A recent trip to Northumberland provided perfect red squirrel spotting opportunities, especially since there was a very busy peanut feeder on a tree behind the cottage where I stayed. From the North of Northumberland and into Scotland they're the predominant species, but much further South than that there are just a few small pockets where you might expect to see them (for example: in Wales; near Liverpool; on the Isle of Wight; in East Anglia). The Forestry Commission has a good map of the UK distribution (albeit from 10 years ago).
The squirrel in this particular picture is demonstrating how its colourful coat is a positive boon for hiding amidst autumn leaf fall.
Thanks for this blog post!
I like the red squirrel so much more than the big grey ones (that you see here in London exclusively…unfortunately), so it’s good to hear that there actually are any red ones left in the rest of the UK 🙂
However, so far I haven’t been lucky enough to spot any. Will keep my eyes open when traveling in the Northern Northumberland area next time.