Where have all the squirrels gone? Long time passing ...

[Spotty-ewe]

When we moved here 15 years ago we had daily visits from red squirrels from the nearby woodland and their antics made us laugh. Although we bought a proper squirrel feeder the odd individual insisted the birds’ nuts were better than theirs and would get themselves into all sorts of contortions trying to steal them, as seen in the first photo. We got to know the individuals ranging from blonde to red to almost black. They were real characters and their tufted ears and bushy tails made them so cute.

As time went on and a piece of land between us and the woodland was built on, they didn’t come as often. The nuts began to rot and had to be changed regularly without any evidently being taken. We haven’t had any red squirrels visit for a few years now and the last one I saw was hanging from the mouth of a cat. A few days later, the man at the property where the cat disappeared to (when I ran after it up the lane) told me the cat wasn’t his but had been dumped and then had a litter of kittens and he admitted he’d found the tail of a red squirrel at his back door. It was so sad.

Yesterday when hubby and I went for a walk in the bluebell woods where the reds used to come from, we spotted 1 grey squirrel (new to this area) but no reds. Where have they all gone?

We have happy memories, loads of photos and some video of them, but how we wish we could see them again. I hope you enjoy seeing just a few photos we have of our lost family of squirrels.

[eekt]

Sadly greys are much more 'successful' than reds as they have a much wider range of foraging habitat...reds only eat pine nut kernels (and peanuts clearly )...there might be a red squirrel conservation programme in your area (either through DEFRA or the equivalent or informally) which normally includes reducing grey numbers, but sadly it's the only way to protect the number of reds...there's one at Kielder: nwt.org.uk/what-we-do/proje...

Lovely pics, here's to the return of the reds! xxx

[Spotty-ewe in reply to eekt]

Yes, we’ve been told exactly this by conservation staff at a nearby conservation centre. It is very sad but I suppose it is what comes of humans interfering with nature and introducing the new species (greys) which also carry a virus to which the reds have no immunity. Yet another virus being a killer, to the poor reds anyway.😫

Lovely to hear from you Eekt and thanks for the info and link. 👍🏻👍🏻

Keep safe. 🤗😘

[eekt in reply to Spotty-ewe]

Thanks Spotty-ewe, yes, think the greys were introduced by the Victorians to Princess Street Gardens in Edinburgh for amusement ?...but things can be done, and my hound played her part in red squirrel conservation ...they're making a strong comeback in the Borders now!

You too, stay safe xxx

PS first year at primary school, our hippy music teacher playing acoustic guitar used to make us sing 'where have all the flowers gone' every week, didn't know what it meant when I was five, ah memories ! xxx

[Spotty-ewe in reply to eekt]

Good for your hound!! 👏🏻👏🏻 Yes, the Victorians have left us quite a legacy haven’t they - they introduced greys, Himalayan balsam, Japanese knotweed to name just a few. As the song says, ‘When will they ever learn?’ So glad you know it. Hubby said, young folk won’t know what you are talking about. 😂😂

Reds were plentiful here in Dumfries and Galloway and no greys reported, but I fear the tables are slowly beginning to turn.

Thanks for you kind wishes Eekt. 🤗😘

[whisperit in reply to Spotty-ewe]

There are projects supporting Reds in D&G, but the scale of the problem is a bit daunting. Here's some recent news (in case you haven't already read it) scottishsquirrels.org.uk/20...

Lovely pix, spotty x

[Spotty-ewe in reply to whisperit]

Thanks for that link Whisperit. 👍🏻👍🏻 Very interesting how they carry out the surveys, and how quickly a whole population of reds can be wiped out by the squirrel pox carried by the greys. Perhaps that is what has happened here. 😫 Very sad.

Glad you enjoyed seeing the pix. 😊

Take care. 🤗😘

[stiff19 in reply to Spotty-ewe]

Am I young then 🙈😂😂😂😂x

[Spotty-ewe in reply to stiff19]

Compared with me, definitely!! 😂😂

[stiff19 in reply to Spotty-ewe]

Not a lot of difference there 😂 we are young ..... in mind 😂😂👍😘x

[Spotty-ewe in reply to stiff19]

That is very true, young at heart and young in mind.👍🏻👍🏻 As long as we aren’t in our second childhood! 😂😂

[Horsewhisper in reply to eekt]

Sounds like my primary school!! We sang along to Cat Stevens and Bob Dylan! A progressive early 70’s education was fab - we spent more time singing and going on long nature walks around the village than doing anything else! Loved our hippie teachers...well some of them may have over done it with the mind expanding chemicals when they were students! 😜xx

[Spotty-ewe in reply to Horsewhisper]

I took my pupils on many nature walks too, when it was relevant to schools programmes we watched or to work we were doing in class. Sadly modern red tape in the form of health and safety regulations and needing parental consent for anything involving leaving the school premises, has put a stop to ‘spur of the moment’ nature rambles. I have many happy memories of those with my pupils. They learned so much without even realising it. 👍🏻👍🏻😁😁

[Horsewhisper in reply to Spotty-ewe]

How lovely - kids are such sponges aren’t they? So much gets absorbed without them realising it - especially when allowed to go off the school premises on an “adventure”. So much red tape these days, such a shame as it may well limit the learning. Happy memories we have at least! 😀xx

[Spotty-ewe in reply to Horsewhisper]

Definitely! One pupil Iona, aged 6 at the time (now a mother of 3 herself) asked me why the Cuckoo says cuckoo. I wasn’t sure so said “I suppose it is calling to it’s mate.” She thought for a moment and then said, “Well that makes a change from coo-ee!” Aren’t they funny! 😆🥰 xx

[Horsewhisper in reply to Spotty-ewe]

😂 From the mouths of babes! What a funny response! Makes sense though! How nice that you know what your school kids are up to now, fab memories to cherish for sure! Xx

[Spotty-ewe in reply to Horsewhisper]

Absolutely. They are like family to me. 🥰 Talking of which, how are your family of birds? Are they still human-watching at your meal times? 🐤🐦🐧 😆

[Horsewhisper in reply to Spotty-ewe]

The iPhone camera lens extension arrived yesterday! Hubby set it all up and bought some new bird feeders to attract some more/different types of birds. The zoom is x36 and the phone sits on a tripod, so it will be nice and still. We pic-nicked in the garden yesterday evening so the birdies were probably watching us from a different vantage point! Can’t wait to take some pics and will definitely post some here. Hope all good with you Spotty, it’s so nice to share nature stories! How is the woodland btw? Maybe some wild life will take refuge in your garden? 😘

[Spotty-ewe in reply to Horsewhisper]

Sounds like you are all set to get some great shots. 🤞🤞 I look forward to seeing them on your future posts.

My local councillor sent me a reply he’d had from the powers that be which included links regarding application for felling and rules that had to be adhered to regarding wildlife and he asked me to read them and get back to him. I did that and yesterday he told me he was going to phone Scottish Natural Heritage. He hasn’t got back to me yet, so presumably it is being looked into. But the crux of the matter is that felling should not have taken place during the breeding season, so I hope SNH follow this up. 🙏🏻

I can’t see into the wren’s nest in my coconut bird house which hangs outside my shed but I heard gentle pecking from the inside of it yesterday, so I think there are babies in there now. It is so lovely we have nature around us and are able to share our stories.

Take care Horsewhisper x 🤗😘

[CecilyParsley]

I love your photos what a terrible shame that your family of squirrels have gone. Such wonderful creatures 🐿🐿🐿

[Spotty-ewe in reply to CecilyParsley]

They are indeed Cecily. So glad you liked the photos. 👍🏻 They were such a joy to watch. 😊 Take care. 🤗😘

[Ceri-NorthWales]

Brilliant photos 💕 Lots of grey squirrels around here, it's been so nice walking across the gold course with the squirrels adn rabbits running across, too. Don't think I've ever seen a red squirrely in person? I must've done at some point though. I spent my childhood on farms as my dad was a farmer, so must've seen red squirrels at some point.

The local golf course is reopening tomorrow, so sadly no more nice walks across it. It's huge as well - 250 acres! From tomorrow, it's just walking the public footpath across the course.

[Spotty-ewe in reply to Ceri-NorthWales]

Good to hear from you Ceri. Sounds like enjoyable walks with good company over the golf course. 👍🏻👍🏻 You’ll miss it when it reopens but hopefully the squirrels and rabbits will still accompany you beside the public path. 🤞🤞 Take care. 🤗😘

[Ceri-NorthWales in reply to Spotty-ewe]

Thank you, it has been nice being out in green spaces. So good for the mind and soul. In a much better place than where I was in March and April (thankfully!), just the lack of primary healthcare that is the issue that I can't get past. Hope you're keeping well, saw a post from you and had to look 🤗

[Spotty-ewe in reply to Ceri-NorthWales]

I’m so pleased to hear you are feeling much better now. 👍🏻👍🏻 Yes, the lack of primary healthcare is appalling, but nature I find is a good doctor, nurse and counsellor. I always feel better for a walk in the countryside or working in the garden with the birds singing and watching what I’m doing. It is so heart-warming and I’m sorting out my problems in my head at the same time. ☺️

Glad you looked at my post Ceri and that you enjoyed seeing the red squirrels. Take good care of yourself. Love and hugs 🤗😘 Spotty 💕

[thestorm]

O' Spotty, they are so sweet, and beautiful, I am thankful you have these photos to share. Squirrels are pretty fast creatures, a cat maybe able to possibly get a few. But not all of them... They are unique to your reagen. I would look this up on line and see what specialist say could drive them away. Especially if you found none coming back when food was readily available to feed on... What a shame. I pray they will return. Thank you for sharing such special creatures with us.. Please let us know if you see any this season.. Blessings, and love,Xxx thestormy sunshine

[Spotty-ewe in reply to thestorm]

Thanks Stormy. We leave a few nuts in the squirrel feeder so we can see if they ever return even when we aren’t watching. So far the nuts are not being touched. But we keep hoping and praying they will return. They are indeed beautiful creatures and it is sad they are becoming so rare. I’ll let you know if we see any. Take care. 🤗😘

[stiff19]

Lovely photos, yes it’s a shame would be nice to see more reds 👍🙌🏻😍

[Spotty-ewe in reply to stiff19]

You’d enjoy them Stiff. 🥰 They are better mannered than the greys 😁 We never had trouble with them messing with our flower pots or flower borders. The most they did was bury some of the nuts in the lawn, which is what the squirrel in the last photo is doing, but as lawn is a polite term for our weed-riddled grassy area we didn’t mind at all. 😂😂. Take care Stiff. 🤗😘

[stiff19 in reply to Spotty-ewe]

I sure would spotty, 👍 I love my grey neighbours but l Pulled up 5 cookers growing fast last week 😂😂, shame but I don’t want Conker trees taking over 😂

Bless them you never know they may return 🙏🤞

Take care too 😘🤗

[Spotty-ewe in reply to stiff19]

😂😂 It sounds like the greys are trying to grow a forest in your garden! 😉🙃 Cheeky devils. 🤣🤣

[stiff19 in reply to Spotty-ewe]

So glad you realised I meant conkers not cookers 😂😂 that would be a site to see 😂👍🤪

[Spotty-ewe in reply to stiff19]

😂😂 Conjurs up all sorts of images 🍳🥘🥞🧆🥟🥧

😋😋 A garden in good taste! 😉

[Horsewhisper]

Hi Spotty, what a lovely pic collage of gorgeous red squirrel memories! It’s sad that they have been out numbered by the greys and wiped out by disease. Sad that you don’t see them anymore. It reminds me of 20 years ago when huge flocks of starlings used to swoop around together in the evening sky - they moved together like one entity and made that amazing whooshing sound - that has gone too. Anyway on a brighter note, there is a lovely barn owl up the lane that on a couple of occasions before lockdown, has flown alongside the car above a hedgerow for about half a mile then swooped off to his barn. We couldn’t get a phone out quick enough to video it! It would have been amazing if we could have captured that! Hope all good with you Spotty glad to hear you are enjoying your time outside in the countryside and garden. I agree it is the best tonic and it’s free! Nothing like a bit of nature to nourish the soul and clear the head 🐿🐝🦋🍃🌿🌺😘

[Spotty-ewe in reply to Horsewhisper]

Oh wow, that would have been fabulous to get video of the owl flying beside your car. Isn’t it always typical you never have your camera/phone handy when you need it! Never mind seeing it is the main thing. Wonderful experience.😍

Glad you like the pic collage of the lovely squirrels. We miss them. But we do have starlings now, one of which has nested in a part of our roof! Oops. Hubby will make sure that doesn’t happen next year. Hopefully we’ll have enough for a murmuration one day. 😆🤞🤞 Gretna has fabulous murmurations each evening at dusk and as a passenger in the car when we’ve been passing through Gretna at that time I’ve really enjoyed watching their synchronised flying. Fantastic! I haven’t heard the whooshing sound though being in the car. That must be amazing. I’ll ask hubby to stop the car next time (as long as we are off the motorway! 😂) so we can experience that. Thanks for sharing that. 👍🏻👍🏻 Take care. 🐣🐛🦋🌲🦡🐞🦌

[Horsewhisper]

Hi Spotty, good for you for contacting SNH and yes the most important thing is that they are clearing the woodland during the active breeding season, which is just tragic for the wildlife and quite inconsiderate I think. Lovely to hear some pecking in the wren’s nest - they are such tiny birds aren’t they? I’ll see if we can get a pic of the woodpecker who comes down from his nest building shift in the evenings to observe what we are having for supper! Had some fun out near the pond today and will post a pic shortly! 🐣🦆xx

[Spotty-ewe in reply to Horsewhisper]

It is our local councillor who is contacting SNH, so I hope they do something about it. I haven’t heard any machinery working in the woods today, so maybe they’ve been told to stop until the enquiry is over.🤞

Yes the wrens are tiny and so cute, but very industrious wee birds. Their nest within the coconut appears to be a work of art what we can see of it.👏🏻

What sort of woodpeckers do you get? We have greater spotted woodpeckers here. Mr and Mrs come regularly to the nut feeder and usually before summer is out the young wearing their cute red berets come with them. 👍🏻 A sparrow hawk tried to take Mr Woodpecker one day several years ago and hubby threw open the kitchen window and shouted at it. He dropped Mr W near the burn who quickly scrambled into a hollow and luckily next day he was back at the nuts looking a bit dirty but otherwise none the worse for his misadventure.

I look forward to seeing some of your pics soon. 👍🏻👍🏻 🐣🐥🕊🦔

[Horsewhisper]

Hi Spotty, glad to hear the wood clearing has stopped for the time being, let’s hope SNH make it a permanent halt, it’s good that you raised it with the local council. 👍

We have a green woodpecker who visits our garden in the evening and hops about in the trees in the garden (whilst we are eating supper of course!) then disappears again. It’s only a fleeting visit and he seems quite elusive. Since setting up the iPhone zoom lens on the dining room table the birdie visits have been a bit more sporadic! I think they know!! Having said that we watched an amusing courtship ritual between Mr & Mrs Blackbird yesterday evening - she really played hard to get and every time she turned her back on him, he hopped in huge leaps and bounds to get closer to her and soon as she turned round he stopped dead in his tracks and pretended to look for a worm! One thing this whole lockdown situation has given us is time - time to sit for longer and to watch in detail. Another dimension to life that previously had gone a little unacknowledged, well, in our family at least! So some nice benefits, which keep us positive. I will try and post some pics later. Have a lovely weekend! 🦆🦆🦆😘

[Spotty-ewe in reply to Horsewhisper]

Oh isn’t that typical that they are being elusive when you have your phone set up!? 🤦‍♀️ A little birdie must have told them! 😂😂

Yes, some good has come out of this dreadful lockdown - more time to do things we normally didn’t have tome for. Mind you, I still feel there aren’t enough hours in the day! 😆

I haven’t seen a green woodpecker in the flesh, so that is lovely to have. I look forward to seeing some of your photos once the birds co-operate!

Enjoy your weekend! 🐣🐥🐝🦋🐞