Photoclubalpha

Hi,

A beautiful day had my wife and I take a trip to a hide in a local small reserve in the hope of some nice bird views. Very busy there and later everyone had left us and after a few minutes these beauties decided to come in and feed. Around 7 of them were on a feeding frenzy and I enjoyed an hour of pure bliss as they scurried and scampered around the hide and trees. After about 20 minutes one particular brazen soul was even being hand fed by my wife. It was an ultimate priviledge to be so close up to these wonderful creatures and made my day and makes me realise I'm lucky to live where they have a stronghold still.

Alan.

Hi Alan - thanks for posting - great to see these guys about - you are indeed lucky to live near where you can see them, apparently quite easily . #2 is my favourite - classic Squirrel Nutkin pose (if not classic squirrel food). Let's hope the grey vareity never get on a ferry!

In the first two pictures they seem to have quite shiney fur which has come out as white highlights? What lens were you using?

Hi Birma, thx for the kind words

Yes indeed, we are blessed with just the red variety and I too hope the day never comes when the greys hop on a ferry.

Using my A 200 with a Minolta AF 75-300. Although it doesn't look like it, it was really quite dark in the woods and most likely the effect of a little fill-in flash.

Alan.

Welcome Alan. We have had grey squirrel genocide here in southern Scotland - but we never, ever had red squirrels! There are some woods with them, and to protect these, they have to kill all the greys in the towns and parks. But it does not work - I see that a grey squirrel has found its way to my garden, and the chicken feeder, just a single one after they killed the large colony in the churchyard 500 yards away.

We have plenty of loch and sea islands in Scotland and you would think they could take measures to introduce red squirrel populations to as many islands as possible, rather than fight a losing battle killing all the greys.

David

The reds hibernate and the greys don't. So the reds are safe when the climate is too cold in the winter for the greys, although the warming winters are allowing them to move further north in Scotland.

They are beautiful. I love squirrels.