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Mammals - Squirrel Page 44

Image Taken on 17 Nov 2007 at 14:36    Image of day on 16 Dec 2007

We seem to have a number of Grey Squirrels doing various degrees of damage, and often looking very innocent and twee.


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Image Taken on 25 Oct 2007 at 14:16    Image of day on 25 Nov 2007

The squirrels are now all over the place, jumping from tree to tree over our heads as we walk round.


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Image Taken on 03 Sep 2006 at 19:46    Image of day on 10 Sep 2006

The Hazelnuts are ripening nicely so the squirrels arrive from nowhere to feast. Now its a race between us and them for us to get any ripe ones before they do.


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Image Taken on 13 Dec 2008 at 12:44    Image of day on 03 Jan 2009

Contrary to popular belief, squirrels don't hibernate but build a better insulated dray and limit their outings to short forays on warmer days. This one was picking over the offerings at about mid-day.


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Image Taken on 27 Feb 2008 at 12:31    Image of day on 21 Mar 2008

This squirrel found/un-buried a last autumn conker and sat ignoring us in a black poplar chewing his way through it. When it was eaten we got one stare and off he/she went. Obviously they are not poisonous to squirrels.


Ref: 20080321_da1_20080227_1231_178 squirrel about to eat previous years conker in black poplar tree(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 07 Mar 2011 at 08:29    Image of day on 07 Apr 2011

Sunrise with Grey Squirrel, or Grey Squirrel with sunrise?


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Image Taken on 11 Mar 2019 at 16:07    Image of day on 05 Apr 2019

We expected the gales to bring down one or more Rook's nests, but they have so far all survived. But inside the woodland this at least year old Squirrel Drey hit the ground remarkably intact. It was bigger than we had imagined - see size 8 UK shoe for scale. Turning it over reveals a lovely soft and snug lining.


Ref: 20190405_df3_20190311_1607_043+1608_049 squirrel drey blown down by gale 1+3 of 3 (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 24 Dec 2015 at 12:53    Image of day on 27 Jan 2016

One of the Grey squirrels has built this Drey really high up in a perhaps 90 year old Black Poplar. It is about two-thirds along a fairly thin branch (shown edge on here) and flails around quite wildly in the high winds. We have been expecting it to be brought down by the storms but it seems very well constructed, and we think must be being maintained by an occupant. Here you see two frames taken from the same position a few seconds apart in a strong but not gale force wind.
We do hope the squirrel inside doesn't suffer from motion sickness! Perhaps a few seasick pills in with the peanuts ;-)


Ref: 20160127_df3_20151224_1253_007+002 squirrel drey in black poplar swaying in wind 2+1 of 2 (montage)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 30 Dec 2015 at 10:12    Image of day on 27 Jan 2016

6 days later the CCTV announced a movement detection on the track, and lo there was the whole branch and drey lying right across the track. The Drey was definitely no longer intact but fortunately 'squirrel free'.
In action movies you see the hero picking up a whole mature tree-trunks - even this single dehydrated branch required two of us to drag it off the concrete. Even more silly is metre wide polystyrene boulders being thrown at the 'baddies' when the average human can barely even lift a large paving slab!


Ref: 20160127_p10_20151230_1012_789 squirrel drey still attached to broken black poplar branch fallen across track (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 17 Jan 2011 at 16:20    Image of day on 08 Mar 2011

Another site, another squirrel, another apple!


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Image Taken on 11 May 2008 at 17:23    Image of day on 23 May 2008

We watched this squirrel dig up and eat about 6 bulbs from the grass patch we call the lawn.


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Image Taken on 20 Dec 2008 at 13:11    Image of day on 05 Jan 2009

A squirrel paid a visit to the hawthorn trees (decades overgrown hedge) near the house and spent 10 minutes after we noticed gorging itself on berries. In shade & diagonally through a double glazed window limits the quality, but it was interesting to see. Notice the Lichen on these old twigs.


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Image Taken on 02 Feb 2009 at 09:21    Image of day on 24 Feb 2009

According to the 'book' squirrels only come out on mild days for a feed. Ours obviously don't have the same book.


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Image Taken on 19 Dec 2010 at 11:34    Image of day on 09 Feb 2011

Is Spring coming soon?


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Image Taken on 04 Jul 2009 at 18:43    Image of day on 11 Aug 2009

All this excitement over a single Hazel nut? The nut is on the ground bottom right still in it's green covering.


Ref: 20090811_d3a_20090704_1843_017_fb2 squirrel leaping for hazel nut(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 05 Dec 2021 at 11:46    Image of day on 10 Jan 2022

An odd moment of this Grey Squirrel caught by the kitchen window camera.
Close one eye to help thread the invisible needle.


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Image Taken on 13 Apr 2009 at 08:53    Image of day on 08 May 2009

We sometimes see grey squirrels sneering at us from high tree branches, but most often wheedling bits of peanut out of the various feeders.


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Image Taken on 23 Oct 2011 at 14:42    Image of day on 10 Dec 2011

One of our several Grey squirrels tucking into a piece of apple. Fruit is generally very popular at the moment as the creatures 'feed up' ready for winter's meanness.


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Image Taken on 09 Oct 2009 at 14:16    Image of day on 15 Nov 2009

A lot less damaging to the rodents and birds than the feral cats who also clamber up here, but a lot more damaging to the trees.


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Image Taken on 24 Apr 2011 at 17:16    Image of day on 27 May 2011

Squirrel poised for the opening chord on his woodland piano.


Ref: 20110527_d35_20110424_1716_044_fb4 squirrel pianist at his woodland keyboard (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg


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