Hello! I'm a recent transplant here from Carthage, Missouri (located in Southwest Missouri). I had read an article online that said Oak trees had not produced acorns last year (2008), therefore causing problems for squirrels who were looking for food. So I have been putting corncobs in my backyard for them. While watching them the other day, I noticed a 'black' grey squirrel! I have never seen anything like it. It that common here?? At first I thought maybe he had crawled into someone's chimney and been covered in soot, but it was raining pretty steadily all that morning --- and he has returned for several days now and he still looks like a skunk without the stripe!! :)