National Squirrel Appreciation Day, celebrated January 21, was founded in 2001 by North Carolina wildlife rehabilitator Christy McKeown. Richard Thorington of the Smithsonian Museum gives us some ideas how to celebrate here, but we suggest putting some extra special food treats out. It’s the middle of the winter and all our animal friends have a long wait until spring. Why bother? Well, not everyone is as lucky as you. Seth Kugel writes in the New York Times, “Amazed visitors from many countries say they have never seen squirrels before…hordes of tourists stop en masse to snap pictures. One such newcomer was a squirrel novice when she emigrated from Beijing 14 years ago. ”I only knew these animals in the cartoons,” she said. Minutes later, a group of young tourists from the Philippines stopped. ”It’s considered a rodent here, right? We’re fascinated by it.” Here we see a red-bellied woodpecker and a blue jay getting ready for the big day.