I was going to say flying squirrel too,but vik beat me to it.
I thought I recognized the big eye & rounded ear because I saw one of it's northern cousins while camping this spring.
They are nocturnal thus the big eyes & the reason I'd never seen one before.
the flying squirrel is just about everywhere ,, south and north,,,but as you say most never get to see them. I live in the woods and have a squirrel feeder in the yard,,,some nights there can be a half dozen at it fighting over the food,,,a light blinds them and you can walk right up to them then.
