One small step for Perthshire’s reds

…like much, but locating and intercepting the very early grey squirrel colonisers is a difficult job – needles and haystacks being an apt analogy – and your reports enable us to narrow our search. Although the risk of grey squirrel presence in the area has been reduced, we of course do not know how many grey squirrels remain in Pitlochry,… […]

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Cosy hideouts

…dreys. Unlike summer dreys, which are open platforms, similar in design to birds’ nests, winter dreys are broadly spherical and enclosed, but for a small entrance hole. They are constructed of interwoven twigs on the outside with softer furnishings of moss and dried leaves to give some home comforts on the inside. New dreys are usually built, and existing ones… […]

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Summer squirrel days

Original Author: Lorna Hutchison Most people seem to think that taking school children into the woods getting them to cook lunch on an open campfire, then giving them axes and knives is crazy. But not at Green Aspirations.   Over the last few weeks of the summer holidays I joined the team at Green Aspirations and school pupils from all… […]

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An update on the Heathhall squirrelpox outbreak

…sign that your local environment is providing for its native wildlife. So we were naturally concerned when we received reports that some of the red squirrels in Heathhall Forest, a popular community woodland outside Dumfries, were not looking well. The evidence we could gather all pointed to squirrelpox as the most likely cause. You can read more about the situation… […]

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Speakers FAQs

…each side, then click record again when you have moved to the next slide. Whether you keep your camera on or not during recording is up to you. Another idea could be to include a photo of yourself in your title slide so people know who’s talking What format should my slides be? The CrowdComms ‘main stage’ display is 16:9,… […]

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Building a Volunteer Network

…a group commonly use: unincorporated and incorporated. Most groups start off as unincorporated and later become incorporated in some way, depending on the group. It is important to note that a decision on group structure doesn’t need to be made right away and often develops naturally over time. Start-up Funding Alongside initial support from SSRS for network groups operating within… […]

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Argaty Red Kites celebrate their other star species with a new red squirrel hide

…the area’s red squirrel conservation journey. The Woodland Hide can host up to three people at one time and is custom-built for photography. © Argaty Red Kites   Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels has been monitoring squirrel populations in the area since 2012. At first, only grey squirrels were detected on the Argaty estate. Then, in 2013/14 the map changed from… […]

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Q&A with Sarah Woodfin, Project Manager with Trees for Life’s Red Squirrel Reintroduction Project

…have some of the greatest successes of the project been so far? All ten of the reintroductions have been successful, with red squirrels breeding and colonising available surrounding habitat. They have been known to travel far distances from the release sites – up to 17km away. Populations have begun to join, such as the red squirrels between Plockton and Attadale…. […]

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Notice for Spring Survey volunteers

…in situ. Complete your Tetrad Data Sheets, including your volunteer hours and collected stickies, posting these in the addressed pre-paid envelope provided. If you have been storing bait, you are welcome to use this in your own garden. For any other equipment you have such as cameras and spray bottles, please keep hold of these for now. When Covid-19 restrictions… […]

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News: First death of red squirrel from squirrelpox virus confirmed north of Scotland’s Central Belt

…further dead red squirrels in and around Dunfermline, these can be posted to us for examination using these detailed guidelines” The first known outbreak of squirrelpox in Scotland occurred in 2007 near Lockerbie and since then the disease has arisen in various red squirrel populations across south Scotland. However, this is the first time that a case has been confirmed… […]

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This Year's Sightings