DELIGHTFULLY SO
BY DON DOUCETTE
Coming across an unusual word is a favorite personal happenstance. Finding a use for these words can often prove challenging.
Since the warmer months this year, a curious and entertaining tiny mammal has established residence on our property beside the Ten Mile River here in Attleboro.
“Tis significant as we have never observed one of these entertaining creatures on our modest estate since the early 70’s.
We are within the Ten Mile River Watershed here in eastern Massachusetts and during my lifetime have associated our little neighbors through personal encounters in deeper forest settings such as the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts or the more extensive forests of northern New England.
My research has led to several interesting words used to describe our little friends, “pillillooeet” or “chickeree” and additionally, Douglas’s, Douglas’ or pine squirrel.
Smaller than a common gray squirrel, we usually call them hereabout, red squirrels.
When encountered, these brave creatures in a forest habitat will stand and defend their territory with loud and constant chattering and personally, have noticed their nut hull debris clusters on tree stumps or large boulders.
They are solitary in behavior except during birthing activities Their movement is rapid. We have a downed tree and our solitary tiny resident regularly darts to-and-fro along its length during daily rounds.
Red squirrels commonly exist in a wide range across North America and now, close and personal locally upon our Ten Mile River Watershed house lot.
Delightfully so – we call it PILLILLOOEET.
Don Doucette
“Ten Mile River Rambles”
Friends of the Ten Mile and Bucklin Brook
Citizens of the Narragansett Basin