Outside our window here at RSPB HQ, there's a massive pine tree. It's great for watching birds go about their business. Goldcrests hover among the needles, coal tits stash their sunflower seeds between the twigs, and sometimes there's even a nuthatch or a treecreeper wending its way up (or down) the rugged trunk.
And, of course, there are plenty of grey squirrels climbing around in the tree. I often think about how much fun it looks to climb that pine tree; there are long, curving branches which look like they'd be just great if you were a small, furry creature. In fact, we often see pairs of squirrels chasing each other up and down, round and round and round...
But enough daydreaming. We've just seen something astonishing!
For some reason, I found myself looking out of the window and into the tree. And there, clambering up the trunk - which must measure nearly five feet across - was something brown with a white belly. It took me a few seconds to process what I was seeing.
Not a grey squirrel.
Can't be a red squirrel!
Thin tail with a black tip...
'There's a stoat climbing up the tree!' I squawked.
I've seen stoats lots of times before: scampering across meadows, popping up from rabbit warrens and running along paths. But never up a tree.
Higher and higher the stoat climbed. It was a natural tree-climber - it scampered up just as easily as any squirrel. A small crowd gathered by my desk to watch the intrepid mammal. Eventually, it got about two-thirds of the way up the tree, explored the branches up there and decided to come down again.
'Hope we're not going to have to call the fire brigade,' I murmured. Not a chance. The stoat ran back down the trunk again - head first! - until it found one of the lovely curving branches which brought it down to a foot above the ground. From there, it peered down anxiously... and took a jump into the grass. And scurried off.
Apparently, it's not uncommon for stoats to climb trees, especially during the bird breeding season when they go in search of nests to raid. But I'm impressed by our stoat's climbing prowess and exploring spirit. I'll be keeping an eye out for it in future...