Tag: Squirrel

Favorite Photos: October 2024

  1. Favorite Photos: January 2023
  2. Favorite Photos: February 2023
  3. Favorite Photos: March 2023
  4. Favorite Photos: April 2023
  5. Favorite Photos: May 2023
  6. Favorite Photos: June 2023
  7. Favorite Photos: July 2023
  8. Favorite Photos: August 2023
  9. Paris Is Always A Good Idea
  10. Favorite Photos: October 2023
  11. Favorite Photos: November 2023
  12. Favorite Photos: December 2023
  13. Favorite Photos: January 2024
  14. Favorite Photos: February 2024
  15. Favorite Photos: March 2024
  16. Favorite Photos: April 2024
  17. Favorite Photos: May 2024
  18. Favorite Photos: June 2024
  19. Favorite Photos: July 2024
  20. Favorite Photos: August 2024
  21. Favorite Photos: September 2024
  22. Favorite Photos: October 2024
  23. Favorite Photos: November 2024
Boxing Kangaroo Island Kangaroo Joeys

Boxing practice: two young kangaroos sparring at sunset. This is how they learn to fight: first with their mother and then with other young males. As they grow, sparring with other males helps them establish their position within the mob. With experience, the sparring sessions become longer and more intense.

Kangaroos use their sharp claws, strong back legs, and muscular tails —capable of supporting their entire body weight — to deliver powerful kicks that could disembowel a human.

However, these youngsters were only playing and started grooming each other shortly afterward.

This is one of my absolute favorite photos from 2024, but the year isn’t over yet, so we will see which one wins in the end.

🦘Kangaroo Island Kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus)

📍Kangaroo Island, South Australia

Grazing sheep silhouettes in the golden light

Sometimes, simple is best—just a few grazing sheep and the beauty of the rising sun. There’s something about that golden light that makes everything—sheep butts included—look fabulous!

We were on our way to Seal Bay for a 7am appointment with the research team when we came across these sheep grazing peacefully as the sun rose. Everything was bathed in gold; it was breathtaking.

Unfortunately, we were in a hurry and couldn’t afford to stop for too long. I literally jumped out of the car and quickly took a few photos, hoping some would be good enough 😅. 

📍Kangaroo Island, South Australia

Great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)

Did you know that woodpeckers store seeds, berries, and acorns  in the hollows of trees to prepare for the winter? In late autumn, these resourceful birds not only stash food for the colder months but also occasionally utilize these tree hollows as shelter for resting.

Great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)

📍Lidingö, Stockholm (Sweden)

Red squirrel with Halloween pumpkins
Red squirrel with Halloween pumpkins

Another hoarder 😉 squirrels are, of course, known for squirreling (pun intended) food to prepare for the cold season. They stopped a few moments between supply runs to pose for the 2024 Halloween cards, though.

Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)

📍Lidingö, Stockholm (Sweden)


All photos were taken with Canon EOS R5 and Canon RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM.


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Happy Halloween!

Squirrel with Halloween pumpkin

Trick or treat, bag of sweets, ghosts are walking down the street.

Happy Halloween!



Squirrel

  1. Things to Do in the Belly of the Whale
  2. From Blossoms
  3. Wild Geese
  4. The Peace of Wild Things
  5. My Gift to You
  6. Departing Spring
  7. The Skylark
  8. What a Strange Thing!
  9. Although The Wind …
  10. The Old Pond
  11. Spring Is Like A Perhaps Hand
  12. Hast thou 2 loaves of bread …
  13. Youth and Age
  14. A Postcard From the Volcano
  15. The Kraken
  16. He wishes for the Cloths of Heaven
  17. There Is a Solitude of Space
  18. Because I Could Not Stop for Death
  19. Mad Song
  20. Answer July
  21. Success Is Counted Sweetest
  22. Hope Is the Thing with Feathers
  23. The Bluebird
  24. A Vision of the End
  25. The Crying of Water
  26. A Rose Has Thorns As Well As Honey
  27. Winter
  28. The Dark Cavalier
  29. There is no Life or Death
  30. Sheep in Winter
  31. To a Snowflake
  32. Sextain
  33. A Crocodile
  34. Sea Fever
  35. The Giant Cactus of Arizona
  36. The Coming of Night
  37. Going to the Picnic
  38. Moon Tonight
  39. A Southern Night
  40. Greenness
  41. Twilight
  42. On the Wing
  43. In Summer
  44. Before Parting
  45. Sonnet
  46. The Red Wheelbarrow
  47. Acceptance
  48. At The Pool
  49. Incurable
  50. Bluebird and Cardinal
  51. [Say What You Will, And Scratch My Heart To Find]
  52. The River
  53. Vas Doloris
  54. Squirrel
  55. Ghosts
  56. The Spirit of Poetry
  57. Nightfall in the Tropics
  58. Journey of the Magi Scheduled for 23rd December 2024
  59. The City Lights Scheduled for 7th January 2025

Red squirrel climbing an oak tree in the winter
Swift and agile
Sleek and prehensile –
Skittering across bark
And as dexterously over brick –
Squirrel.
The arch survivor –
A thief in woodland
A bandit of suburbia,
Beautiful peanut pirate.
You skim the rigging of
Rotary washing lines
And old telephone wires:
Your sail-tail
A Spinnaker of balance –
A back garden acrobat.
Grey down of fur covers
The machine of sinew
Tendons tight
Like bowstrings
Wired to shoot across
Fence top,
Gate post, sign post,
Post box – post haste.
The highwayman of the high street,
Terror of the terraces
Ply your profession –
Livelihood in the manmade Landscape.
A narrow escape
With a clutch of grapes
Hijacked from garden vine
Jam-packed with sweet juice.
You make a getaway
Into ornamental spruce
Where you have your hideaway.

by Finn Farnsworth who came second in the People Need Nature competition set on the Young Poets’ Network.


To read more poems, click here.



Celebrating Squirrel Awareness Month

Red squirrel and Halloween pumpkins

Did you know that October is Squirrel Awareness Month?

It all started in 1995 when Greg Bassett, deeply moved by his encounter with a fox squirrel at the Grand Canyon, founded the Squirrel Lover’s Club and Squirrel Awareness Week. This initiative later expanded into Squirrel Awareness Month, a testament to the profound impact a single squirrel can have on a person.

Red squirrel and Halloween pumpkins
Red squirrel holding a strawberry

The creation of Squirrel Awareness Month helped highlight the critical role squirrels play in our environment. ‘Squirrel Awareness’ refers to the understanding and appreciation of the ecological importance of squirrels and the need to protect their habitats.

Red squirrel licking its paw

However, due to deforestation and urbanization, squirrel populations are declining in many areas. Squirrels, with their unique behavior of burying nuts, are key players in forest regeneration. Many of these buried nuts sprout into trees, contributing significantly to reforestation. This behavior underscores the vital role squirrels play in maintaining healthy ecosystems, a fact that we should all appreciate.

Red squirrel
Red squirrel

Interesting Facts About Squirrels

  • Red squirrels change their body fur twice every year, but their tail hair only changes once.
  • They can jump over 2 meters (6.5 feet), ten times their body length (without the tail). The long tail, measuring another 20 centimeters (8in), helps squirrels to balance and steer when jumping.
  • Squirrels live in a nest known as a drey. Dreys are located high up in trees, made from twigs, and lined with moss, leaves, and other soft materials.
  • They engage in deceptive caching. The squirrel digs a hole and fiercely plugs it up without using the nut to fend off any food thieves.
  • Squirrels like to gnaw on reindeer horns. The horns provide a good supplement of calcium, phosphorus, glucosamine, and chondroitin, with trace amounts of magnesium, potassium, zinc, and iron. 
  • Squirrels’ front teeth don’t stop growing. Like those of other rodents, squirrels’ front teeth continue to develop throughout their lives. Gnawing on animal horns (see above) helps squirrels grind down their teeth.
  • They zigzag to avoid predators. Squirrels flee in a zigzag fashion when they are threatened.
Red squirrel in the snow
Red squirrel in the snow

How to Celebrate Squirrel Awareness Month

  • Feed the little critters nuts, fruits, and vegetables. Squirrels love walnuts and hazelnuts (all kinds of nuts, really), so you can start with that. You can go to a park or set up a simple feeding station in your backyard. Fill feeders with a mix of nuts, seeds, and fresh fruits. You could also transform your garden into a squirrel-friendly sanctuary by setting up squirrel houses, planting nut-bearing trees, and creating safe spaces for them to hide.
  • Plant some trees to support squirrel habitats. They provide food and shelter for the squirrels and other small animals and birds. You can also create a safe space for squirrels to hide by leaving some areas of your garden undisturbed and providing water sources.
  • Share the Joy: capture the squirrels in action and share their shenanigans on social media, using #SquirrelAwarenessMonth to connect with others who appreciate these fascinating creatures.

Bonus: NASA engineer designed a squirrel-proof birdfeeder. Or so he thought.


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Favorite Photos: September 2024

  1. Favorite Photos: January 2023
  2. Favorite Photos: February 2023
  3. Favorite Photos: March 2023
  4. Favorite Photos: April 2023
  5. Favorite Photos: May 2023
  6. Favorite Photos: June 2023
  7. Favorite Photos: July 2023
  8. Favorite Photos: August 2023
  9. Paris Is Always A Good Idea
  10. Favorite Photos: October 2023
  11. Favorite Photos: November 2023
  12. Favorite Photos: December 2023
  13. Favorite Photos: January 2024
  14. Favorite Photos: February 2024
  15. Favorite Photos: March 2024
  16. Favorite Photos: April 2024
  17. Favorite Photos: May 2024
  18. Favorite Photos: June 2024
  19. Favorite Photos: July 2024
  20. Favorite Photos: August 2024
  21. Favorite Photos: September 2024
  22. Favorite Photos: October 2024
  23. Favorite Photos: November 2024
Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) licking its paw

Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris). That tiny pink tongue 😍.

Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) posing in a lilac bush holding a lute

The original photo was a bit meh so I played around in Photoshop and voilà! The little musician ❤️.

Close-up of an Australian pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus)

The Australian pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus) has the longest bill of any living bird, the record one measuring 50 cm (1.6 ft)! However, females tend to have smaller bills than males.


📍Emu Bay, Kangaroo Island, South Australia


All photos were taken with Canon EOS R5 and Canon RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM.


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World Photography Day

Red squirrel and camera

August 19th is World Photography Day, an annual celebration of the art, science, and history of photography.

Why August 19th, you ask? On August 19th, 1839, the French Academy of Sciences announced the Daguerreotype process, the first to obtain a permanent image with a camera. History was made that day, and the long road to photography as we know it today began.

The best way of celebrating it is to share your best photos with the world. The one above is one of my favorites; it contains two of my favorite things: cameras and squirrels.

Happy World Photography Day!


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Harry Potter And The Squirrel Wizard

One rainy afternoon, while sorting through thousands of safari photos, I decided to take a much-needed break, indulge in my love for Harry Potter, and have some fun.

Being a huge fan of both the books and the movies, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to immerse myself again in the magical world of witchcraft and wizardry, even if for a few hours.


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Happy Midsummer!

A red squirrel holding a strawberry and wearing a flower crown

Happy Midsummer!


If you’re wondering how we celebrate midsummer 😉.



Favorite Photos: May 2024

  1. Favorite Photos: January 2023
  2. Favorite Photos: February 2023
  3. Favorite Photos: March 2023
  4. Favorite Photos: April 2023
  5. Favorite Photos: May 2023
  6. Favorite Photos: June 2023
  7. Favorite Photos: July 2023
  8. Favorite Photos: August 2023
  9. Paris Is Always A Good Idea
  10. Favorite Photos: October 2023
  11. Favorite Photos: November 2023
  12. Favorite Photos: December 2023
  13. Favorite Photos: January 2024
  14. Favorite Photos: February 2024
  15. Favorite Photos: March 2024
  16. Favorite Photos: April 2024
  17. Favorite Photos: May 2024
  18. Favorite Photos: June 2024
  19. Favorite Photos: July 2024
  20. Favorite Photos: August 2024
  21. Favorite Photos: September 2024
  22. Favorite Photos: October 2024
  23. Favorite Photos: November 2024
Cherry tree flowers

The sun is finally out, and the gardening season is in full swing! I’m either busy in the garden or capturing its beauty, which leaves me with little time for photo editing. And let’s be honest, who wants to be cooped up indoors when the sun is shining? I guess I’ll have to wait for a rainy day to catch up on some editing, ha, ha!

Here are a few photos I managed to edit from May: first out, the delicate cherry tree flowers in Kungsträdgården. I go there every year to photograph the pink fluffy flowers of the Japanese cherry trees, and this year was no exception. It’s such a joy!

Red squirrel

A  playful red squirrel because, you know, squirrels 😍.

Pink peonies

Vibrant pink peonies from my garden. These peonies are from last year, and I can’t help but look forward to the magical moment when this year’s blooms grace my garden in a few weeks.


I hope you enjoyed these photos; there are more to come next month.


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Favorite Photos: April 2024

  1. Favorite Photos: January 2023
  2. Favorite Photos: February 2023
  3. Favorite Photos: March 2023
  4. Favorite Photos: April 2023
  5. Favorite Photos: May 2023
  6. Favorite Photos: June 2023
  7. Favorite Photos: July 2023
  8. Favorite Photos: August 2023
  9. Paris Is Always A Good Idea
  10. Favorite Photos: October 2023
  11. Favorite Photos: November 2023
  12. Favorite Photos: December 2023
  13. Favorite Photos: January 2024
  14. Favorite Photos: February 2024
  15. Favorite Photos: March 2024
  16. Favorite Photos: April 2024
  17. Favorite Photos: May 2024
  18. Favorite Photos: June 2024
  19. Favorite Photos: July 2024
  20. Favorite Photos: August 2024
  21. Favorite Photos: September 2024
  22. Favorite Photos: October 2024
  23. Favorite Photos: November 2024
Kangaroo Island kangaroo joey at sunset

Warning: cuteness overload! This little joey has got me wrapped around its tiny paw. Just look at those big eyes and fluffy ears! 🦘❤️ And that golden light! I feel so blessed to witness moments like these.

A Kangaroo Island kangaroo female (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus) tenderly grooms her suckling joey 😍. Incredibly, the mother kangaroo can carry joeys at different development stages in her pouch. She can also provide different nutritional content milk in her four teats to cater to the various joeys’ ages!

Kangaroo Island kangaroo joey at sunset

This is the same joey as in the first photo. How cute?

All kangaroo photos were taken at the Ecopia Retreat wildlife sanctuary in February 2024.

Red squirrel searching a tree stump

Squirrel on a mission: curiosity never looked so cute! 🐿️💕

Red squirrel standing on a tree stump

Always looking ahead, even when the view seems a little bit nutty 🐿️🌳.


I hope you enjoyed these photos; there are more to come next month.


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