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- I was quite happy watching this one
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- It’s looking at me!
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- Hello. You’re getting a bit close…
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- It’s coming to get me… or maybe the advent calendars!
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- It’s running away…
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- Back to the acorns
The other week, the library near work was closed so I went to my second favourite bench in the park to sit and think. I began watching a friendly (or so I thought) squirrel running around and playing with an empty takeaway box.
Next to me on the bench was my carrier bag containing two ‘full’ Christmas advent calendars, which Mr Squirrel had his eye on. If you look at the forth picture, it looked like he was about to pounce on me – unless he just wanted to open door number one! I moved slightly and it fled, only to return a few minutes later behind me. Just as I started to feel a little uncomfortable, he returned to where the cardboard box was (once again ignoring me) and began nibbling on some acorns.
A bit about squirrels…
Having some time on my hands that day, I googled ‘squirrels’ and learnt that the gray squirrel is notorious for carrying a deadly pox virus which does not affect them. There are apparently many gray squirrels in this country now (thankfully not near my bench). They came from the USA in the late 19th/early 20th century and feed at ground level. Unlike the red squirrel, they can digest acorns.
(source: www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Eastern-gray-squirrel)
I haven’t been back to the bench since! Maybe I’ll brave it next year…
Until next time…
Sandra
Freelance writer
www.sandramadeira.com
Sandra Madeira 