On Sunday, making our way out to do the weekly shop, I noticed what I thought was a large ruddy-red coloured bird at the bottom of our garden, using one of the nut-feeders put out there. We were some distance away, but on closer inspection we noticed what we thought was a large and fluffy tail. Upon working out what the little creature was, the squeals could be heard 3 counties over. Indeed, our garden and the surrounding woodland has become home to a red squirrel.


[photo from Kellingheath.co.uk]

It might not seem like the most surprising bit of news, or the most interesting for that matter, but we are very lucky to play host to red squirrels. In England, and the whole of the UK for that matter, red squirrels are very rare. They have two adversaries, the evil grey squirrels (they are but rats with pretty tails), and a virulent disease called the squirrel pox. The county in which I live, Northumberland, and Scotland that we border are the last red squirrel strongholds in the UK (apart from a lovely place near Liverpool, a sanctuary and protected habitat). Only this afternoon, I was in the kitchen, after having cleaned the fridge thoroughly, making myself a cup of tea, when I noticed a flash of russet-red dart from fence to hawthorn bush. I didn't need to strain my eyes to see what it was, as he made his way down onto the peanut feeder and ran very speedily to the fence again with something between his little paws. I can only presume he was going off to eat or bury his food.

Whilst paying great attention to the squirrel I realised that we've also got many more types of birds than we had a while ago. Two additions to the list are the long-tailed tits and the yellowhammer whose song is very easy to remember and sound thus: 'a-little-bit-of-bread-and-no-cheeeeese'. The yellowhammer is similarly rare, and is on the RSPB's red list, defining it as a globally threatened species. How very sad.

Finding such an array of birds, amphibians, mammals, molluscs, rodents, fungi and insects in the garden means that there is never a dull moment. From the tweeting of birds at around 6-ish in the morning, to the hooting of the owl in the dead of night, there is never silence, but always activity. I suppose this is why I love animals and the natural world so much. It never bores me but constantly fills me with a never-ending wonderment, I see nature as the most amazing thing, and we must do our utmost to protect this delicate, fragile ecosystem of ours before it's too late.