Red Squirrel ( Sciurus vulgaris )

A bit of a red letter day.  For three or four years prior to Covid, reds were regular visitors to the feeder in the garden.  Since 2019 until a month or so ago we didn't have any visits.  Until mid August when the trail camera picked up a visit.  Since then there have been a few visits but again seen only on the trail camera.

Soon after getting up I looked out of the window I looked out of the window and there was a red galloping about on the lawn.  It was a case of grab the camera and blast off some shots.  No time to check the settings or even really consider focus.  Of the three or four I managed this was the most acceptable.

The afternoon was taken up with a talk at Social Club about Swifts.  Quite a lot of it I knew much I didn't and some of the photography was absolutely fabulous. I was well aware of the dire situation Swifts are in, a combination of loss of breeding sights and loss of insect food owing to wormers/insecticides that are very persistent in the environment. Interesting points, Swifts are the world's fastest bird in level flight with speeds between 70 and 105 mph depending on species.  They are capable of rotating their shoulder joint in a way other birds can't, which makes the up and down strokes power strokes.  A fledgling Swift will not touch anything solid for two to three years and then only when it returns to it natal area to breed.