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Sunflower Rank attained: Hawthorn Tree

Joined: 10 Mar 2009 Posts: 68 Location: Galway City
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Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2015 8:41 pm Post subject: Beautiful Red Squirrel in my garden |
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We had the most beautiful visitor one afternoon last week - a red squirrel who scampered along our front wall and disappeared into the trees along the side of the house. He took his time, I had a good look at him and he def wasn't something else.
We live close to Kilcornan in Clarinbridge where they're often seen Galway yet this is the first time I've seen one so close - and v chilled out too!
Anybody else have any experience with them - I'd love to see more of them and I def don't see them as vermin as some do.
One neighbour suggested they're after the bird food but there's a lazy labrador who keeps watch there. He barks at the bigger birds so I'm sure a squirrel would send him nuts  |
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Good guy Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 11 Feb 2013 Posts: 2593 Location: Donegal
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Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2015 11:04 pm Post subject: |
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I've only seen red squirrels three times in my whole life. The first time was at primary school near Enniskillen; there was a wood close to the school and one day I saw a squirrel running up to a high branch on a beech tree.
The second time was in the late 60s, early one morning when I was walking down the pedestrian ramp to Highgate tube statio in London. There was one sitting, cool as you like, on the bank, waiting for titbits.
The third time was a few years ago in Ards Forest Park in Donegal. They are beautiful little creatures. |
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5146 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 12:01 pm Post subject: |
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They are rare indeed. The greys have decimated them. Interesting story to how the greys were introduced here. Not 100% sure of the facts but here is what I remember. An Earl brought a basket of them to Meath for a wedding present and they got loose Two or three centuries ago. Look it up yourselves. _________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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medieval knievel Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 1010
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Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 12:32 pm Post subject: |
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i think it's not that long ago - only about 100 years ago; i've heard it's the only invasive species introduction which was caught on camera.
there's good news for the reds with the resurgence of pine marten numbers though - worth looking up. |
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5146 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 1:32 pm Post subject: |
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I would have to wonder whether a pine marten cares whether it eats a red or a grey or is it purely a percentages thing? _________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5146 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:40 pm Post subject: |
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Dug the following out of somewhere.
Grey squirrels are an alien species, originally came from the forests of eastern North America, that were introduced into Ireland in 1911 to Castle Forbes in Co. Longford, (“a wicker hamper containing 8 or 12 squirrels, a wedding present from the Duke of Buckingham to one of the daughters of the house, was opened on the lawn after the wedding breakfast, whereupon the bushy tailed creatures quickly leapt out and scampered off into the woods where they went forth and multiplied”) and sadly, their success has been to the detriment of our native red squirrels. At present they are found mostly in the eastern and northern parts of the country, having colonised 20 counties, with the river Shannon providing some kind of obstacle for their progress into the west of the country. _________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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medieval knievel Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 1010
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Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:50 pm Post subject: |
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tagwex wrote: | I would have to wonder whether a pine marten cares whether it eats a red or a grey or is it purely a percentages thing? |
greys would typically spend more time on the ground than reds, and are heavier too - so they're more easily predated/scared away from their haunts, and even if a pine marten did get up into the trees, the reds being lighter are able to get out onto branches the pine martens can't follow them onto. |
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kindredspirit Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 10 Nov 2008 Posts: 2283 Location: Mid-west.
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Good guy Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 11 Feb 2013 Posts: 2593 Location: Donegal
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Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 9:22 pm Post subject: |
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I saw a pine marten once, near Doolin.
As for the squirrels, I think Wagtex is moving in the right direction (for once). I don't think its a matter of predation by pine martens that holds back the greys, so much as competition for a similar piece of the ecosystem. |
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5146 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 10:34 pm Post subject: |
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Are you agreeing with me AGAIN bad yug? Wonders will never cease! Anyways that wasn't the point I was making but MK may have made a good point about the greys spending more time on the ground. _________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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Blowin Rank attained: Vegetable garden tender
Joined: 20 Aug 2008 Posts: 919 Location: Drimoleague, Co Cork
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Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2015 5:14 am Post subject: |
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I did see a red about six years ago in the fir woods behind Gougane Barra but understand most of the trees were cleared to prevent a (tree) disease spreading. So, whether or not they've survived, I don't know.
Mercifully, coming from a land where they're everywhere, I haven't seen a grey since arriving in West Cork in 2007. The UK term for the greys is American Tree Rat! _________________ A novice gardener on newly cultivated, stoney ground. |
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5146 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2015 8:51 am Post subject: |
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Well they are a rodent after all. Regularly see greys around here. _________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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Sunflower Rank attained: Hawthorn Tree

Joined: 10 Mar 2009 Posts: 68 Location: Galway City
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Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2015 3:37 pm Post subject: |
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had a chat with another neighbour who's been here for over 20yrs and he said he used to see loads of them but not so many of late.
When he does it's usually walking his dog through the woods, not so much around here so I feel lucky to have seen it - hope I don't have to wait 20yrs for my next sighting.
We're a loud group when walking in woods with 3 little kids who don't understand the concept of quiet - I won't spot too many with them...they've heard us well before that! |
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5146 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2015 12:35 pm Post subject: |
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Spotted a young red this morning in a wood. Who should I report the sighting to? _________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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Good guy Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 11 Feb 2013 Posts: 2593 Location: Donegal
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Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2015 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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Biodiversity Ireland collates all records. They are only up the road from you - next county. |
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