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Image Taken on 26 May 2020 at 18:28    Image of day on 30 Jun 2020

Grey Squirrels can be really N A S T Y !


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Image Taken on 11 Dec 2018 at 15:50    Image of day on 23 Jan 2019

A Grey Squirrel, back to us with ears and claws sticking up, launches itself at a less aggressive member of the species.


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Image Taken on 27 May 2014 at 13:48    Image of day on 01 Aug 2014

A Grey Squirrel squabble on the ground shows the claws out really meaning to do some damage to the opponent.


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Image Taken on 10 Jan 2017 at 15:25    Image of day on 15 Feb 2017

A high speed attack ... Ouch.


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Image Taken on 02 Nov 2018 at 16:27    Image of day on 22 Dec 2018

The sweet fluffy Grey Squirrel showing another aspect of it's behaviour.


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Image Taken on 30 Jun 2015 at 18:03    Image of day on 01 Sep 2015

The Grey squirrel seems to have gone into an attacking frenzy against this poor innocent female Mallard duck just looking for a 'bite' to eat.


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Image Taken on 30 May 2015 at 18:15    Image of day on 04 Aug 2015

Genuine single frame of this nonchalant Male Mallard duck as a Grey Squirrel leaps at it with his claws exposed. We have NO IDEA what happened next!


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Image Taken on 28 Apr 2022 at 18:38    Image of day on 03 Jun 2022

Over 30 minutes the camera catches probably the same Grey Squirrel chasing away probably the same Moorhen.


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Image Taken on 26 Jan 2023 at 08:35    Image of day on 23 Feb 2023

Judging by the shadow on the Pheasant, that attacking claw is not far from it's target.


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Image Taken on 26 Feb 2014 at 17:18    Image of day on 02 Apr 2014

The lengthening days seem to have emboldened the Grey Squirrels
Here one does a headlong charge at our dominant male pheasant who doesn't seem to be reacting at all - yet. These timid birds seem to be a match for squirrels - a female was at the site a few minutes later


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Image Taken on 09 Jan 2014 at 16:12    Image of day on 03 Mar 2014

We had observed that pheasants usually defended Grey squirrel attacks and the Squirrels had stopped attacking. But here is what may be a different Grey Squirrel, that hasn't had a claw stuck in it yet, making a determined attack. The next image 2 minutes later showed 2 grey squirrels romping at the site.


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Image Taken on 30 Nov 2019 at 15:11    Image of day on 04 Jan 2020

Grey squirrels vary widely in their behaviour. Some are content to feed alongside other harmless creatures, while here this Grey Squirrel at the woodland site chases away a male Pheasant.
You can see that the Pheasant's tail is still curled from the takeoff.


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Image Taken on 01 Apr 2016 at 16:38    Image of day on 09 May 2016

Grey Squirrel showing his not so sweet nature to a Rook that may just have been trying to land.


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Image Taken on 08 Feb 2023 at 16:48    Image of day on 08 Mar 2023

In 5 minutes we catch 3 instances of presumably the same Grey Squirrel and female Pheasant disagreeing about who can have the food. The action moves in pairs from left to right, the last including the last sighting of the Pheasant until the next day.


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Image Taken on 14 Mar 2016 at 15:57    Image of day on 19 Apr 2016

A Grey Squirrel shows his bad temper against this rook which must be at least half a metre from him.


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Image Taken on 16 Mar 2023 at 12:58    Image of day on 21 Apr 2023

If you watch TV wildlife documentaries you can't have failed to see 'Squirrel intelligence' tests made of ropes, boxes and other tricks they have to solve for a peanut or similar.
Here is one of our equivalents is by way of a mass of peanuts frustratingly locked away from the Squirrel but not the birds.
Squirrels mainly use persistence and then memory to solve these problems. In the final pic you can see that the Squirrel probably remember that the knob on the top of the lid is sometimes the gateway to food heaven!


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Image Taken on 01 Nov 2011 at 16:05    Image of day on 16 Dec 2011

Sunset over Grey Squirrel
We have a closer crops showing all the edge lit whiskers etc., but it just doesn't capture the moment.


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Image Taken on 31 Mar 2021 at 14:14    Image of day on 05 May 2021

"This is the life!"


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Image Taken on 27 May 2011 at 18:09    Image of day on 19 Jul 2011

We don't normally treat animals as objects of comedy, but sometimes an image suggests a silly title. Here is a selection. "Mine - all Mine - hic"
(through we suspect squirrel anatomy doesn't allow hiccups)


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Image Taken on 27 Mar 2023 at 17:41    Image of day on 01 May 2023

2 days later, and about 15 metres (50ft) up this even taller willow tree, we see this Grey Squirrel clambering about to bite off another choice twig, which the squirrel then runs down the tree to eat in a safer/more convenient place.


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