By Tina Mitchell
It’s 8 a.m. at the wildlife rehabilitation center where I occasionally volunteer, and the place already bustles with activity. This particular morning, we have 66 orphaned or abandoned baby squirrels to weigh, 66 formulas to blend, 66 babies to hand-feed, 66 babies to clean up and settle back into their cages – all before 11 a.m., when the next round of feedings begins. After a quiet winter at the rehab center, everything kicks into gear with the beginning of breeding season – and the squirrels typically lead that parade. Indeed, in early February I spotted several Fox Squirrels engaged in courtship behavior: chasing, spiraling and chattering around a tree trunk, across the ground, and up another trunk. This can only mean one thing – the spring baby squirrel season arrives this month.