Red Squirrel

Fake Facts shout 49% +2 of USA voting Blipers and 51.89% of British voting Blipers. No, no, no my Trump & Brexit friends, this a Sciurus vulgaris and a fine one too.

I won't reinvent the wheel but simply copy/paste my entry, exactly 11 months ago and to the day:

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150 years ago the UK allowed in a US resident with a bushy hair/fur piece, who went on to cause chaos and the near extinction of the local population. So when "he" drives up the Mall in the Golden Coach later this year, make sure the St James Park and Green Park red squirrels are safely locked away.

Oachkatzl (Oak Cat) is the Bavarian for the German word Eichhörnchen or in English, Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris). The other members of the squirrel family do not have the honour of such a noble name - they are simply Hörnchen or more likely in Bavaria, Baamrotzn or tree rat.

Now you may, from the colour of the Bliped specimen, ask if it is a red squirrel. Yes, it is and clearly shown by the ear feathering. And as for the colour, the UK has for some unknown reason, very red coloured versions whereas the ones here vary from black to red, much like the differing human hair colour, although I don't think "Trump blonde" is often seen amongst our animal population!
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This is Twinkelberry, brother of Nutkin who featured on Blip 11 months ago. He was under our wild bird feeding table. I have to admit the photo was taken by Angie who somehow managed to fire some shots off while simultaneously talking to her sister on the phone. Multitasking I think the females call it, something not in us males vocabulary or list of talents.

I did more Back Bliping today, mainly my father's dairy farm building in Trinidad in the late 1960s. There was snow on the ground again this morning but gone by the time I did the evening walk. I had intended to Blip one of the parish's Dog Poo Stations as we (the parish in general) have been reminded that uncollected dog poo is "illegal refuse disposal" and thus subject to prosecution.

I don't have a problem with that as we do collect our dogs "legacies" and I fully understand those living on or near dog walks being upset by those who don't. However, I very rarely see on the walks I use, any such heaps.

Our parish has put up a large number of these poo stations and so there is little excuse. I was trying to photograph one of these in the dusk this evening as two ladies wrapped up tightly against the snow, which had just started, walked by and apart from the standard "Gruss Gott" greeting kept on walking. I was thrilled that Luna and Flash ignored them as I didn't have collars on them let alone leads.

However the ladies stopped after 10 metres, turned around and headed our way again, just as I was fiddling about with the dials and not watching out. They stopped and that was Luna's cue to get a pat. And as it had to be, she went straight to the one bent down, a sure sign she had pockets full of goodies and Luna put up one paw, exactly on the 5cm strip of white wool pullover that was showing from underneath the black anorak and on top of the black trousers!

Luckily the woman was very pleasant, even though she said it was the first time she had worn the pullover. With a tissue moistened with a bit of snow, she wiped the worst off while I got baby-wipes from the car. I recognised from the accent that she was not from these parts and even that she was Swiss - so we ended up having a good chat while her teenage daughter played with Luna.

Alls well that ends well.

Now buckle down for a new dump of snow tonight and can get out the swimwear to iron for Thursday when we will be back in double (plus) figures. Need the swimming things as no doubt by then we will have to swim on the daily walks.

PS I still have my 1950s Beatrix Potter Squirrel Nutkin 45rpm vinyl record, plus another few.