Return to moorhen home page
Return to section index
Image-of-the-Day by Subject
Mammals - Squirrel Page 2
Image Taken on 07 Jun 2018
at 08:16 Image of day on 23 Jul 2018
A Grey Squirrel (in shadow facing left in the middle of the picture) chases off
a female Pheasant. The Surprise for us was the feather-less underbelly of the
Pheasant. A little research indicates this is a brood patch (bare skin to be
put in contact with eggs to warn them) that we see so often on the brooding
partner of small birds.
 attacking pheasant female showing brood patch(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20180723_e63_20180607_0816_011_fb1 grey squirrel (mostly in silhouette) attacking pheasant female showing brood patch(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 01 May 2019
at 18:15 Image of day on 29 May 2019
2 days later, we see the same behaviour at the same site, this time
featuring our short-tailed (broken or bitten off) Grey Squirrel.
 sprinting with rear legs well in front of forelegs(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20190529_e64_20190501_1815_142_fb2 grey squirrel (short tailed) sprinting with rear legs well in front of forelegs(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 03 Jul 2023
at 07:18 Image of day on 25 Aug 2023
 eats wheat seeds at base of lombard poplar 1 of 2 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20230825_df3_20230703_0718_181 grey squirrel (small youngster) eats wheat seeds at base of lombard poplar 1 of 2 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 03 Jul 2023
at 07:18 Image of day on 25 Aug 2023
A few times we have come across this distinctly under-sized Grey squirrel at the
base of a young Lombardy Poplar. Here they are systematically stripping unripe
Wheat heads of their seeds The Squirrel left as we walked down the concrete
track, and the insert shows the remains of their efforts.
 eats wheat seeds under lombard poplar 1+2 of 2 (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20230825_df3_20230703_0718_181+0719_185 grey squirrel (small youngster) eats wheat seeds under lombard poplar 1+2 of 2 (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 09 Dec 2020
at 13:03 Image of day on 08 Jan 2021
A single Grey Squirrel surrounded at just over 'swipe' distance by an arc of 5 Rooks.
Behind the Rooks is a line of 4 Jackdaws.
.jpg)
Ref: 20210108_bu2_20201209_1303_261_sc7 1 grey squirrel + 5 rooks + 4 jackdaws feeding on round mound(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 23 Dec 2016
at 08:05 Image of day on 02 Feb 2017
Over 5 minutes 'our' female pheasant arrives at the feeding site and is allowed a
few minutes before the Squirrel decides it wants the place to itself.
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20170202_e64_20161223_0805_044+0808_045+0810_046_fb2 grey squirrel + pheasant female at feeding site 1-3 of 3 (mirrored montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 23 Dec 2016
at 08:10 Image of day on 02 Feb 2017
A better view of the female Pheasant taking off.
This the natural orientation - we mirrored the montage of the events
to help it make more sense to us Left-to-Right westerners.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20170202_e64_20161223_0810_046_fb2 grey squirrel + pheasant female at feeding site 3 of 3 (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 03 Dec 2025
at 12:52 Image of day on 14 Jan 2026
Walking back to the house often finds this rather small Grey squirrel at the front of the house.
.jpg)
Ref: 20260114_d72_20251203_1252_019 grey squirrel - small individual often at front of house - watches humans approaching(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 12 Mar 2022
at 13:53 Image of day on 08 Apr 2022
Yummy!
.jpg)
Ref: 20220408_d36_20220312_1353_024_fb4 grey squirrel 1st to bait(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 30 May 2017
at 07:39 Image of day on 24 Jul 2017
On the Kitchen window bird table it was hard not to laugh at the antics of this
Grey Squirrel appearing to be 'chasing a flea' - actually probably just 2
minutes of exuberant grooming we have since seen on other bird tables.
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20170724_d5c_20170530_0739_007-0740_034 grey squirrel 2 minutes of frantic grooming 03+06-10+14+16 of 17 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image of day on 10 Jun 2005
This is the first year where we have regularly seen a grey squirrel
other than a brief autumn hazelnut raid. Mixed feelings, but
they do look cute.
.jpg)
Ref: 20050610_p20_1010736 grey squirrel 2005may26_17-18-54(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 29 Jul 2011
at 18:37 Image of day on 20 Sep 2011
Evening next day here is probably the same individual using the
tree stump to chew up another nut.
.jpg)
Ref: 20110920_d35_20110729_1837_027_fb4 grey squirrel about to tackle green hazel nut(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 05 Jul 2012
at 13:19 Image of day on 18 Aug 2012
The juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker seems determined to see off
the squirrel, but it won't succeed.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20120818_d3b_20120705_1319_005_fb3 grey squirrel and great spotted woodpecker juvenile conflict (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 02 Mar 2016
at 11:22 Image of day on 11 Apr 2016
A 'soggy' squirrel out in the rain to make the most of access to the
easy to access peanut feeder.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20160411_e60_20160302_1122_289_fb3 grey squirrel and great tit at peanut feeder in heavy rain (crop 2)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 01 Nov 2021
at 15:22 Image of day on 10 Dec 2021
A Grey Squirrel - Magpie mix usually sees the Mammal chasing away the bird.
But here we see the same pairing quietly eating peanuts together.
So the Squirrel is probably the much more sociable female of the
species!
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20211210_e6a_20211101_1522_048_fb5 grey squirrel and magpie quietly eating peanuts together (crop)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 10 Oct 2017
at 16:17 Image of day on 18 Nov 2017
The Great Face-off?
This may be a regular event - we have seen similar confrontations several times.
.jpg)
Ref: 20171118_e63_20171010_1617_113_fb1 grey squirrel and pheasant female face-off(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 14 May 2021
at 16:30 Image of day on 11 Jun 2021
Grey Squirrel vs. male Pheasant.
Although it looks like the Squirrel has 'won' its is possible that the
Pheasant is about to land ON the squirrel and give the Squirrel a
spike from those sharp spurs.
.jpg)
Ref: 20210611_e64_20210514_1630_092_fb2 grey squirrel and pheasant male confrontation(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 12 Apr 2021
at 17:23 Image of day on 14 May 2021
A battle of wills - Grey Squirrel vs. Pheasant, Claws vs. Spurs.
We don't know what happened :-(
.jpg)
Ref: 20210514_e6a_20210412_1723_173_fb5 grey squirrel and pheasant male confrontation(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 08 May 2022
at 17:58 Image of day on 16 Jun 2022
It seems that the male Pheasant (Silverback) will defend his patch from this
otherwise aggressive Grey Squirrel.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20220616_e63_20220508_1758_295_fb1 grey squirrel and pheasant male confrontation at hedge bottom (orig & final)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 03 Dec 2018
at 14:57 Image of day on 20 Jan 2019
Setting the autumn leaf debris flying, this Grey Squirrel is attacking the male
Pheasant, who is squaring up to defend rather than flee, making himself look as
big and impressive as he can.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20190120_e64_20181203_1457_046_fb2 grey squirrel and pheasant male contest with leaves flying (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Comments and requests for image use
To make a comment, ask for information or to request a full
resolution image, send us an email including the reference or
the date for the image you are interested in.
All initial contacts should be made using the icon below:-
