Northern Englands Remaining Red Squirrels
A red squirrel in the south of Northumberland near the County Durham border
The weather lately has been pretty uninspiring as a photographer. Grey skies, flat light and persistent rain don’t exactly fuel the motivation to head out with a camera. Still, with a free morning on Sunday and a welcome spell of dry, calm weather, I decided to try my luck in search of one of England’s most special woodland residents, the red squirrel.
Derwent Reservoir is a popular spot for seeing red squirrels
About a year ago a friend introduced me to a reliable spot for seeing them in the North East. On that visit the wind had been relentless and I left empty handed. Red squirrels tend to be less active in blustery conditions. This time with the air still and quiet I felt more optimistic.
I settled into position and waited.
Half an hour passed, occupied by robins flitting between branches, blue tits chattering overhead and a lone pheasant strutting cautiously at the woodland edge. Then came the sound I had been hoping for, a faint rustling high in the trees. A flash of russet fur followed and suddenly there it was, one of England’s endangered natives moving lightly through the canopy.
Cautious at first, it descended onto a cluster of old tree stumps before making its way along the ground towards a fallen trunk. It paused there, sitting peacefully, its tufted ears alert and eyes constantly scanning. Watching one in the flesh always feels like something special, a reminder that in much of England they now survive only in fragmented strongholds like parts of Northumberland and Cumbria.
After a few minutes its confidence seemed to grow. It became more inquisitive, exploring the clearing, stopping to sniff the bark and dig lightly among the leaf litter. For five minutes or so I was able to observe and photograph it before it slipped quietly back into the deeper woodland. I assumed that would be the last I’d see of it.
But wildlife has a habit of rewarding patience. A short while later it reappeared at the edge of the clearing, offering another brief window for photographs before the light began to fade and dark rain clouds rolled back in.
