Image-of-the-Day by Subject

Image-of-the-Day by Subject

Mammals - Squirrel Page 6

Image Taken on 16 Sep 2021 at 17:44 Image of day on 26 Oct 2021

Several instances now of Grey Squirrels bringing Farmers crop bean pods back into our patch. When we search our grass paths we find an average of a bean pod every square metre or so. That's a LOT of food.

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Image Taken on 12 Sep 2021 at 15:24 Image of day on 23 Oct 2021

No, this is NOT a Squirrel with a Stogie!
The farm crop around us seems to be some sort of mix of some sort of bean and a brassica, both now mostly dead. The plants that have produced bean pods have now all blackened like this with more black than not beans inside. Outside our North boundary is the detritus of Squirrels and probably other wildlife making the most of this bonanza. This pod has been carried at least 30 metres to the inside of our patch
We have found empty pods all over our patch.

Ref: 20211023_e64_20210912_1524_224_fb2 grey squirrel carrying bean pod from crop 30m away(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 13 Jan 2012 at 16:17 Image of day on 14 Feb 2012

A batch of Supermarket chestnuts turned out to be stale, so out they go, uncooked this time, for the Grey Squirrel to take them off and bury them!

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Image Taken on 24 Sep 2019 at 12:50 Image of day on 14 Nov 2019

If the Grey Squirrel puts the apple down before clambering up the tree-stump maybe something else will steal it. So to check the top of the tree stump the apple goes with the Squirrel.

Ref: 20191114_d36_20190924_1250_015_fb4 grey squirrel carrying crab apple up tree-stump(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 01 Nov 2015 at 14:34 Image of day on 20 Dec 2015

It's a Spud! (Potato for you non-UK readers)
It's a Bulb!
No, it's a stone.
We saw this squirrel take about 6 moderate sized pebbles out of one of the few really tidy flowerbeds, and took them off in it's mouth in various directions to bury in the 'lawn' and other roughly cut grass. It must think it is a tuber that will soften in storage
Some unexpected hazards for the mower next year

Ref: 20151220_df3_20151101_1434_062 grey squirrel carrying large pebbles from patio & burying them in roughly cut grass(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 24 Dec 2017 at 08:44 Image of day on 27 Jan 2018

A mouthful of dry autumn leaves looks destined for the Drey.

Ref: 20180127_e64_20171224_0844_110_fb2 grey squirrel carrying leaves for bedding(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 11 Jan 2018 at 15:42 Image of day on 17 Feb 2018

The Drey must be one thing a Grey Squirrel must keep in good order to survive the winter. We found one (shown last week) laying on a path, but many must suffer damage or destruction in the high winds and we never see them. This mouthful looks too coarse for bedding, so is probably for restoration or reinforcement.

Ref: 20180217_e64_20180111_1542_067_fb2 grey squirrel carrying mouthful of material for drey(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 27 Sep 2011 at 08:02 Image of day on 15 Nov 2011

Whole conkers are raining down and barely get a chance to bounce before a squirrel carries them off for the winter store.

Ref: 20111115_d5c_20110927_0802_084_fb2 grey squirrel carrying off conker in husk (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 12 Feb 2011 at 16:40 Image of day on 25 Mar 2011

Even out of season (this is a stale nut from Christmas) a grey squirrel knows to grab the nuts and hide them!

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Image Taken on 11 Aug 2012 at 19:23 Image of day on 20 Sep 2012

We have about 20 'Japanese Larches' (that completely confused us years ago by being deciduous) that make these small fir cones the Grey squirrels rip to pieces to get at the seeds.

Ref: 20120920_d35_20120811_1923_072_fb4 grey squirrel carrying off japanese larch cone (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 20 Nov 2013 at 16:01 Image of day on 05 Jan 2014

"What do you mean by ROTTEN apple in my title! Its nicely Mature."

Ref: 20140105_d36_20131120_1601_100_fb4 grey squirrel carrying off part of rotten apple(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 18 Jan 2023 at 13:15 Image of day on 08 Feb 2023

Another apple get the Squirrels 'take-away' treatment.
Is the second Squirrel at the left edge watching or preparing an ambush?

Ref: 20230208_e63_20230118_1315_308_fb1 grey squirrel carrying off small apple watched by another(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 28 Oct 2012 at 15:43 Image of day on 04 Dec 2012

"Where can I bury this great thing?"

Ref: 20121204_d5c_20121028_1543_013_fb2 grey squirrel carrying off whole apple (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 12 Mar 2019 at 16:20 Image of day on 09 Apr 2019

Grey Squirrels enjoy the seed cones from Norway Spruce, often taking them away to somewhere convenient.

Ref: 20190409_e64_20190312_1620_077_fb2 grey squirrel carrying off whole fir cone(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 07 Nov 2013 at 06:49 Image of day on 26 Dec 2013

That's a whole (if smallish) apple being carried away by this optimistic Grey Squirrel. The paths and undergrowth are littered with partly eaten apples nowhere near an apple tree.

Ref: 20131226_d5c_20131107_0649_214_fb2 grey squirrel carrying off windfall apple(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 20 Oct 2017 at 10:17 Image of day on 02 Dec 2017

The wildlife is still finding whole corn cobs in the harvested, harrowed and re-sown field adjacent to our access track. We estimate that at least 200 mostly eaten cobs are scattered over our patch. Here another third or so of a cob is taken away to be 'dismantled'.

Ref: 20171202_e64_20171020_1017_082_fb2 grey squirrel carrying piece of corn cob(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 12 Oct 2023 at 16:40 Image of day on 24 Nov 2023

This Grey Squirrel has raided the compost bin to carry away a piece of cooked Pink Fir Apple potato peel.

Ref: 20231124_e6a_20231012_1640_081_fb5 grey squirrel carrying pink fir apple potato peel(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 21 Oct 2021 at 16:02 Image of day on 04 Dec 2021

The Bounty of Autumn comes in many forms.
This Grey squirrel makes off with a couple of Rose Hips.

Ref: 20211204_e6a_20211021_1602_040_fb5 grey squirrel carrying rose hips in mouth(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 01 Apr 2023 at 14:15 Image of day on 14 May 2023

What the Grey Squirrel wants this short thick stick for only the Squirrel really knows.
Perhaps the Drey is suffering from subsidence - like our old House :-(

Ref: 20230514_e6a_20230401_1415_192_fb5 grey squirrel carrying short stick over meadow site(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 23 Aug 2016 at 19:07 Image of day on 10 Oct 2016

These windfall apples are really bitter, but the Squirrels seems to like them enough to carry them away.

Ref: 20161010_e64_20160823_1907_045_fb2 grey squirrel carrying slice of windfall apple(r+mb id@768).jpg

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