Readers respond with their white-tailed squirrel sightings

These white-tail squirrels were seen near South First Street about a month ago. (Photo courtesy Elizabeth Mehren)

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By Diane Strand For a general map of reported sightings, click here The MidWeek's recent animal story squirreled up a lot of interest from readers ... and quite a few witnesses. They described some white-tailed squirrels that have been spotted at various locations in the county. Some readers, probably from Missouri, decided to &#8220show” us with their photos. A letter from Angela Nielson of the Sycamore Scent Shop and Boutique made a lot of sense because she quoted an expert, Kathy Stelford of Oaken Acres Wildlife Preserve and also from T.A.I.L.S. &#8220We noticed these ‘blonde' squirrels some 10-12 years ago and they have come and gone in the Sycamore downtown area ever since, &#8220At that time, we had one of these squirrels that was very ill due to a bout with mange. Kathy (Stelford) took him in. She said there had been several reports about that time of a colony of blonde tails living near Brown's Supermarket. Kathy explained that they are just a mutation that affects coloring but are otherwise healthy.” Nielson clarified, &#8220The tails are actually blonde, not white....After not seeing them for several years, we noticed there are a few of them again in our area-south of Main and Ottawa in Sycamore.” Some readers reported an onslaught of the furry little creatures. For example, John Mannes even engaged in namecalling and said, &#8220My backyard has been taken over by the squirrels with the white tails (or "Frankensquirrels" as I call them) since early spring. I had never encountered them before, nor had anyone I asked. They are extremely quick and agile, even for squirrels. I've attached a few photos of them that I took in my back yard in May. They are plentiful in my neighborhood (the 300 block of south Third Street, near Huntley Park).” Obviously, these squirrels aren't the type to eat and run. Some witnesses were very friendly. Kathy and Bill Blair, explained, &#8220We have three whitish squirrels in our DeKalb yard descriptively named &#8220Whitey,” Whitetail” and &#8220Skunky” (he has a white stripe down its back).” The Blair yard is well integrated. &#8220We also have an older gray squirrel with a black striped belly,” they said. &#8220This is the first year we have ever seen them.” Probably more will scurry to the Blair yard once they find out they'll get names of their own. Tim Griffin, NIU ombudsman, is accustomed to diversity among the university's 25,313 students, and seems generally fond of wildlife, which of course he can also find on campus. &#8220We have had a white-tailed squirrel regularly visit our bird feeder (near Lincoln Elementary School) all summer. It's not changed during the last three to four months. It's the first I've ever seen.” Apparently, the squirrels appreciate the finer things. Tim says he &#8220also saw one outside the Music Building on campus in early June.” Shevawn Eaton, director of the ACCESS Program at NIU, said she spotted one of the squirrels at Hopkins Park when she originally came here from Indiana, &#8220but no one else knew what I was talking about. After a few years, I stopped seeing the white tail guys out there. I figured it must be a recessive gene that was working its way out of the pool as new squirrels moved in due to the construction work around the park.” &#8220Then, earlier this year, I saw a white-tailed squirrel in a tree on Miller...and also one at Hopkins again, though this one's tail seemed more blond than than white.” Perhaps the squirrels have a taste not only for nuts but also popcorn. Cassie Stevens writes, &#8220I have a white-tailed squirrel that visits my house all the time. I have a really good picture of him at the Sycamore popcorn stand. People have been making comments on the picture all summer long.” Stevens adds, warmly, &#8220If you would like to see it, that's where it is.”