Red Squirrels

Cold, wintry weather has not only brought a flurry of birds to the feeders in the garden but also more squirrels. Since they returned just over a year ago after a six year absence one or two squirrels have been regular visitors. Recently they have brought relatives as I've often seen four at a time, which must mean there are more than that in total.
 

Recently. on a cold overcast day with frequent snow showers I spent an few hours watching the squirrels, whose agility and ability to feed in any position is always entertaining. Ignoring the snow, and the optimistic watchful eye of a cock pheasant, the squirrels determindely gnawed at the peanuts and seeds, storing up fuel for the next long winter's night.

The photos were taken from inside the house at the telephoto end of my NEX 55-210 lens. I was handholding the camera so used a high ISO speed - 1600- to ensure a high enough shutter speed to avoid camera shake. Several of the images have been cropped.