Red squirrel story :) and a thank you

Stomperone · #1 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 11:24 PM

Recently My wife and I went to the Isle of wight on holiday..
One of my main aims while there was to take some pictures of red squirrels..

I loaded up my 150-550mm lens as I was informed red squirrels are very shy so I thought If I kept a distance It might help.

To cut a long story short I got lost and a nice guy called chuck helped me out and pointed me to a lane across the road from where I was and also informed me of a hide where I would more than likely see one or two red squirrels ..

He was not wrong Once in the hide there were squirrles all over the place

mainly in the hide

so I had to pack away the big lens and use a small lens.. And as you will see from the pictures I managed to hand feed them. One cheeky guy got bored waiting for me so dived into my bag and began stealing the food.. Some of the pictures are posted below for your pleasure

This was at Alverston Mead near Sandown .. I recommend that if you want to see red squirrels this is the place to visit.. I would like to thank the Wardens wife for her help and advice and also chuck as without him I would not have found it.

Also if anyone knows chuck please could you ask him to contact me ..

Thank you.

Hedera · #2 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 11:33 PM

Weren't you just lucky! Lovely pictures and something you'll not forget.

KeenTeen17 · #3 (**permalink**) 03-07-2009, 11:35 PM

Very nice photos. Sightings of these cute little guys are getting rarer by the day. They have all but disappeared from their strongholds at Formby

vole-woman · #4 (**permalink**) 04-07-2009, 10:44 AM

Love that one on the folder!

I thought the numbers at Formby were reduced because of the pox, but they were over that and there was still a colony?

vole-woman · #5 (**permalink**) 04-07-2009, 10:51 AM

Experts say there may only be 100 red squirrels in Formby and Ainsdale pinewoods - Southport Visiter

This is the latest info I can find. Dreadful, but not completely hopeless.

pressld2 · #6 (**permalink**) 04-07-2009, 10:58 AM

Lovely story and pics Stomperone! I was on the Isle of Wight for a week last year but sadly only saw one red squirrel and that was while driving so only a fleeting glimpse and no photo.

I saw one at Morpeth in Northumberland earlier this year but nothing like as confident as yours were.

Thanks for posting!

Dave P.

Fieldfare95 · #7 (**permalink**) 07-07-2009, 04:04 PM

Great pics

Unfortunately, I have never seen one.

christina · #8 (**permalink**) 07-07-2009, 05:24 PM

Beautiful shots of the squirrels.

Squirrelx · #9 (**permalink**) 09-07-2009, 10:41 AM

What wonderful pictures. Thank you so much for sharing them. My OH is off to the Isle of Wight shortly with Scouts (summer camp). Last year, while camping at Wareham, they visited Brownsea Island. OH came back with not one pic of a red squirrel (in fact, no wildlife photos at all - unless you count 30-40 Scouts/Explorers). I shall tell him most unpleasant things will happen to him if he does not manage to capture at least one on camera this year!