Sioux Falls Radio Station Black Squirrel Claims Second Empty Nest

Hatfield, the Black Squirrel that lives behind your favorite radio station, has battled and laid claim to his second empty nest.

Behind the stations here in Sioux Falls is what I lovingly call a swamp. It's a small wetlands kind of area with lots of small trees, brush, water, and the like. In other words, a nice area for many of our critter friends, everything from what looks like a beaver to prancing young deer.

And squirrels. The squirrels love the radio ranch wetlands and we love them. Especially Hatfield, the black squirrel.

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They're pretty rare I think, these black squirrels. I don't recall seeing them on the little farm I grew up on near Leota, Minnesota. And maybe I've seen a few through the years, but...not many.

This one that has taken up residence behind the radio station is a feisty little guy. A few weeks ago I saw him feuding with a brown squirrel over an empty nest. And since it was a lively feud, I decided to arbitrarily name him Hatfield, and his counterpart McCoy.

Hatfield won that one, claiming the empty nest. And now they're back at it, with empty nest number two at stake. So far it seems up-in-the-air but in this March Madness Matchup, my money is on Hatfield to capture nest number two. I'm hoping they continue because they are a hoot to watch.

And of course, at some point soon, the birds will return and a whole new confrontation will erupt.

This is gonna be fun.