Seeing Red

Earlier this week I had excellent views of Red Deer at Leighton Moss. I finished the week with a trip to North Yorkshire to look for Red Squirrels in one of the 16 areas in Northern England that have been designated as areas where Red Squirrels have the best chance of long term survival. This area is in conifer woods in Widdale and requires a long walk up an isolated valley to reach a viewing area which has been provided by local landowners in conjunction with various local authorities.
It was a lovely sunny afternoon when I arrived at the location deep in the forest and I quickly glimpsed a couple of squirrels scampering up the trees. I took some nuts to tempt the squirrels out of hiding and eventually a couple came down to feed and return back to the forest with the food. Whilst on the ground the red squirrels allowed me to approach within a few yards and I was able to obtain some excellent close ups of these endearing animals. I stayed a while but midges were troublesome . I therefore beat a retreat to avoid further bites and trekked  through the lovely woodlands and back down the valley to civilisation and the waiting car.
It had been an eventful afternoon in this remote and beautiful part of North Yorkshire. I look forward to a return visit,  to see again these wonderful little animals as they go about their lives, remote from their grey cousins which have devastated so many of our native populations of red squirrels. I hope my readers  enjoy the images of the squirrels as much as I did in taking them.