In the Boneyard

An afternoon walk through a West London cemetery - and an encounter with a brazenly bold, bone-munching squirrel.

KFC? Perhaps...

Window dressing

A recent visitor to a North London address evinced disdain for apple cores left outside overnight, but was eager to consume birdseed and mixed nuts. Attempts by the house occupants to persuade the squirrel to dance - Northern Soul style - to a Major Lance compilation CD, proved a failure. This was presumably because of Health & Safety concerns, since the windowsill is clearly too narrow for backdrops and spins.

Hackney bad man squirrel crew

Hackney squirrels seem to display unique and menacing behaviour, compared, that is, to their cousins in Central London parks and gardens, and with those of Hampstead Heath.

The polite and tourist-pleasing squirrels of, for example, Russell Square, are happy to pose for photos in exchange for nuts. Bold enough to run up the leg, they nevertheless behave in a manner seemingly in keeping with their genteel Bloomsbury location.

Those of Hampstead Heath, however, spurn the human hand which profers the nut, running away to the safety of the tree. Perhaps their wariness and lack of people-pleasing skills may be attributed to the proliferation of dogs on the Heath, together with an ample supply of foragable food rendering a reliance on human benefactors unnecessary.

Hackney squirrels, by contrast, display a menacing 'hoodie' pack mentality, patroling their park 'endz' in an eight- or nine-strong 'crew.'  Some London Squirrel observers report being surrounded; whilst one or more squirrels captivate the observer's attention with amusing antics, others sneak up behind the observer in a covert manner. 

Other correspondents claim to have seen one individual making 'gang signs' with its elongated claws.  

Chill-out zone

A recent visit to a Hackney park saw the discovery of  a squirrel 'chill-out zone'. Here they relax in the sunshine and relative quiet, recharging their rodential batteries after a manic "up-the-tree-down-the-tree chase-me-spiral-style" half hour.

The individual pictured here has managed to find a comfortable bed, with snacks (in the form of berries) attached.