yes, indeed… but it seems "grey"squirrels have been moving from Italy/Switzerland and gradually setting up wherever they wish…
This will be an interesting subject for discussion when I see my favourite French Biodiversity chappie… in a few weeks.
I have definitely seen black (or very nearly black) squirrels here in the south. Very sweet they were. I actually looked it up after seeing them to be sure I wasn’t going mad.
I don’t know where they had moved here from but I worry a bit because we have lots if hunters and squirrels are rather rudely considered ‘vermin’. Perhaps being dark will be a better camouflage.
As my father said: “Rats with good PR” 
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Here is one of ours… we have seen three together - I think a mum and two babes, all totally cute, but I’m not sure now which is which. But only one of them, the mum I guess, knows how to open the nut box. We’re pretty sure there is a drey high up in a fir tree. This is summer plumage.
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This looks like a female to me… in our garden previous year…
this looks like a slimline male
and this made me roar with laughter…
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I’ve not seen a squirrel in the eight years we’ve been here!
This is “Peter Rabbit” who is an escapee… gone wild. The kids tried everything to get him back where he belonged, but no go…
not sure where he calls home now, but he used to visit our front grass between 9pm and 10pm every night…
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Only ever seen red here too and we aren’t far from you!
‘Red’ squirrels can be different colours but grey squirrels are still very unusual and only in the SE of France coming from Italy. If you see one turn it into pâté, it isn’t their fault but they are totally nuisible.
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@vero Yes, I agree eat them.
Never had grey squirrel patè, but my Grandmother would make pies, stews and squirrel soup, when as a kid,I took her a few after a hunting expédition with my rifle. When my Father was pretty much the same age, she would cook spadge pie (sparrow pie) for him. Amazing what war time Mothers could turn into delicious meals and not be squimish about.
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“Populations of turtle dove are in rapid decline across Europe and this species has red list conservation status globally.”
Breeds in the south & east of UK in April/May and migrates back to West Africa in late summer. Looks like this one has stopped for a rest here in Charente Maritime, late Sept. Stayed at the bird bath for about an hour.
Had one stop by in Aug/Sept 2020 – same one maybe? They can live for up to 20 years!
Looks a little tired to me. Hope all goes well on its long migration back to Africa.
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Such a sweet little bird is the wren – so neat and tidy. A rare visitor to the bird bath and the first time I’d seen it bathing.
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One of my cats has given me a look of pure malevolence when I deliberately put up a screen blocking the view of the water bowl birds often use as a birdbath, right in front of the “hide” the cats were using to observe the bird bath (within streaking and killing range).
Luckily there is no other hide within quick enough range of the bath but you should have seen the look the cat gave me.
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Beautiful !
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We’ve had a couple if birds visiting today. Any ideas? Cute stripey front (sorry wouldn’t turn very well for the PIC 
)
Looks like a Tree Pipit to me. Get a few at the birdbath. I’ll rustle up a video.
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Thank you, just looked it up and I believe you are correct! I’m so bird clueless. I can pick a robin, pidgin, crow and a few others but that’s it! Much easier in Oz, can’t confuse a Galah or a Cockatoo
Tree Pipits…
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