Squirrel Nutkin

Today's the day ……………………. for help from a predator

We joined an interesting zoom presentation last night, hosted by the Galloway Glens Landscape Partnership - all about red squirrels.

They are doing rather well in Dumfries & Galloway.  This is mainly because there are a number of well-organised volunteer groups looking after them on the ground as part of the work of organisations such as 'Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels' and the Red Squirrel Forum for South Scotland.  But as we heard last night, help also seems to be coming in the unlikely shape of the growing population of Pine Martens associated with them.  Pine Martens are omnivorous and are predators of small mammals such as squirrels.  But for reasons that are, as yet, unclear - red squirrel populations thrive and grey squirrel populations decline, when Pine Martens are on the scene.  It's a fascinating topic and there's much-needed research going on at the present time to shed some light on why this should be the case.

All that talk about red squirrels made me want to see one with my own eyes.  So I took myself off to Barrhill Woods where the local Kirkcudbright Red Squirrel Group have a hide.  The hide has not been open to the public since the start of covid, but that was no problem.  I just stood quietly and this little chap scampered up to one of the peanut feeders as if I wasn't there.

I was most definitely in his patch - but he seemed to be able to cope without any trouble …………………..