I wanted to share some recent images of Red Squirrel’s from a site in England. This area is managed by the wildlife trust who keep an eye on this population that were almost wiped out several years ago due to the squirrel pox virus.
Numbers are slowly increasing with the hard work and dedication of the local trust and volunteers. The Red Squirrels forage for food on the forest floors as this location.
Often your first indication they are around is the sudden claw sounds as they chase each other around the tree trunks. Once on the ground though they are quick, darting all over the place.
During my time at this location I witnessed how other species, mainly birds were watching the Red Squirrels to see where they had stashed their food.
Once the Jays and Magpies that were looking down from the treetops had seen where the bounty was hidden, they just simply stole it. I witnessed many examples of this opportunistic behaviour that you can see in the following images.
During this time I also witnessed one Red Squirrel eating a mushroom that it had found on the forest floor.
Hope you enjoyed these images as much as I did taking them. Using respect and great care in your own approach you will be able to have a window into the subject’s world.
Working with this approach should come way before any photos you take. Always remember you are a spectator and you should take your images accordingly, many thanks.
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