One of our local squirrels has maintained a nest in this big pine tree for a few seasons.
This morning we got to see the resident squirrel work on improving the nest.
Bear with us as the photos were shot over a long distance.
In this one you can see the squirrel as it comes out of its nest. The nest can just be seen: it is the ball of leaves just below the squirrel.
Squirrels build their nests out of leaves and twigs, and sometimes incorporate other materials like plastic bags.
This squirrel shuttled back and forth between the pine tree and a nearby oak tree. It gathered twigs with the leaves still attached, carefully folded them into a bundle and tucked them into its mouth.
Here you can see it arriving with a bundle of leaves and carrying it up to the nest.