WINTER COATS AND LONG EAR TUFTS.

The red squirrels feel at home here in our Underscar timeshare gardens, as we provide hazelnuts in our feeders. When they move around the gardens they watch us, they observe us, and they accept us.

The best time for photographing red squirrels is during the winter months when their winter coats and characteristic long ear tufts have developed.

           This photo was taken on November 20th 2018 as you enter the woodland walk.

This red squirrel had spotted the basket filled with nuts ready for filling up feeders.

                     It took a couple of seconds to choose a good weighted hazelnut.

            Another nut was well chosen but unfortunately this time dropped.

Late summer can also be a good time to photograph the red squirrel, and although they won't have their winter coats and long ear tufts, the Underscar timeshare gardens can make for a great back-drop to set off their reddish-brown fur.

                              This photo was taken on Derwent patio in August.

           This female chooses sunflower seeds for breakfast from the bottom log crevice.

               The male visiting cannot decide between sunflower seeds or hazelnuts.

       
He is still making up his mind. The sunflower seeds are a nutritious snack. They also have anti-inflammatory properties.

 A different female who visits is very timid and is always looking to see if anyone is walking past on the pathway below.


Red squirrels may have their problems choosing food but sometimes choices are made for them in their environment. Look what happened to the wood behind the Underscar car parks in August of this year.

This photo was taken by Claire Timmons.Thank-you Claire for letting me share it on my blog.

The hillside was harvested over several weeks by Euroforest. Locals told me that 30 years ago the hillside didn't have any trees on it at all.

The wood successfully harvested and on its way for house building and biomass burners. A few spindly trees are left on the hillside so that predators can perch. This will help to keep in check any mice which are in the thatch.

The harvester completes its job just leaving a line of deciduous trees marking the road boundary. The prey perches are left at random intervals.


In the early summer months of May, June and July before the wood had been harvested I had set up a feeding station in this area.The greatest part of a red squirrel's life is spent frantically searching for food.They cannot endure for long periods without a meal as they burn energy so quickly.

This male was quickly on the scene and searching for cob nuts I had placed behind the 
trunk.

              This female next on the scene chose a hazelnut from behind the trunk.

The male was the first to investigate the wooden box I hung on the tree by the fallen trunk. Red Squirrels are opportunists. I had tempted them with sunflower hearts, cob nuts and hazelnuts inside this box. They couldn't resist! Always and always their antics are so exciting to watch.

The female seemed keen to investigate this box from the bottom. Some dreys have an opening at the bottom. Was she wondering if this could be a summer resting drey?

              The male was back many times always going in through the top opening.

He always went out through the front opening.

                                        Patiently waiting to go into the feeder box.

The female waits her turn to go in and choose from the menu in the box.This tree still remains opposite the first small carpark but the rest of the wood behind has disappeared.


After following the Underscar reds this year I realise what adaptable creatures they are -
 still enjoying the local environment around Underscar. In fact we are seeing more of them inside the timeshare gardens.

Just behind the Underscar Manor kitchen garden runs a wall.The reds run on this to the feeders.

                                            He knows exactly where the feeder is.

                            He is pleased the feeder is plentifully stocked with hazelnuts.


I would like to thank everyone who purchases the cards at reception.We are able to provide supplementary feeding for our Underscar red squirrels throughout the year. Thanks to Helen, Jess and Ffion who as well as selling the cards have knowledge of our reds. Also thanks to Richard, Shaun, Mike and Kim who maintain the feeders.

        Looking across from Lingholm to Underscar - a perfect location for our red squirrels.