How many do you see?
Elliott Atherton was in his town of Olney, Illinois, when he spotted some squirrels playing on a nearby tree. The three squirrels were white, a surprisingly common sighting around Olney, and having a blast enjoying the sunshine together. Olney has a rich history of white squirrels, and everyone around town regards them as a special part of the town’s population.
“My reaction to seeing these white squirrels playing together was heartwarming and I loved it,” Atherton told The Dodo. “I enjoy all of what nature has to offer!”
Atherton snapped a few pictures and continued to enjoy the scene when he suddenly realized something. There weren’t three squirrels playing on the tree — there were four.
The white squirrels were so flashy and energetic that Atherton almost missed their slightly different buddy hanging out just below them.
A gray squirrel was in the mix, but his fur blended in compared to the bright white fur of his friends. He was easy to miss amongst the sparkling white, and when Atherton posted the pictures online, a lot of people were equally fooled.
“Many people have commented on my post saying, ‘Almost missed the gray one,’” Atherton said.
Aetherton hadn’t meant to create a “Where’s Waldo” type of game. He’d just been enjoying what nature has to offer — and sometimes, nature has some tricks up its sleeve.
“So far all the reactions from the people have been positive and they love it!” Atherton said.