Pets & Wildlife

SEEING RED

Red squirrels were the UK’s native species until the introduction of their grey cousins all but wiped them out, leaving just a few sanctuaries where they still thrive – including one in the Shire patch

There are two species of squirrel in the UK, red squirrels and grey squirrels. The population of reds is currently estimated at just 140,000 compared to 2.5 million grey – although red squirrels lived here for around 10,000 years before their grey cousins were introduced from North America by the Victorians in the 1800s. Colonies of red squirrels once thrived across Shropshire and Cheshire, but sadly they were wiped out by the spread of their counterparts in the 1970s. But there is one spot in Wales where they are doing well, thanks to local wildlife schemes and the hard work of the Woodland Trust – Anglesey.

The island is a red squirrel success story. As part of a restoration project, grey squirrels have been cleared from its woodland and the population of reds has been boosted. Thought to number just 40 individuals less than 20 years ago, it is now home to as many as 700 red squirrels.

“Anglesey is a success story, home to as many as 700 red squirrels”

Not out of the woods yet

The flash of a red squirrel leaping from branch to branch is an unforgettable and increasingly rare sight in the UK’s woods. There is a confirmed population in Formby and occasional reports of sightings in other areas of England. In Scotland, in many cases, red squirrels have retreated to wilder, more remote locations. Unfortunately, without conservation management, they could become extinct in England in as little as 10 years. Time is really running out to save this childhood favourite with its familiar bushy tail. The red squirrel is famed for its orange-red fur but is actually quite variable in colour, ranging from vivid ginger to dark brown. In winter, the fur is often tinged with grey, and large tufts develop above the ears. Red squirrels have a large tail that is almost as long as their body. They rely on trees for their food, with their diet mainly made up of seeds and nuts. Pine seeds are a particular favourite, but they will also take hazelnuts and the seeds of larch and spruce. Tree shoots, bark, lichen and fungi are other sources of fuel, along with fruit. Young birds and eggs may be scavenged but this is rare. In autumn, squirrels will bury seeds and nuts, ready to be eaten when food is scarce. They do not hibernate, although they may be less active in winter.

Anglesey is a conservation success story Thered

DID YOU KNOW? Squirrels communicate by twitching their tails!

Against the odds

If you do head to Anglesey to try and spot a red squirrel, the best time to go is in autumn, when they are busy preparing their winter larder. Be prepared to look up, as they spend far less of their time at ground level than their grey counterparts.

Red squirrels have undergone one of the most drastic declines of all UK mammals as they just don’t have the survival skills of their grey cousins. The larger greys are able to outcompete reds and they also carry the squirrelpox virus, which they are immune to but which is fatal to red squirrels.

The Woodland Trust is helping to conserve the red squirrel by protecting its habitat, supporting grey squirrel management in red squirrel areas and by backing research that suggests the recovery of pine martens could help boost red squirrel numbers by reversing the spread of invasive greys. www.woodlandtrust.org.uk

Cute Pets

WIN

a £25 voucher for

Bradeley Green pet store in Whitchurch, to spend in-store or online at petcetera.co.uk

Milo, Yoda and Spike

Tilly showing o her new chew

Brodie Dora on top of the world!

Bobby

Congratulations to Sue, owner of Jorgie who wins this issue’s Cute Pets competition!

Scooby Lou Solo

Honey Bun the rescue

Tayza

Shady and Herbie Sadie

Rufus the standard Schnauzer

Sandy the golden retriever

Elle on border patrol Bailey

Billy the Sta e Douglas with his favourite read

Charlie Lacey and Goji the kittens

Win some pet treats! To enter, email a photograph of your pet and their name to editorial@shiremagazine.co.uk and the Shire team will pick the winner!

WATCH THE BIRDIE

With figures still showing an alarming decline in our native bird species, charities and conservationists are urging people to help our feathered friends this winter

This is always an important month for bird-lovers as the RSPB holds its annual Big Garden Birdwatch (this year from 28th to 30th January) and asks as many people as possible to join in. To take part, you simply count the birds you see in your garden, from your balcony or in your local park, for a full hour anytime between these dates and let the charity know what you spot.

Designed to be suitable for everyone, whether you’re a complete beginner or a fully fledged expert, you’ll get all the help you need when you sign up, from bird ID to caring for your winter visitors. You’ll find plenty of advice on how to attract garden birds and how to identify them – and you never know what you might see. Maybe you’ll enjoy a charm of chattering goldfinches or a flock of feisty sparrows? Or will it be the soulful song of a robin that wins your heart? Everything you log will help the charity in its vital conservation and protection work by informing them of which birds are in decline and which are on the up.

Reporting back

More than 17 million birds were counted in Big Garden Birdwatch 2021. It was the organisation’s biggest Birdwatch ever, with over a million people taking part. Top spot went to the house sparrow; this plucky little bird took the Birdwatch crown for the 18th year running, although blackbirds and robins also did well, moving up the spotters’ table to come in at 4th and 6th place respectively. Meanwhile, finch numbers have continued to fall, with the lowest numbers ever recorded for greenfinches and chaffinches.

The sad truth is that there are actually far fewer birds around. Over the past 50 years, 40 million birds have vanished from the UK’s skies. And it’s not just birds that are suffering. The RSPB’s latest State of Nature report found that around two-fifths of UK species are in decline, including turtle doves, red squirrels and water voles. Nature needs our help like never before. Find out how to join in and do your bit for birds and wildlife at www.rspb.org.uk Master of song, the blackbird

The house sparrow has topped the charts for 18 years

UK’s top ten most commonly spotted birds

1. House sparrow 6. Robin 2. Blue tit 7. Great tit 3. Starling 8. Goldfinch 4. Blackbird 9. Magpie 5. Woodpigeon 10. Long-tailed tit

Robin is the gardener’ s companion

PROJECT PARADISE

Cheshire Wildlife Trust shares its plans to turn exhausted farmland into a wildlife haven of meadows, woodland and ponds

Having successfully raised the money to buy some Cheshire farmland at the end of last year, Cheshire Wildlife Trust is about to start transforming it into a wildlife paradise. The Saltersford Farm plot, on the banks of the River Dane, is equivalent in size to 25 football pitches. But years of ploughing and fertilising have eroded the soil and sent chemicals into the water.

The Trust plans to plant trees to join up the existing patches and create homes for woodland dwellers like tawny owls. Digging ponds will attract waders like curlew and lapwing, while species-rich new grassland will provide homes to bees, butterflies and other insects as well as small mammals.

A spokesperson for the Trust said: “Saltersford Farm is less than a mile from our Swettenham Valley reserve, so buying this land will help create

a corridor for plants and animals to move freely through the valley. Imagine wildflowers perfuming the air where butterflies drift by day and owls quarter by “We can night. A pristine river invites make this jewel-coloured dragonflies a reality but we and even the flash of a kingfisher. We can make this a reality in the Dane Valley still need but we still need your help.” your help” Over the next two years they need to repay a £400,000 loan from the charitable trust that helped to buy the land, while the ambitious five-year restoration plan is expected to cost around £200,000. To donate, visit www.cheshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/Saltersfordfarm

Will the kingfisher return?