Shooting squirrels (but not with a gun!)

My poor husband! When he suggested a holiday to the Maldives after his return from Afghanistan, I told him that no, I'd much rather go to Nova Scotia... in low season. Likewise when he proposed a spa day as a Valentines gift, I said I'd rather spend a morning photographing squirrels in the Cairngorm mountains. I like to think I'm different, but sometimes I think he thinks I'm just difficult. Tropical beaches and massages are what we are supposed to like surely? But after 5 years of marriage he should know that the problem is, I can't do sitting still very well!

So he conceeded and last week I had my Valentines treat - a morning spent with another man... and lots of squirrels - Ha!

I think like most people I can count the number of times I have seen a red squirrel on one hand, and it's always been at a distance, but all that changed last week...

Scottish wildlife photographer Neil McIntryre has created a spot in the woods near his home that the squirrels now recognise as a feeding station and he offers people the chance to spend a morning photographing them under his tuition. I have to say that after 4 and a half months being pretty tied to the house, even the opportunity to spend a couple of hours in the woods in the sunshine and peace and quiet, was a real treat!

The squirrels weren't tame, but were confident enough to come closer than normal, and there was nothing to scare them off. Neil also does a full day wildlife photography workshop, and I'm quite tempted to go back and continue building my photograph collection. The variation of wildlife in our part of the world is quite wonderful.