Wednesday peaked early in the excitement department.

[angrboda]

Some prints in the snow.



It's a squirrel!


We've only once seen a squirrel here before and that was several years ago before a large number of trees were cut down next door.


He likes peanuts. (Have at them, Mr. Squiggle.)

Comments

[cmcmck]

A red! :o)

What a cutie.

They're only found to the north of us since the grey invasion of the 19th century. Fie upon idiots who introduce 'foreign' species!!

[angrboda]

We haven't been invaded by the grey squirrel here (yet), but it's not often you see one. I feel like when we're in the UK we see squirrels a lot more. One definitely lives in or near Husband's parents' garden, because we see it now and then. I wonder if the red ones are more shy.

[cmcmck]

We're UK based- Shropshire- and our nearest reds are on the Wirral Peninsular about fifty miles north of us.

It's not that I object to the greys but they're twice the size and bully the reds when they meet, so you almost never find them together and the reds have been pushed steadily northwards.

[angrboda]

That's invasive species for you. Sooner or later the red squirrel will probably be extinct in those areas as well. Is it also an issue in Ireland?

[yourlibrarian]

Such a fluffy looking one too!

[angrboda]

He is. :)

[turlough]

Squirrel!! Such a little cutie with his fluffy tail and long ear tufts!

When I lived in suburb of Stockholm I saw squirrels all the time but in the tiny town in Småland I live now I hardly ever see them. Maybe they keep to the forests here.

[angrboda]

Maybe they're less shy in the city? They'll be more used to people and noise, and they'll be forced to be less shy in order to find enough food.

[shirebound]

The gray squirrels who stake out the bird feeders in my yard would adore it if I put out some peanuts. Maybe I will! I like your pics, they make me smile. We don't seem to have red squirrels here.

[cmcmck]

Reds are a European species.

[angrboda]

As cmcmck mentioned, it's a European animal. You'll have the grey squirrel, which is the same species that lives in large parts of the UK now as an invasive species.