Identities

On a bright early November day, physocarpus caught the light, a brilliant splash of colour in a landscape that grows greyer by the day, since the two brief snow falls.

Different sorts of images to see.

But meanwhile…

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“What’s the meaning of life, Lil’ Red?”

“Haven’t a clue, Mr Sparrow. Philosophy was Grandma Red’s thing. I jus’ eat nuts.”

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None of Little Red’s descendants climb into the bird feeder as she did. We loved seeing her swinging back and forth in the hanging tray and we’ve missed her sweet face. She was identifiable by her tail that had a distinct fork. The above tail also has a unique design.

Two red squirrels live in or under the hedge in front of the kitchen window, expending a lot of energy chasing each other about, alternately diving down the chipmunk/groundhog hole.

Skunks, rabbits and possums also use that burrow, though we’ve not seen a rabbit for ages.

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Possum sightings have been quite rare too although recently we’ve seen a couple after dark.

We always wonder if they are grandkids of dear old Mrs Plod. It doesn’t do to name wild animals. You find yourself watching out for them and worrying when they don’t appear.

And mostly, they have short lives which doesn’t stop us…

The groundhog burrow under the kitchen window hedge is extensive as revealed by this year’s excavations!

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While the little reds are very cute and entertaining, I am also very fond of the greys.

My friend Tim calls them rodents. I think they are lovely.

This year’s group are collectively The Browns.

They all have brown faces and trimmings.

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They are identifiable individually, but rush about so fast, it’s hard to pin them down.

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This one is brown with grey sides.

Pale eyebrows and white toes here.

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Now which one are you?

Their tails are different too. When the weather is wet and they get bedraggled, there is no telling who is who.

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Brown face and gloves. White ear tufts. Tail with – a twist?

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The other day I came upon a very unique individual…

“You like my colour scheme?”

“How about now?”

“Make sure you catch my tail.”

“And my posh gloves!”

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When you pay attention, you realise just how many there are….

“See my posh white bracelets!”

“And my striped arms!”

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Our grey squirrel populations always vanish en masse. One day they are here demanding nuts, then suddenly – not a single squirrel in sight.

If one disappeared, you’d think perhaps a fox got it, but when it’s half a dozen, at once?

Each year we’ve seen another group come and go as if they migrate, but they never reappear.

Where do you go my friends?

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