Male squirrel Tufty returns, 2nd November 2018
It's possible Random-red-paws had a run in with Tufty on our roofthe other week, which meant she cleared off for good (?)
Tufty hanging by one paw to get to the peanuts
Tufty has white tuffs behind his ears
I've been trying to coax Tufty to use the squirrel food pot
by leaving a monkeynut half sticking out underneath the lid.
He has finally been back and claimed the nuts
but still has no idea how to use the pot or is too scared (?)
Hungry Tufty raids what is left over from the hedgehog dish
Tufty's white tufts are more visible here behind his ears
Snoozing in the breeze
Fine drizzle collects on Tufty's fur
It's a bit blowy today
You certainly know it when Tufty jumps onto the roof
Tufty yawning, had a snooze after some nuts
Tufty's white ear tufts are clearer here
Tufty manages to get a monkeynut out of the pot but is still nervous
Tufty is daft as a brush
The white ear tufts seem to be a new(ish) thing for gray squirrels
Success, Tufty manages to use the nutpot correctly
rather than standing to the side
9th November 2018
Grab from garden cam
Tufty likes to sit watch and preen on the fence
More strange antics from Tufty, hiding gravel and small stones
Tufty's ear pokes through his food station,
while searching through gravel to stash
Tufty is getting a little bit more used to the squirrel pot
Tufty eating an unsalted cashewnut
he is gaining confidence
His paw pads are noticeable as they are pinker than Boingy's
15th November 2018
Unsalted peanut
Tufty is hiding gravel again
he is particular and picks which one to hide
sometimes in the lawn, pots or up in the fir trees!
Tufty finds a monkey nut inside the magic hedgie pot
Tufty collects whole walnut from the baseplate
I don't think he is ready for it to be inside the nutpot yet
16th November
Tufty returns, 7th December
Investigates the new Flutterbutter
He is also tolerating the sound of the nutpot lid
Tufty with gravel
12th December 2018
Tufty went away for Christmas but returned on
New Year's Day 2019
With a nice clean pot and Christmasy whole nuts
which brought a new challenge, how to reach the bottom
Tufty, 1st January 2019
Tufty managed to retrieve a whole walnut from the pot but I missed it.
Tufty has returned again recently and had fun in the trees
although he seems to be either sleepy or clumsy after eating
He slipped and fell a couple of times but was fine
23rd January 2019
Tufty returns after the heavy snowfall (this is the thaw)
He sniffs and tries this brazil nut then discards it
4th February 2019
This pecan is better for caching in the snow
I was surprised Tufty accepted this split hazelnut to store
Tufty collecting a whole walnut (snow has all melted)
6th February 2019
Tufty eventually got the hang of his pot in a new position
I noticed after the snow's thaw the dusty bits at the bottom
were going furry, so I cleaned the nutpot and moved it round
10th February
Tufty was a bit upset the pot smelt different and had been rotated.
After stamping his paws he came back to cache and eat some nuts.
Tufty is back in time for spring, 28th Feb
He doesn't realise there is a whole walnut inside his pot yet....
He eats a whole pecan nut
In the Cherry enjoying his pecan nut
28th Feb
Tufty finds another pecan to nosh
He's growing up fast now
6th March
Tufty caches a whole walnut which was at the bottom of the nutpot
Tufty, looking more like his mum Captain Boingy (?) every day
8th March
Tufty spent a long time nervously in our garden on the 14th
(I didn't realise a nesting dove had been mauled in the shrubs by a cat until later)
Tufty checks out a hazelnut
When spooked Tufty climbs the chestnut by the back door
and boings onto the roof, 14th March
The Magic Hedgie pot is back in business: Tufty finds a monkeynut inside
19th March
Tufty cleaning his digits in the pine tree, 19th March
He is getting used to me being outside in his space while leaving him a whole walnut.
He was excellent today enjoying, exploring and discovering while caching.
Tufty is still interested in the Flutterbutter but yet to eat any
Tufty came up to see me from the chestnut, he brought a peanut to eat
19th March
Tail waving on the roof, 23rd March
Tufty sniffs the daffodils, 23rd
Tufty flying
Tufty searching the pots, 23rd March
25th March
Tufty rarely goes on the patio, 25th March
Searching magic hedgie pot, 26th March
Tufty stretches and yawns in the Alder
Clinging to chestnut
jumps to the roof
26th March
Walnut heaven, 2nd April
Tufty scrabbles for dropped walnut
Tufty eats cashewnut on the roof, 2nd April
Tufty in the pine, 2nd April
All things squirrel wise have become confusing as it appears another one
has found the nutpot. Looks similar to Captain Boingy, with hind red paws,
less obvious white ear tufts but behaves like Tufty, 17th April
Mystery squirrel, 18th April
I don't think this is young enough to be Tufty
but it behaves in a similar way and knows how to use the nutpot
**** Mystery Squirrel returned today ****
and is definitely not Tufty or Captain Boingy
She is now called Stripey because her tail is so gloriously stripey
6th May 2019
Captain Boingy
Captain Boingy
As usual one squizzo arrives pushing the previous one out, amidst a lot of screeching
After viewing some more images it appears that Captain Boingy has returned after 6 months.
I always thought Tufty was her son. Sad he has got pushed out when I was just gaining his trust.
He never sat and ate a nut or seed close by.
I never saw him crack open a monkey nut, hazelnut or walnut but he was fun and inquisitive.
Tufty was a horder: collected gravel and even a big ball of tin foil as seen above
I had put in the bottom of the nutpot in order to
pad out the food as he was struggling to reach it.
They both get "wangy paw" when diving into the nutpot.
I shall miss the little fluffy one.
