THEY are one of the UK's most endearing wild creatures.

Now there's a chance to see them in their native habitat on Brownsea Island.

Members of the National Trust team on Brownsea will be leading two daily guided squirrel walks until October 19, at 11.30am and 2pm. During half term there will be two daily family guided squirrel walks at 11am and 1.30pm.

October is one of the best months to catch sight of a red squirrel they search for the harvest of nuts and seeds that fall from the trees.

the National Trust says that unlike other mammals that ‘larder hoard’ a supply of food for the winter, the squirrels ‘scatter hoard’ their finds. This means that they bury their treasures in lots of different places in the hope that they will be able to rediscover at least some of them during the harsher months.

Keen naturalist and guided walks volunteer for both the National Trust and Dorset Wildlife Trust on Brownsea, Terry White, said: "It’s marvellous to watch them in the autumn. Very often, they just pop up right in front of you and if you keep still, you can observe them hoarding their nuts amongst the leaves. It’s easy to see how they forget where they’ve buried them!"

No booking is required for the walks. Boats for Brownsea depart from Sandbanks and Poole Quay on the hour and half past the hour.

*.nationaltrust.org.uk/brownsea-island/ 01202 707744.