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Winter Duvet


Winter Duvet
Photo Information
Copyright: Deborah Kelleher (Debz) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 582 W: 0 N: 866] (3283)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-12-07
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Canon 350D, Canon EF70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Exposure: f/6.3, 1/1.25 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2007-12-08 5:11
Viewed: 600
Points: 44
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
I took this shot on a very cold and dull afternoon in the park. Few people there except dog walkers and joggers. The Squirrels were just trying to keep warm and snoozing, as was this one. When I approached he opened his eye which peeked at me through the bushy tail. I orignally cropped it tight to emphasise the eye and wisps on the tail. You can see the crop as a Workshop version.

Grey Squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis

Size Body approximately 25cms. The tail is around 20cms.

Distribution can be found throughout most of southern England (except the Isle of Wight), Wales, Some parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland. Seen in wWoodland, parks and gardens.

Food Eats mostly nuts. seeds, and cheese crackers of many varieties The front teeth of the grey squirrel are continually growing, and to prevent them getting too long, they need to constantly nibble on something to grind them down.

Overview The grey squirrel is a native of north-east America. Its range there stretches from Quebec down through New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

It was first recorded in Britain in the 1820s, but they were not released into the wild until 1876 when allegedly a chap named T. V. Brocklehurst liberated a pair in Cheshire. Why they were released is still a bit of a mystery. The most likely reason is that it fitted in with the Victorians' ideal of reshaping all aspects of the world, and it became the fashionable thing to do. At that time very few people were aware of the damage that this might cause to native wildlife.

More introductions followed, like the pair which were released at Loch Long in 1892. As a result, within 25 years grey squirrels had spread to the eastern side of Loch Lomond and into Stirlingshire - an area of 300 square miles!

If you find pine cones like these, nibbled to the core, its a sure sign that squirrels are about.

During the autumn months you might see squirrels burying nuts and acorns. They do this to provide for the winter months when food is more scarce. They can usually find the buried food again by using their strong sense of smell.

Destructive Habits One of the more destructive habits of the grey squirrel is to chew the bark off young trees to get to the fleshy green wood nderneath. This can sometimes kill the tree, and explains why grey squirrels are not always popular with foresters.

Grey squirrels can also carry the squirrel parapox virus which is fatal to UK native red squirrels. Grey squirrels rarely die from the disease because they've developed antibodies.

The breeding season starts in January and finishes around June. This is when they are at their most obvious. If you walk through a wood at this time of year you can often see the males chasing the females in the tree tops, and hear their screeching calls.

Wild about Britain
XOTAELE, Adanac, sherlock628, JoseMiguel, marhowie, NinaM, ramthakur, Silvio2006, oscarromulus has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To pankajbajpai: Winter DuvetDebz 1 12-09 08:40
To sherlock628: Squirrel DuvetDebz 1 12-08 06:52
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1036 W: 1 N: 3970] (13358)
  • [2007-12-08 5:24]

Hello Deborah,
An excellent title to this superb image showing great detail in the squirrels tail. I always likened it to a shawl on an elderly person. Great joband thanks for sharing.
Rick

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2375 W: 164 N: 7131] (22536)
  • [2007-12-08 6:26]

Hello Debz,
What a brilliant and different view of the Squirrel! Lovely texture and colours and a beautiful composition. I like the green in the background and the sharp details of the bark on the tree too. Well done!
TFS and have a nice weekend, Ulla

Hello Debz,
Our favorite little tree climber! Interesting POV, it seems you have made the subject to be the tail and all of its different colours with really sharp detail. Unique and Well Done. Thomas

Bonjour,
Que voilà un intéressant cliché avec un effet comique.
Bonne journée.
clnaef

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1015 W: 5 N: 2758] (10010)
  • [2007-12-08 7:23]

Hola Deborah. Bella foto, exelente momento captado aqui. Muy graciosa fotografia de esta Ardilla.
Saludos Luis52.

Hi Deborah,
Good POV to enjoy at its best the tail of this squirrel.
I like the composition made with the trunk and the pose of the animal.
The f/6.3 produced a nice blurred background while keeping good sharpness on the subject.
Congratulations and thanks for share it.
My best regards,
JM

Hi Deb,
The headless squirrel I see :)
Great looking color & bushy tail, I do like the way it arches over the head, with the eye just visible.
Well done,
Howard

Hello Debz,
I loved it very much on this shot, very impressive and unique to see the full details of the bushy and colourful tail of the Squirrel!
perfect sharpness, beautiful colouration and so much details to enjoy!
thanks for your effort in a cold weather to share with us this beautiful photo
best regards
Tony

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1898 W: 4 N: 5163] (19674)
  • [2007-12-08 10:53]

Hi debz. A good close up of the Squirrel. great detail in the fur with natural colours. like the pose with its tail wrapped around it back. well done tFS/ good notes too.
Nick..

Hello Deborah,
Fine colours and details!
Funny point of view, unusual an interesting...
I like the composition, and it looks like he already has put on the winter coat!
Greetings,
Pablo -

  • Great 
  • NinaM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 544 W: 0 N: 1338] (4443)
  • [2007-12-08 13:53]

Hi Debz, I like the unusual POV you used, the tail has movement in it, it is real nice. The colours are beautiful and it is so sharp. It's as if the squirrel was wearing a mantle. Congratulation, great photo.

Francine

hello deborah,
this busht tail of the squirrel has been captured with excellent details, i would mind looking at the head too :-), nice colours and contrast,
well done,
tfs & regards
pankaj

An unusual capture of the squirrel, Deborah. There is a hint of the eye looking back at you through the screen of its bushy tail.
Very innovative and attractive capture and presentation.
TFS and regards.
Ram

Hi Debz, lovely squirrel in nice strange pose, splendid focus and great colors, very well done, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-12-09 20:31]

Hello Deborah

Great pose! It looks like a dark character from the movies hiding his identity.
That is quite some tail too.
Well focused with sharp details,the texture shows well.
Very good natural colours.
TFS
Rob

  • Great 
  • Adam73 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 209 W: 5 N: 500] (2069)
  • [2007-12-10 10:49]

Great details in the tail and the entire squirrel. Dof if great. I may have cropped a bit more left.

Hola Deborah.
Magnífico PoV y genial nitidez.
Bellos colores y muy buena nota.
Saludos, JL.

Hi Deborah,
Unusual perspective of the Grey Squirrel and one you have to study to work out which is what. I like the sweep of the tail over its head but would have liked to have seen its face more.
Good definition colour and sharpness.
Well done,
Peter

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 991 W: 23 N: 2776] (10124)
  • [2007-12-11 2:37]

Hi Deborah,
exceptional detail and bang on perfect DOF, i love this POV. I could've done with a tail like that myself when i got up this morning..brrrr!
tfs
Paul

bonjour deborah
ah c'est dommage que la tête soit cachée!
sino le detail est formidable.
il jouait peut etre a cache cache avec vous?
laurent

Hi Deborah.
At first I had a mixed feeling about the POV. The more I stare the nicer of compo I see it as.
The tail looks good flowing in the up and angled position.
I think the lighting is what makes it stand out.
TFS.

Deborah,
They are both OUTSTANDINGLY great: however, the one in the W/S is more beautiful'ler'; just "invented" a new word.
Your notes too are highly educative.
You've done a wonderful job on them.
CONGRATULATIONS.
Mario from COLD Calgary.

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