Saturday, 24 October 2020

Stocking up for winter

I was feeding coal tits in the woods when I heard a rustling in the branches and a small face peered out.  Realising that there was free food on offer, the squirrel came to join in.


Here it is doing a Tarzan impression.

This squirrel has notably dark colouring and is growing its ear tufts for the winter.





After a few minutes the squirrel decided it wanted to play a few rounds of a game known locally as "You give me two hazelnuts and I'll run and hide them".




When I offered two nuts it picked them up and searched my hand to see if there were more, but in the last clip it was interesting that when I offered three it took two, realised it couldn't carry three, and ran off with just two anyway.

This was a mesmerising encounter (for me) and I didn't film every round of the game.  At one point I went back to the car for more hazelnuts and the squirrel was waiting when I returned.  I hope it can remember where it put them all.

3 comments:

  1. Enchanting Chris so good to have your hard work rewarded! This year there have been 3 red sightings in Wylam so I’m hoping to one day to once again enjoy their antics in Wylam Wood. Reminded me of feeding chipmunks in Canada they deal with 3 peanuts by popping one in each cheek and one in their mouth. Something for their UK cousins to learn?

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  2. Oh wow - pretty mesmerising for me too! I do hope the reds in Wylam re-populate your woods, Liz!

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  3. Enchanting Chris so good to have your hard work rewarded! This year there have been 3 red sightings in Wylam so I’m hoping to one day to once again enjoy their antics in Wylam Wood. Reminded me of feeding chipmunks in Canada they deal with 3 peanuts by popping one in each cheek and one in their mouth. Something for their UK cousins to learn?

    ReplyDelete