Tuesday 29 March 2011

Squirrels in sports cars

As readers know, I'm something of a squirrel fan - both the live, fluffy tailed squirrel and the squirrel pie squirrel. And this sign rather tickled me and conjured up images of the fluffy-tailed darlings zipping about in little racing cars - not sure why!

On a serious note, the effort to save England's red squirrels from extinction is one of my favourite conservation stories - the Northumberland Wildlife Trust (along with other Northern Wildlife Trust) runs "Save Our Squirrels". Loads of super pictures and information on their website - and you too can support them!

Meantime here's a (evil grey) squirrel in a sports car:

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

How coincidental, I just sent an email describing an encounter with squirrels in the park the other day and then hit upon this page on your blogsite.

I was walking in the park taking photographs, it's the signs say not to feed the squirrels as it makes them aggressive and I never understood why, until yesterday when I learned the reason.

The camera batteries needed changed and I carry recharged spares in a plastic bag in my jacket pocket. When I returned the spent batteries into the bag and into my pocket, at that point an entire gathering of 6 to 8 squirrels had already surrounded me, chirping and begging for food, to which I responded I had none and to go away, but in a gentle tone of voice.

Well for one squirrel such a denial of food wasn't enough to settle the issue and in an instant, there was a squirrel up my pant legs and hanging from my waist, reaching his little hand into my jacket side pocket, reaching for the plastic bag, thinking he'd find some food.

No panic on my part, I knew now to touch him or he'd bite, but told him no, no food, now go away, which he jumped back down and chattered with the rest of them.

But I now understand the signs prohibiting feeding of the squirrels and why they were placed there.