Red Squirrels
It was purely by chance that one evening in 2013/2014 I was watching a television programme about Wensleydale - an area of the Yorkshire Dales. Part of the programme featured a Wildlife photographer called Simon Phillpotts who specialised in filming Red Squirrels in the area. After several telephone calls I made contact with Simon and have been visiting him in the Dales to film Red Squirrels ever since.
The sight of a native Red Squirrel in and around my home town and much of the country is none existent, they were wiped out by the larger Grey Squirrels when they were introduced into the country during the eighteenth century. A lack of food, disease and change in farming techniques saw the demise of the Reds. Fortunately once this was realised many plans and conservation schemes were put in place to provide a suitable habitat to reintroduce them back into the wild.
The Yorkshire Dales is playing an important part in this conservation programme and the National Park Authority designated several areas of woodlands and reserves to help protect and preserve the remaining population.
Simon owns a private woodland in the Dales which is carefully monitored and provides an ideal environment for the native squirrels to survive.
There are several other important organisations around this area which are completely dedicated to preserving this wonderful native creature in its natural environment. Details of these schemes and information on specific ‘Red Squirrel trails’ can be found online and in the Dales Countryside Museum in Hawes.
Left click on the photo below to expand the gallery
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| Red Squirrel reflections 2017 |
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| Chaffinch at Reflection pool |
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| Pheasants at the reflective pool |
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| Jumping Red Squirrels |
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| Woodland Red Squirrels. |
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| Thursday 7th December 2017 |
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| Monday 26th April 2021 |
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| Monday 3rd April 2023 |
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