VIDEO: Predator and prey at play in a Saanich tree

The scene plays out much like a pesky younger sibling nagging their older brother in the back seat on a family road trip. An owl sits perched in a Swan Lake-area tree, quietly observed by Reynolds student Jonah Underwood. Hitting record, Underwood captured the moment the squirrel notices the owl, and opts to climb the tree and check it out. It’s unclear whether the grey squirrel recognized the owl as a danger, as it twitches its way down the branch before peeking around at the predator. The owl, predictably, gets in a twitter and flaps at the fluffy-tailed rodent, which skedaddles down the tree. Then it comes back. Investigates. And heads back down for the yard. While the owl makes one last dash to the ground, then back to the tree, the squirrel evades being lunch. For now. The eastern grey squirrel is an introduced species on the West Coast – introduced to Stanley Park in 1909 and on southern Vancouver Island in 1966. While they often take the heat for declining native populations, research in B.C. suggests grey squirrels are unlikely to displace other squirrels on Vancouver Island, as they have different food and shelter preferences, according to the BC SPCA. Known to be more active during the day than other owl species, the barred owl is known for its recognizable call, “Who cooks for you?” It hunts small animals at night.