Ah! Red Squirrel

We have just returned from an adventure to see red squirrels.  I have see the "brown" red squirrels at Formby in Lancashire and I saw a southern Red Squirrel at Eastbourne, many, many years ago.  I had not seen a Scottish Red Squirrel before.

This is my first encounter and my first picture of a Scottish Red Squirrel near Lock Ken in Galloway.  It was eating peanuts from an RSPB bird feeder at the time.

There were also abundant rodents.  We saw wood voles and field mice.

I was particularly taken by this image of a great spotted woodpecker.  It is at that point where it has seen me and it is not going to hang about any longer!
The countryside around Dumfries is very captivating and there is a lot to see and do.  I would like to re-visit this area of the UK - or Scotland, depending on the outcome of the political maneuverings of this year.