…you are looking up to the trees, you may be able to find a squirrel nest if you look closely enough. Dreys are similar to birds’ nests, resembling an untidy ball of sticks with a soft lining of mosses, leaves and grasses. © Peter Trimming / CC BY 2.0 And lastly, don’t forget to listen. Often you can hear… […]
…cardboard box, some scissors, a pencil and some masking tape (for any added extra features!). © Keilidh Ewan Instructions If you have regular garden visitors, these only need to be reported once or twice a year to keep us updated, you can also report how many squirrels have been seen together at any one time if you are lucky enough… […]
Original Author: Dr Mel Tonkin, Project Manager With the fight to protect Scotland’s only native squirrel species reaching a critical stage, Minister for the Environment and Climate Change Paul Wheelhouse MSP visits the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project. At the start of September, the Scottish Wildlife Trust welcomed a visit by the Minister for Environment and Climate Change,… […]
…always have a home in Dumfries and Galloway. Things you can do to help protect red squirrels Do not install feeder boxes in public forests Clean your garden wildlife feeders regularly with an anti-viral solution such as Virkon S Report any grey squirrel sightings at scottishsquirrels.org.uk If you see a red squirrel that looks unwell, contact us at squirrels@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk… […]
…one if you don’t mind. Sandy: Oh well, pine cones for me. Steve: Probably best Sandy. What you got there? Sandy: This is ‘Rosie’, the other SSRS mascot. She’s a knitted squirrel, made by the lovely folks of Deeside Knitwits. She looks amazing, but maybe a wee bit small if you ask me. Steve: Size isn’t everything Sandy, I think… […]
…other animals, or is infested by creepy-crawlies. A surprisingly common occurrence is the sharing of dreys by squirrels, something which they seem to be happy to do, with the added body heat lending appeal to the convivial vibe. Even more surprising is the fact that there is a squirrel ‘time share’ arrangement, whereby a squirrel will spend the winter occupying… […]
…now, but we continue working from home and making progress in the field to protect red squirrels. We will continue to keep all of our volunteers fully informed of any changes to guidance. If you have any questions or concerns around outdoor volunteering at this time, please contact your local Community Engagement Officer, Conservation Officer, or contact us at squirrels@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk…. […]
Original Author: Mary-Anne Collis Conservation Officer Mary-Anne Collis gives us an update on what’s been happening in Argyll, Trossachs and Stirlingshire. We’ve been very busy in the Argyll, Trossachs and Stirlingshire region this year. I’ve been on a personal mission to say hello to as many people as possible, spreading the word about submitting your squirrel sightings, both red… […]
…berries, fungi, plant shoots— even bird eggs. Cones are a particularly important source of food. If you’ve every picked one up that looks like it’s been through a shredder, it could very well be the remains of a red squirrel’s lunch. © Elana Bader However, squirrels aren’t the only animals that strip cones for their seeds. Other rodents such as… […]
…carry squirrelpox, a virus that does not affect them but is deadly to reds. Outbreaks can cause the local red squirrel population to crash, but research has shown that keeping grey squirrel numbers sufficiently low can enable reds to bounce back. Conservation Officer Laura, who previously spent eight years as Ranger at the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Falls of Clyde Wildlife… […]
