To feed or not to feed?

therefore during the summer months before fruits, conifer seed and nuts are ripe, when their natural food is in short supply. In autumn when plenty of natural food is available, the squirrels may stop coming to your garden, but they will probably return in the winter. Continued feeding throughout the winter will also provide an additional boost to the squirrels… […]

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North East towns at the forefront of efforts to save Scotland’s red squirrels

the Highland Line and the isolated pocket of grey squirrels in Aberdeen. Squirrelpox is not currently a threat in Aberdeenshire, however this could change if the gap between the two grey squirrel populations closes and they become able to breed. “However, this is not the first time greys have been seen in these areas, and there is no cause to… […]

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News: Red letter day – Plean’s first red squirrel entered home through letterbox

  The first recorded red squirrel in Plean near Stirling in many years was spotted in the most unlikely of places – a local resident’s living room.   William Higgins was surprised to find the animal frantically scrambling around his home last month. He said: “I was in the kitchen when I thought I heard the post being delivered. When… […]

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An Autumn Overview of Tree ID

as the pine needles are soft if you run your hand over them. Also, the cones are described as large cigars. Douglas Fir is remembered as “groovy Dougie” as the bark is really grooved. And Scots Pine, as the bark is red towards the top, is remembered for its ginger resemblance like all things truly Scottish – including our native… […]

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New Conservation Officer calls for the public to help protect red squirrels in the Scottish Borders

the more sightings we receive the better our understanding will be.” Grey squirrels are a non-native species that was first introduced to Britain in Victorian times, and they are recognised as the main threat to the red squirrel’s future in Scotland. Larger and more robust, they out-compete native reds for resources. In the south of Scotland some grey squirrels also… […]

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Call for Scots to become a nation of squirrel spotters this Red Squirrel Week

…and supporters can connect with other red squirrel enthusiasts in their area.” Autumn is a very busy time of year for red squirrels as they take advantage of the season’s bountiful supply of nuts, seeds, berries and fungi; making it an ideal time for squirrel sightings. As well as looking up to the treetops to spot squirrels, people should also… […]

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A red squirrel first for Luss Estate

…spotted in a Luss resident’s garden we’re hoping we’ll see many more red sightings popping up on our sightings map in the months and years to come. Change is also happening in other areas to the west of Loch Lomond. Last week Arrochar resident Fiona Jackson reported seeing a red squirrel in her garden for the first time ever! Local… […]

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Reports of suspected squirrelpox near Cardrona

…area to please remove wildlife feeders from your gardens in order to avoid spreading the disease to healthy red squirrels visiting the feeders. Squirrelpox is a virus carried by grey squirrels without causing them any harm. However, if spread to red squirrels the disease is deadly. Feeding stations can encourage both species to come into close contact and increase the […]

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New Frontiers for Volunteers

Original Author: Lorna Hutchison, Volunteer Lorna Hutchison, new volunteer for the Argyll & Trossachs project area, tells us the reasons she has recently started volunteering for the project.   As an undergraduate at university it was the hands-on, practical side of my biology degree that got me into conservation. Now having studied a Master’s degree in Sweden and worked in […]

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This Year's Sightings