Page 10 - EGO Magazine January 2020

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Get Out & About in 2020!
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01970 615400 Nature Notes By
sales@afanability.wales
David Williams known to raid fruit grown in the garden

particularly strawberries. They are even
partial to tomatoes if nothing else takes
their fancy.
If you look closely, grey squirrels
ne of the most over the years. As I say frequently at aren’t only grey. They have brown fur
successful evasive this time of the year, make sure water is around the face, by the white under fur
Open Mon-Sat from species in the UK is available for all of the creatures which and in the tail. The grey areas are seen on
10am at: the grey squirrel. They visit our gardens. In many ways, it’s more their backs and tail tips. Their tails tend
important than food.
to be larger in urban areas where there is
were first imported
Unit 25 Oin the 1870s from Squirrels regularly bury food in less predation.
Glanyrafon Ind. Est. America as exotic additions to country stashes, they can sometimes leave Greys communicate via many different
Aberystwyth estates. They have now sadly displaced several thousand stashes on their patch. calls as well as posturing, tail flicking
SY23 3JQ the native red squirrel in most of the Some birds, particularly crows, observe and facial expressions. We mostly hear
(opposite tip) UK. The greys can live in the wild for where squirrels bury their food and the kuk quaa call signalling a predator
between 5 and 10 years especially where dig it up as soon as it has been left. In in the area. That’s us walking through
food is abundant. Over 6 years though is some cases, the observers are fooled their territory. It’s a vocalisation heard
as a squirrel will mimic the burying of
frequently on my woodland walks.
Resolve to get back on 2 wheels in 2020! an exception in many areas. food while secreting it further inside These mammals, love them or
Squirrels are the only mammal which
Our Electric Bikes start from just £1039. Call in and try one! can descend a tree forwards. They can do its mouth. Their diet isn’t restricted loathe them, have adapted to their
to nuts. They also like fruit, new tree
environments so well since their
this because of having remarkable joint
movement in their hind legs. They shoots and young birds. They have been introduction that they are here to stay.
can rotate their ankles through 180
degrees in order to grip on to the tree
when descending. Their tree dexterity
may be seen this month as they
near their first mating period. Grey
squirrels will be seen in their mating
chase where the female is chased by
one or more males. This scurrying
begins as soon as she becomes
receptive. Females can have two litters
a year, one during the winter and
another about six months later. The
female does all of the nurturing.
Early spring is the time when
squirrels are at their most vulnerable
as their food stocks will be running
low. The next crop of berries and
seeds won’t be seen for a while.
FORMED BY THE UK Bird feeders are raided regularly
throughout the year and more so
Open Mon - Sat from 10am at: Unit 25, when their food stocks are getting
low. They, like birds, also appreciate
Glanyrafon Ind. Est, Aberystwyth. SY23 3JQ. a water supply. I have caught many
(opposite tip) squirrels drinking at the bird bath
sales@afan.wales
01970 615400
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