The return of a very welcome guest!

[Spotty-ewe]

From Monday to Wednesday we had a visit from our old friend the red squirrel. We used to have several individuals visit us daily but they stopped coming about 6 years ago. Then on Monday we couldn’t believe our eyes 😮 when a new red squirrel arrived. We knew he’d never been before because he had no idea of how to use the squirrel feeder with monkey nuts (unshelled peanuts) in it, but preferred to hang upside down and feed from the nut feeder intended for the birds.

He made us laugh and I hope he’ll make you smile too. 😁

[CecilyParsley]

Oh wow!! I am so jealous. I love squirrels and have not seen a red one for years and years. What a wonderful sight. Thank you so much for sharing ❤️❤️❤️

[Spotty-ewe in reply to CecilyParsley]

Yes, they are getting rarer and sadly some greys have been spotted locally so the reds might slowly disappear altogether.🥺 The conifer woodland behind our neighbours was felled during late March to late May (during lockdown) right in the middle of the breeding season for mammals and birds. My local councillor and I informed the wildlife crimes officer but he said no crime had been committed despite the fact there was a badger’s sett only 1.5 metres from the edge of the felled area whereas Scottish Natural Heritage stipulate it must be at least 30 metres! However as it turned out the officer had the same surname as the contractor we realised we wouldn’t get anywhere. But we now think the squirrels have returned to the garden because their natural habitat has been felled. I just hate to think if any dreys were destroyed. 😑 The badgers have deserted that sett. It is disgusting and nobody else seems prepared to complain. 🤷‍♀️

So we’ll enjoy the squirrel’s visits when he comes and hope he brings all his family and mates with him before long.🙏🏻🙏🏻

So pleased you enjoyed seeing him Cecily. 👍🏻 Take care. 🤗😘x

[Tykle in reply to Spotty-ewe]

There should be a complete ban on felling trees at certain times of year. I know the National Trust contractors have to check for red squirrel dreys before they undertake any felling work but you need a contractor who cares! You are so lucky to have red squirrels near you. There are only greys around here. Thank you for sharing your lovely photographs!

[Spotty-ewe in reply to Tykle]

Hi Tykle,

Yes according to the Scottish Natural Heritage felling should not occur during the breeding season. But the Wildlife Crimes Officer said the contractor told him he’d done a survey of the woods before felling and there were no squirrels red or grey and the only active badger sett they took into account and altered their felling. Really? I’m surprised SNH didn’t do something about it when my local councillor contacted them, but I’m afraid it is a case of big business talks. Neither SNH nor the WCOfficer bothered to come out and see for themselves. When nobody else in the village seemed interested enough to join me in complaining and the WCOfficer had the same surname as the contractor, we realised we were 2 lonely voices in the wilderness. Very sad.

On a more positive note, I’m glad you enjoyed seeing our wee visitor. He didn’t come yesterday so I hope he comes again today. 🤞

Take care. 🤗😘

[Haubrey1]

😍 Red squirrels are just so cute! I love their funky ear tufts. Thanks for sharing the joy of your encounter with us ❤️

[Spotty-ewe in reply to Haubrey1]

So pleased you enjoyed seeing them Haubrey. Yes their tufted ears are so cute and distinctive aren’t they. Like so much wild life they bring joy to our lives. Take care. 🤗😘

[svfarmer]

What fab photos you’ve taken - we have lots of squirrels 🐿 in our garden and Bea just loves chasing them but they are far too quick for her - in our garden we have a very old log stall where the foxes 🦊 are living in their home underground- we only realised couple of years ago when it had snowed so we saw their little paw prints in the snow - we had no idea they were living there - they come out quite often in the day - when we are outside - we saw 2 of them this week - looked like mum and pup as the pup was quite a bit smaller than the mum XX

[Spotty-ewe in reply to svfarmer]

Aww, that is lovely to have the foxes living under your old log store. They must be getting used to you when they are coming out during the day especially with a youngster. 👍🏻👍🏻You must take some photos to show us.

Take care Farmer. 🤗😘x

[svfarmer]

Meant to say when we are inside not outside 😂

[Spotty-ewe in reply to svfarmer]

Haha. I did wonder how you’d got them so tame. 🤗😘

[svfarmer in reply to Spotty-ewe]

😂😂

[Barbara17]

How lovely! We only have greys here in Midlothian. However I do see bats flying over the garden on summer nights just at dusk. Can’t possibly get a photo as they are so fast but I do love to see them.

[Spotty-ewe in reply to Barbara17]

Greys are moving into this area too sadly. So we must enjoy the reds for as long as we can.🤞🤞

The bats are lovely to see too. But yes, you’d have to be Batman to get a photo of them! 😂😂 Lovely to hear from you Barbara. 🤗😘

[Horsewhisper]

What gorgeous pics Spotty! And great that you had your camera handy to snap these lovely shots. I am sure Tufty will be back and maybe he/she will have worked out how to get the nuts out! Super post to wake up to, thanks so much! 🐿 😍xx

[Spotty-ewe in reply to Horsewhisper]

Glad you enjoyed them Horsewhisper. Hubby ran for the video camera while I took a few shots with the camera, but the video with the brilliant zoom lense took the best pics so these are stills from it. We needn’t have rushed because on the first day he was here for about half an hour. We think he was very hungry because his nearby natural habitat has been felled, and the remaining woodland is no doubt the territory of other squirrels including some greys. Hopefully Tufty will return although the neighbours have put nuts out for him now too and as they are nearer to the woodland than us he might fill up at their place and not come as far as us again. ☹️ We hope he does though.🤞🤞

Glad you enjoyed the post. Hope you are keeping okay. Take care. 🤗😘x

[Horsewhisper in reply to Spotty-ewe]

Thanks Spotty - keeping well and trying to gradually increase daily exercise to help with general fitness and well being. It’s also helping me sleep better. Managed to get back on my horse for 20 mins last week after a 3 month absence from the saddle as I can now tolerate a riding helmet, but I did feel quite dizzy afterwards. So just need to take things slowly. I’ve got a birdie pic that I’ll post this afternoon for you all. Also I read your post i. the nerve conduction test so I’ll reply to that too. Hope you are ok too and looking forward to seeing more Tufty pics if he comes back for a visit 🐿 🥜😍xx

[Spotty-ewe in reply to Horsewhisper]

So pleased to hear you are keeping okay and have managed to get back on your horse for a short while. 👍🏻👍🏻 I hope the dizziness eases off as you get back into it 🙏🏻🙏🏻, but taking it slowly is the key. I look forward to seeing your birdie picture and will look to see if you’ve posted it yet once I finish this.

I hope your weather allows you to continue to increase your exercise. We try to walk each evening after dinner through the nearby woodland which is still beuatiful despite the felled areas.

Take care. 🤗😘💝🐿🐿

[stiff19]

Such a lovely sight, I’m grateful for the greys in the garden but how lovely to see a red 😍

Love the name tufty from horsewhisperer 👍

I hope he returns and love the pics, come on you reds 😂😂😂😂

😘🤗x

[Spotty-ewe in reply to stiff19]

Thanks Stiff. We had to laugh when Tufty was baffled by the squirrel feeder - not as intelligent as the crafty greys! 😂 We haven’t noticed him back as yet but it might be because the neighbours have both put out nuts for him now so why would he risk coming here where a cat prowls regularly? We hope he’ll come back soon,🤞 but if it means he’ll be safer by not coming we’ll accept that. It was lovely seeing him for those 3 days and we’ve footage to enjoy from those visits.

Do your squirrels steal your chooks’ feed? I hope not but I know how cheeky they can be.😉

Hoping you are keeping okay today Stiff.🙏🏻🙏🏻 Take care. 🤗😘💝

[stiff19 in reply to Spotty-ewe]

I’m sure they’ll be back, it all looks so inviting 👍

No the squirrels don’t chore the chicken feed luckily but I do feed them from their own feeder so may be why. Though one of the youngsters is so brazen I left my coffee and half eaten toast on the table when I was cleaning the chooks and he stole my toast right in front of me without batting an eye lid. The adults are water the youngsters just are not shy at all, they come within 3 feet of you and look straight at you😂 but I suppose they are soooo quick they’re not worried. It’s nice the chooks and them share the same place no squabbles, they startle the chooks sometimes running overhead or up and down tree trunks 100 mph but once they see it’s just the squirrels they’re ok. Thankfully the cats that visitEd though unwelcome guests have kept their distance nowadays. Leia is one big bluebell bigger than the cat and my goodness just she lay eggs. For three days she’s laid two eggs in a day, granted the second egg small but the first of the day are huge yesterday 74g today 76g 😂 in three days she’s laid three double yolker so Leia seems a fitting name (layer) she really is a Star Wars chicken from the other side 😂😂

So Tsuki is yet to lay but don’t think it will be too long and no rush with 3 or 4 eggs a day 😂

Great pics spotty let’s hope there will be more soon when they return 🤞👍😁😘🤗🐿x

[Spotty-ewe in reply to stiff19]

That is lovely having the trust of the squirrels as you obviously do. It did get like that for us years ago with the 4 or 5 individual reds that visited each day. I could peg out washing or walk quite near to them without them turning a hair. But we are back to square one after all this time and will somehow have to make it easier for the squirrel to get into his own feeder until he then learns how to do it for himself. We propped it open with a couple of peanuts in their shells but the woodpecker pinched them!

My goodness Leia is definitely well named. And what whoppers she is laying. Wish I lived near you, I’d be buying the excess from you. Nothing like a real free range fresh egg. Mmm.

I hope you are right about Tufty returning. We miss him already.

Take care Stiff and good to hear about your squirrels and chooks.

🤗😘💝🐿🐿🐓🐓xx

[stiff19 in reply to Spotty-ewe]

But isn’t it great to have the chance to do it all again 👍🙌🏻🐿

Great to have the woodpecker too 😍

Yes we share the same space so it’s lovely they know they will come to no harm from us. To be honest I think they like the cats keeping their distance too as they used to get chased a fair bit.

Yes I wish you lived near too , I could pass them over The fence 😂😂 (you said near 😂), I gave our neighbour half a dozen in the week, and will be taking some to my dad at the weekend

Ahh I’m sure tufty will be back 🙏 🐿

I was hoping my newts would be back but I’ve not seen them 😢

You take care too spotty best wishes

😘🤗🐔🥚🐿👍xx.

[Spotty-ewe in reply to stiff19]

I hope we do get that chance again if Tufty and his mates start coming again regularly. 🤞🤞 Cats can be a real threat to squirrels especially reds which are a little smaller than greys, because the last red I saw before Tufty tuned up was hanging out of the mouth of a cat, and the owner admitted he’d found a squirrel’s tail outside his back door when I saw him several days later. Horrible.

Your lucky neighbour! Let me know if they decide to sell up!😂😂

Take care lovely Stiff. 🤗😘🐓🐿🧁🍰

[stiff19 in reply to Spotty-ewe]

😂😂 🐿😘🤗

[Krazykat26]

Lovely pics Spotty 🤗 thank u for sharing a very rare sight indeed 🐿️ only Grey's here too but squirrels in general make me smile!! 😁

We've planted some hazel in our native hedge that we're replacing n we've started to get hazelnuts but we've only had a chance to have one nut each so far!!

I love the way that your feeders r up on that post..very creative!!

Take care 🌈😽😽 xx

[Spotty-ewe in reply to Krazykat26]

Hi Kat, Lovely to hear from you and glad you enjoyed seeing our beautiful visitor. 👍🏻 All squirrels are lovely though aren’t they. 😍 Your hazel sounds like our cherries and fruit bushes - we are lucky to get a taste of them!😂 Only it is the birds in our case that feast on them. 🤦‍♀️

I had the idea of the fence post for the hanging feeders because the metal ones you can get are too flimsy and don’t last long we’ve found. Also the squirrel can climb up the post easily and the woodpeckers like to hang on to it sometimes too. I thought the ball to go on top added a bit of interest and protects the top of the post too. The brackets I bought in the pound shop are probably a bit flimsy for hanging baskets but ideal for the feeders. Hubby put it all together for me and it has been up for many years now.👍🏻

I hope all is well with you Kat. Long time no hear! Take care doll. 🤗😘💝

[Galwaygirl55]

Thanks for sharing the photos, they are fab, made us smile. 😃😃

[Spotty-ewe in reply to Galwaygirl55]

I’m so pleased you enjoyed them. 👍🏻👍🏻