After being attacked by that vicious snake a few weeks ago, I have been much more cautious trekking around the local lake. The snakes are gone now but red squirrels are still active.
I have been at the wrong end of a scolding from a squirrel and it wasn’t pleasant. I also knew they killed to eat so I have tried to keep my wits about me.
Yesterday, I was wandering around when I encountered a squirrel with obvious blood marks on its lips and paws. A fresh kill must be near by!
I hunkered down with my camera. As the squirrel ran away from the tree, I wondered what I would do if attacked.
Suddenly the squirrel stopped. Now it’s hard to know what it was thinking as it looked disdainfully at the snow. Perhaps it was concerned about finding more food for the long, cold months ahead. In any case it soon disappeared in the bush.
A few moments later the squirrel returned with what obviously must be bait for its next victim. It headed straight up the tree.
I could hardly get my camera repositioned before the squirrel sat down and started inhaling those berries like it was an eating contest. And why not? It was a beautiful sunny day, the berries looked good, so enjoy the present. I certainly over estimated its concern about winter.
On a full stomach, the squirrel was likely a little less vicious, so I relaxed a bit. I looked around for the source of the blood but didn’t find anything. I slowly retreated – thankful to leave unharmed.
Krahnpix 
Great post! This is my third comment on your blog this morning. Don’t worry, I’m not stalking you…yet. Squirrels are the best because even when you don’t see any other wildlife, they are almost always around – and they are so darn cute! Yesterday, on my lunch break, I sat for 15 minutes in the middle of Washington D.C. outside of the American Indian Museum watching three of them fight over who got to sit on the rock. Ours are more of a gray color like the one in this post http://almostaphotographer.wordpress.com/2012/12/07/day-243-of-355/. I love the last picture in your post. It’s so sharp and the colors are great!
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Thanks for all the comments. Interacting with people is the best part of blogging. I got pretty fortunate with the last squirrel photo since there were so many berries I got a few chances to get it right. Your squirrel photo is great – you’re right you can usually count on them. I am also learning to look for interesting light and poses of everyday wildlife instead of just waiting for the polar bear to show up in my yard. Sometimes I even heed my own advice.
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What a close call! Squirrels are vicious, vicious creatures. You are a brave man.
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Thanks for recognizing the bravery. I don’t know how I made it out of there unscratched – perhaps I should have embellished the story.
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You left space to read between the lines.
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Red squirrels are aggressive to humans? Weird! Great photos (I came over via Chris Martin’s blog).
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Thanks for stopping by. Actually squirrels are not aggressive to humans – I was just trying to create an amusing story to go with the photos. I certainly like Chris Martin’s blog as well.
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Red Squirrels are awfully photogenic, great series of images.
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They certainly are beautiful. Thanks for commenting.
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The last shot is awesome
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Thanks. I was pleased that it kept eating long enough for me take a few shots.
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Amazing how the bravest and most cunning photographers escape the clutches of the wildest subjects – skill or luck? 🙂 *chuckle* Love the way you built this up – great side shot of the fearsome beast…
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Thanks. Don’t know how I managed to escape – all luck.
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Let’s hope your luck holds – I hear chickadees can be very aggressive…
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Funny you should mention that. Just minutes after the shots above, I was trying to photograph chickadees but they repeatedly landed on my lens. Something definitely wrong with that picture. I should have brought another camera since I never did get a good shot.
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Your corner of the province definitely seems to hold the bold side of the wild and wonderful! 🙂 (More fodder for the blog??)
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Lyle, what lens did you use on the last photo (closeup)?
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I used a 500 mm with 1.4 extender on a tripod (had to add tripod since I know you don’t like using it) and I cropped it.
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Glad you weren’t led into any traps by the squirrel’s obvious cover of being ‘so cute’! Great photos and I like the new site layout.
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Thanks. Yes cute can be dangerous. I was pleased with how the new site design worked out.
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Amazing set!
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Appreciate that
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Awesome detail cracking shots – the splash of red makes it for me and the detail in the close up’s
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Thanks. The red provided wonderful contrast until it ate it all.
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Aaaaw but he’s so cute!! 🙂 Good close-ups, Lyle! I really like the one where he’s carrying the berries!
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Thanks. I liked that the berries were so large compared to it.
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If I were British, I would comment that this is a “bloody good posting,” but I am not. Nonetheless, those are wonderful shots–the last one in which you catch him in mid-bite is especially cool.
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I always suspected you had some British connection!! Thankfully there were so many berries that it took a while to eat them so I had options to choose the best one.
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Wow, Great capture!!! so cute!!!
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Thanks. I was pleased to find it doing something a little more interesting.
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Lyle, do you have any pictures of Trumpeter Swans? I have a few, but would like to get a good closeup. I am looking for a couple good illustrations for a post about a book.
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Unfortunately I don’t have photos of Trumpeter Swans.
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Thought I would check. I can make mine work. It will about The Trumpet of the Swan by E. B. White.
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No problem. Happy to help if I could.
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Great close ups Lyle! Glad you made it back unscathed.
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Thanks. It wasn’t easy.
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