Hybrid

Success!
Many of you will have followed, and hopefully enjoyed, the adventures of our rare little Red Squirrels here in the wood. UK based blippers probably know they are endangered and that the main threat to their survival is the non-native North American Grey Squirrel. Not only is it a carrier of pox - but it's also larger and can eat a more diverse food range - so it outperforms the Reds and takes their territory.

Till now the only way to ensure the survival of the Reds has been to eliminate greys from areas, which seems a poor result for an appealing little critter.

Spurred on by my recent diversity course, and realising that the UK needs more love and harmony we were intrigued to be contacted by Dr Scrat a research fellow from Nutkin University, and we agreed to let him work on trying to integrate the two populations within our wood.
It's been fraught - we've had standoffs, territorial disputes, lots of shouting and a lot of tail wagging from each side - much like the current UK political situation in fact. But there have also been some curious goings on, some interesting patterns in the hoarding of nuts, some come hither eyes across the feeders...

Then today, of all days, there at the feeder was this fine fellow or indeed lass, possibly the first of a new harmonious breed.