Red Squirrel spotting.

[fluffybiscuits]

Yip, rats with fluffy tails.

EDIT: Sorry fluffy, that was nothing personal.

Just give me a bit of cheese and its all sorted

[5intheface]

Just give me a bit of cheese and its all sorted

Christ we're back on the cheese again.

[eamo]

There are "flying" squirrels, pygmy squirrels, and big bruisers of Indian squirrels.

The tiniest squirrel is the aptly named African pygmy squirrel—only five inches (thirteen centimeters) long from nose to tail. Others reach sizes shocking to those who are only familiar with common tree squirrels. The Indian giant squirrel is three feet (almost a meter) long.

and dont mess with this squirrel:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFWeldHtJgI"]Squirrel vs. Snake - YouTube[/ame]

[Yojimbo]

I saw my first red squirrel in a long time in Monkstown, Co. Cork, an area with lots of oak woodland. I believe they may be mounting a comeback as the native pine marten has developed a taste for grey squirrel and is increasing its range.

[eamo]

Thanks for that Yojimbo. I was not aware of the possible link between the pine marten and the apparent slowing or maybe reversing of the decline of the red squirrel.

These people in UCG are undertaking a study of the interaction of pine martens and squirrels, both red and grey.
Mammal Ecology Group,
National University of Ireland
Galway

Here is the web site for the study and it includes a survey where they want people to report sightings. I have sent in my report.

http://www.woodlandmammals.com/index.php

[Ah Well]

Thanks for that Yojimbo. I was not aware of the possible link between the pine marten and the apparent slowing or maybe reversing of the decline of the red squirrel.

These people in UCG are undertaking a study of the interaction of pine martens and squirrels, both red and grey.
Mammal Ecology Group,
National University of Ireland
Galway

Here is the web site for the study and it includes a survey where they want people to report sightings. I have sent in my report.

http://www.woodlandmammals.com/index.php

Cheers for the link. Must send one in myself

[5intheface]

Saw a shrew in the garden at the weekend, that's a first in decades!

Saw the wee beastie again on Saturday evening and Sunday evening. Saw him/her tonight as well and followed him back and forward along the garden wall. Then I went upstairs, looked out the window and saw a blackbird pummeling it to death. It was picking it up and throwing it around over and over. Went out for a closer look but the bb just scooped the shrew up and headed for the moss.

I'm guessing there may be more than one out there.

[eamo]

Saw the wee beastie again on Saturday evening and Sunday evening. Saw him/her tonight as well and followed him back and forward along the garden wall. Then I went upstairs, looked out the window and saw a blackbird pummeling it to death. It was picking it up and throwing it around over and over. Went out for a closer look but the bb just scooped the shrew up and headed for the moss.

I'm guessing there may be more than one out there.

I did not know blackbirds would attack anything!! I always thought of them as a peace loving sort of creature, all sweet songs and making little blackbirds.

Thought just occurred to me, these were a northern shrew and a northern blackbird, himmmmm, and it was around the marching season. Maybe they were just resolving a traditional dispute

Stereotype jokes, ya just got ta love em

[5intheface]

Stereotype jokes, ya just got ta love em

Is it 'cause I's blackbird?

[eamo]

Is it 'cause I's blackbird?

coming over here, killing our shrews..........................

[Kitty O'Shea]

Spotted a red squirrel in Millstreet County Park along with a Tundra hare and a couple of kestrels. Amazing spot if anyone is every passing by. Apparently the native red squirrel has a white tip on the tail.

[eamo]

Spotted a red squirrel in Millstreet County Park along with a Tundra hare and a couple of kestrels. Amazing spot if anyone is every passing by. Apparently the native red squirrel has a white tip on the tail.

Was the Tundra Hare in its white winter coat or does it need the snow to bring that on?

[goatstoe]

https://vimeo.com/27813425

Here's a clip from a short doc about some odd red squirrel activists in Scotland.

[blokesbloke]

I've never seen a red squirrel where I live (Birmingham UK) but I sometimes see ones which look basically grey with a bit of red fur on their back and I wonder if they are mixes? Do they mate with each other?

[Baron von Biffo]

Spotted a red squirrel in Millstreet County Park along with a Tundra hare and a couple of kestrels. Amazing spot if anyone is every passing by. Apparently the native red squirrel has a white tip on the tail.

There's a survey under way at the moment on white hares.

http://www.mikerendle.co.uk/irishhar...aresurvey.html

They might be interested to hear of your sighting.