If you're looking for a unique animal to photograph then consider shooting a digital image of a black squirrel, a seldom-seen color phase of the gray squirrel.

A small but growing resident population of black squirrels has appeared at Lake Metroparks' Penitentiary Glen Reservation's Nature Center in Kirtland. Often, several black squirrels can be observed feeding on the bird seed laid out for wintering birds. The squirrels seem to have a taste for the sunflower seeds.

The squirrels began appearing a number of years ago and have increased in numbers, says the Center's manager, Dan Burnet

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com