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Thursday, December 22, 2011

My Little Red Squirrel

The pictures you see here were taken by me about three years ago. I enhanced them a little bit last night to bring the color out a little bit. When I was writing yesterday's post about the fox squirrel in one of my backyard trees, I began thinking of this little red squirrel that I encountered a few times in 2008.

The pictures were so similar to each other, so I began wondering what ever became of this little red squirrel. I know I'll never find out, but I hope it is still alive and healthy. the odds of that aren't great, but I still hope.

This was the first red squirrel I ever saw. It looked so different from any other squirrel I ever encountered that I wondered if it was even a tree squirrel at all. I was still kind of new to many things in nature, so I wondered if this squirrel might be some kind of chipmunk.

This squirrel seemed so much more feisty than even other supposed normal squirrels. It ran up and scolded me as I walked towards it, and then it ran away to hide in this small pine tree. It stayed there hoping I wouldn't find it in there, but after a bit of a search I found its hiding place.

I dedicated three posts to this one little incident. I even made a game of finding this little guy in the tree. Many of you might remember it. The beautiful thing about taking all of these nature pictures is that we can go back and look at them over and over as much as we want. This is such a good memory for me.

My little red squirrel, wherever you are, I hope you are well.


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14 comments:

  1. Icy BCDecember 22, 2011 at 5:35 AM

    Oh now you got my curiosity running! I have to look and find a red squirrel around here.

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  2. LinDecember 22, 2011 at 6:57 AM

    Well, maybe your squirrel friend has little baby squirrels out there carrying on his cuteness. I sure hope so. :)

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  3. Carole BarkettDecember 22, 2011 at 12:32 PM

    Oh those little red squirrels drove me nutty for a few years when one nested in the attic of the cabin next door to us. Up at first light, it seemed everything upsets them and they chatter non-stop. They chase the birds from the feeders, ate anything I grew in the garden and are such a noisy pain.

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  4. AnnDecember 22, 2011 at 5:14 PM

    I remember the find the squirrel picture. I haven't seen my squirrels here in quite some time. I guess they moved on

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  5. john bainDecember 22, 2011 at 6:06 PM

    We have areas where there are red squirrels, but sadly not near me.
    Happy Christmas Ratty, and I hope the coming year is a happier one for you.

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  6. GinnymoDecember 22, 2011 at 8:56 PM

    I really miss the red squirrels. They used to be around here but now I haven't seen one in about three years. They were so cute. I even got to see baby ones with their mom.
    Merry Christmas Ratty!

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  7. Rick (Ratty)December 22, 2011 at 10:04 PM

    @Icy BC
    You might find one. They're feisty little guys. Look in pine trees for them.
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    @Lin
    I hope so too. It would be nice to go back there one day and find the squirrel or it's little descendants.
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    @Country Mouse Studio
    That sounds exactly like them. They can be mean little jerks at times, but they're amazingly funny for someone who is just visiting them.
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    @Ann
    I need to do another one of those games again one of these days. It's been a long time. I hope that maybe some new squirrels will move near you.
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    @Don't unplug your hub
    The poor little red squirrels in your part of the world diminished so fast after the gray squirrels moved in. I hope that they can one day make a comeback.
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    @Ginnymo
    Maybe some new ones will move back in near you. I know you would get excellent pictures of them.

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  8. jeanlivingsimpleDecember 22, 2011 at 11:30 PM

    No hope for Red Squirrels here in Georgia. Guess I will have to enjoy seeing them here.
    Happy Holiday Ratty!!!

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  9. AnonymousDecember 22, 2011 at 11:41 PM

    That is a cute little fellow. I enjoy seeing the little pine squirrels we have around here. Yesterday I had fun looking at all of the tracks they left in the little bit of snow that fell during the night.

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  10. Rick (Ratty)December 23, 2011 at 4:19 PM

    @Jean
    I'm not sure how many new posts I'll ever have that feature red squirrels, but I have plenty of old ones with some very excellent stories and pictures.
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    @montucky
    They are such amusing little creatures. They're just so feisty. I could watch them all day long.

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  11. SharkbytesDecember 23, 2011 at 5:44 PM

    I love the red squirrels, but they are such naughty little things!

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  12. Rick (Ratty)December 23, 2011 at 11:12 PM

    @Sharkbytes
    I've seen their aggressive badness in action, but it's so funny to watch.

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  13. allotments4youDecember 29, 2011 at 12:55 PM

    We hardly ever see red squirrels now in the UK since we have become over run with grey squirrels. Many people hate the way the grey squirrels have driven out the red squirrels and will 'shoo' them away...but I never do this as although I miss my friends the red squirrels I know that the grey squirrels are not at fault for surviving and I wish people would remember this and be a little nicer too....every living thing deserves a chance!!

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  14. Rick (Ratty)December 29, 2011 at 9:34 PM

    @allotments4you
    I always feel so bad for your poor little red squirrels. That's what happens sometimes when someone introduces a new animal into a place they were never intended to be.

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