that I laughed and laughed and laughed. It really brought up my spirits that day and I have never forgotten this truly funny moment.
Sometimes little wild creatures can bring you out of yourself and give you a whole new perspective on life.
This was one of those amazing times.
This one was reddish with little tufts of hair coming out of it's ears so it was a funny sight to see this upside down flying squirrel chirping loudly at me. This must be the way they try to drive off predators, at least the ones who don't climb trees much like humans. Funny creature who made my day.
Here is more on Fairydiddles:
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- "Fairy diddle" is a nickname for flying squirrels and red squirrels in the Appalachian Mountains and other regions:
- Flying squirrels: These nocturnal animals are sometimes called fairy diddles. They are hard to see because they move quickly. Flying squirrels glide from tree to tree using a flap of skin that runs from their wrists to their ankles. They sleep in trees or nest boxes during the day, and gather nuts to store for the winter.
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- Red squirrels: In some regions, red squirrels are also called fairy diddles.
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- Other woodland rodents: In
West Virginia, the term "fairy diddle" can refer to a variety of
woodland rodents, including tree squirrels, ground squirrels, and baby
groundhogs.
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