Mudchute Farm, London

Mudchute Park and Farm is a large urban park and farm on the Isle of Dogs in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, just south of Canary Wharf. It is a Local Nature Reserve and a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation. It is a community-based charity that engages with its users and responds to the needs of its local community. Entry is free.

As I walked through the park towards the farm, several squirrels ran up to me hoping for food, but I had nothing for them. 

The first of the farm animals that I saw were sheep grazing in a field. To see the built up Canary Wharf behind was a strange site -

Inside the farm I spotted the llamas so went over to see them -

Visitors can buy food for the farm animals, but of course are not allowed to feed them anything else. The squirrels knew some visitors have food and I soon had one climbing my leg!

There are lots of birds, such as ducks and geese. These ones were all puffed up in the cold -

Aylesbury ducks

I particularly like pigs so was disappointed that they weren't around. So a couple of weeks I went back, this time taking peanuts for the squirrels. And to my delight, the pigs were there. I smelt them before I saw them! They are middle white pigs, an English breed, now classed as endangered on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust's Watchlist as only 100-200 registered breeding females are left.

Then I went to see the llamas again. Llamas are bigger than alpacas. Alpaca farming and tourism is getting quite popular now in England. There are 2 alpacas at Horniman's in London.

Llamas have longer ears and longer snouts than alpacas. This is Eva the alpaca at Horniman's -

As I left I fed the squirrels and soon had quite a lot around me. Again one or two climbed my leg and one even tried to get into my pocket, intending to help itself to nuts.

looking in my pocket

See Mudchute webpage.
 

Squirrel carrying its young

 I was walking past a fence and heard a noise and saw this squirrel. At first glance I thought it had a huge tumour on its face. I grabbed my phone camera and zoomed in, which was a mistake, as the phone camera doesn't do well on the zoom. I then realised the lump was actually a young squirrel.

It's the first time I've seen a squirrel carry its young. The young are kits or kittens and are born in March/April. 

Squirrels eating corncobs

 Two videos of grey squirrels in London eating corncobs.

The first was taken in Oct 2016. The morning sun illuminates the squirrel -

The 2nd was taken in Sept 2020 -

Crows preening & squirrel sunbathing

These crows were preening themselves in the morning sunshine .

And a squirrel sunbathing, making the most of the Spring weather

Grey squirrel looking for buried nuts

Grey squirrel looking for buried nuts. Not sure if it is looking for nuts it has buried or for some left by a rival squirrel. London, Dec 2016.

And an interesting scientific paper, 'Grey squirrels remember the locations of buried nuts', by Jacobs and Liman.

Squirrels mating in London

I love watching the grey squirrels in the garden. I have blogged about them several times, squirrel eating corn, and eating a raw sausage, the alarm call and a general one on grey squirrels.

They are busy in the autumn foraging for food to store for the winter. I really wonder if they remember where they have buried each peanut that they had hidden.

In Nov 2016 I glanced out of the window and saw 2 squirrels mating. They were perched on the narrow top of a fence and were obviously sure footed on this small perch.

They were so engrossed in each other that they took no notice when I opened the window to record them!

After they had finished they went in different directions along the fence and then one of them, which I think was the male, started eating an apple in front of my window. It was obviously replenishing its energy after its exertions!!

According to the RSPB, grey squirrels "tend to breed in between January and April and, if food is plentiful, they may have a second litter in the summer". However the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Org says "Grey squirrels breed twice a year, December to February and May to June. The first litter is born in February to March, the second in June to July. There are normally two to six young in each litter. The gestation period is about 44 days. The young are weaned at 7 weeks and leave the nest after 10 weeks".

© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission

Squirrel eating corn

Squirrel eating corn on a sunny day in London 17 Oct 2016.

Squirrel eating a raw sausage

These sausages are normally put out for the foxes in the evening. However one morning I noticed a squirrel sitting on the fence eating a sausage. Unfortunately another one soon came along and chased him.

There are many squirrels about but they seem quite territorial or at least competitive, as they chase each other away, so it is hard to get more than one in any photo

This is a cute one

Grey squirrel alarm call

I regularly see grey squirrels in London gardens. I took some photos of one that was making what sounded like an alarm call, although it didn't seem particularly worried by anything.

 

This is the video -

 

 

Grey squirrel

The grey squirrel is a common site in England. It is more common than the native British red squirrel. The grey was introduced from America. This one sits on the fence below my window in London.

 

long nails

 ready to box!

 snack time