TUFTY & TUFTLESS

Tufty, the red squirrel, was back in the bright sunshine in the Firs Chase garden feeder on Monday 2nd. It stayed around for about 15 minutes feeding on hazelnuts and peanuts. The rich orange-brown fur seemed in very good condition and this regular visitor with the very long ear tufts has been seen here before.

Several times the squirrel would climb down the tree to take another nut from the feeder, before climbing back up to eat it on the big limb above.

Tufty had been enjoying the nuts all to himself for quite a while until a second red squirrel suddenly appeared from above and then a chase up and around the trunk ensued. After a minute or so, Tufty retreated having had his fill and he disappeared up and away.

With Tufty gone, "Tuftless" took over at the feeder, doing the same procedure of collecting a nut and taking it to eat on the limb above. Both squirrels were quite noisy eaters as they chewed their way into the hazel-nuts with a loud scratching sound.

The photos of the two squirrels provide a good opportunity to spot the differences in colouring and markings. This tuftless individual has a slightly duller head with darker ears, while the end of the snout seems less pale in this squirrel.

The squirrel coat on Tuftless seems much darker in the bright sunshine as it climbs down the trunk.
When it had finished eating one of the hazel nuts, it then groomed the long tail, passing most of it's length through its mouth like it was brushing it! Looks like both squirrels have been looking after themselves well!

The photos were the best of seventy images taken through an open window at the end of the house - fortunately the sun was shining on the whole trunk when the squirrels visited around noon on Monday.