Baby squirrel question

[desertgecko]

Hi, I have just come back from a walk in the Cuckoo trail near to where I live to take pictures of birds and squirrels. I was sitting quietly on a log where a tiny animal ran across the path no more then 2 meters from me and ran up the bank. Now, at first I thought it was a mouse of some kind but after catching a few more glimpses I'm sure it was a squirrel. Unfortunately I didn't manage to get a pic. But it was tiny, mouse sized. Reddish brown (it blended in with the fallen leaves) and had a bushy tail. It also made so much noise rummaging in the leaves!

Please forgive my ignorance but I've never seen a baby squirrel before Are grey squirrel babies around at this time of year? And are they reddish brown colour, turning grey later?

[Dogghound]

Was it a dormouse? it so you were very lucky. Most will be hibernating now or getting ready to hibernate. Baby squirrels wont be around now and arnt red/brown unless they are a red squirrel which is highly unlikely in your location.

[desertgecko]

Thanks for the reply. I realise it couldnt be a red squirrel, although there were plenty around here when I was growing up! But thats going back 20 years. My first impression was that it was a mouse, due to its size. It ran on all fours but it did sit up like a squirrel does when it has food. Following the link you gave me, it was doormouse colour, but it says they are nocturnal and what I saw was quite happy foraging about in broad daylight. It only disappeared as some dog walkers came by. I sat for ages after, but I didn't see it again.

Hopefully tomorrow I can go back there if the weather is like today. I really want a picture of it now!!

[desertgecko]

Hehe it links words for you, thought you gave me a link lol

[Dogghound]

Was the size about rite for a dormouse? They like ancient woodland with plenty of hazel and beech etc. At this time of year as they stock up for the colder months they are often seen by day, however they are usually hibernating by now. There are few other things it could have been, what about a weasel? these are larger than dormice and more often encounterd like this and much more common.

[cutecoot]

Might it have been a weasel? They are small, sort of stretched mouse sized, reddish, but not really with a bushy tail?

Jan

[cutecoot]

Oops - missed that you had already suggested that, Dogghound Anyway, not sure that a weasel would sit upright like a squirrel though ..

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by cutecoot

Oops - missed that you had already suggested that, Dogghound Anyway, not sure that a weasel would sit upright like a squirrel though ..

Yes it would they often do this, im starting to think that weasel is definately what it was, id forget dormouse they will be well into hibernation by now.

[cutecoot]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Yes it would they often do this ..

Oh, do they? Hadn't realised. The only time I've seen a weasel was when my cat was up in a big conifer tree I had in my last garden, and the cat was chasing one around the branches - kept seeing this long red thing hanging of the end of the 'leaves' (what are conifer leaves called?!!) (Hopefully the cat didn't actually catch the weasel in the end, doubt it as they seem to be pretty lithe things, then again so are cats!)

[desertgecko]

Thank you for the replies. After googling for weasels, it may well have been. It certainly fits the profile with the long, slender body. The colour is about right too. It had a tail, and although I had the impression it was bushy it may not have been. It was quite camoflaged in the folage to get a decent look and it was rather quick.

I can't wait to go back there now, although the chances of seeing it again are small. I had no idea we had weasels down this way. I certainly didn't think they were that small. My mission is to get a picture now!!