AS is often the case these days, red squirrels have been in the news, which is not surprising as they are one of the current major conservation causes for concern.
They were the subject of my highlights of the week in this column two weeks ago. This outlined the apparent success story of the re-introduction of red squirrels to the Dundonnell Estate south of Ullapool.
Readers may recall that 44 red squirrels were caught, under licence, in Moray and Strathspey and realised as part of a feasibility study that started in 2006. They bred successfully in 2009, 2010 and 2011 and the present population was estimated as 240 to 360 red squirrels.
The significance of this programme is whether it can be, or will be, extended into other areas and I will be interested to see what happens from now on. Could it be another helping hand in the conservation of these enigmatic mammals that are so attractive to so many people?
Another reason they have been in the news is some recent publicity given to a report from Oxford University's conservation unit for the People's Trust for Endangered Species.
The report is the State of Britain's Mammals 2011 which says that the red squirrel could be extinct within 20 years. I have sent for a copy of the report, so watch this space.
The report also goes on to say that the hedgehog population has dipped to 1.5 million compared with 30 million in the 1950s.
One worrying mammal - mainly found in Scotland, including the Highlands - is the mountain hare. I have described this species and the threat to its numbers and distribution in this column before but this is the first time I have seen this concern aired elsewhere.
To counterbalance this, the report says that there was good news with for otters, bats and water voles whose numbers have increased. The numbers of brown hare and polecats are also increasing.
Once this report is to hand I will try and analyse it with the Highlands in mind and it should make interesting reading.
The history of the red squirrel in the Highlands is an intriguing and somewhat mysterious one. For example, was it really extinct in the early part of the 19th century? Records indicate that it was re-introduced to the Highlands at one place, the Beaufort Estate west of Inverness in 1844. Could this really have been the only place for the re-introduction bearing in mind how widespread the species became?
They were so common and widespread that between 1903-1946 the Highlands Red Squirrel Club killed thousands of them because of the damage they were doing to trees and shrubs. The records indicate that 102,900 were killed but this must have been much higher as some estates were not part of the club. The estate that killed the most, at 22,766, was the one where they had been re-introduced, the Beaufort Estate.
Another mystery is a little closer to home, as in our strath anyone who feeds wild birds in their garden by putting out peanuts, and that is most people, will get these very attractive visitors.
That is, everyone except us. We have about an acre of ground with mature beech and sycamores and cone bearing sitka spruce, Norway spruce and larch. I have even put out specially designed feeders for the squirrels. Yet ours is the one garden that as far as we know the squirrels have not visited.
This came to a head last week by someone in the strath, Roger Croson, who brought me some photographs he took in his garden near Brin and one is shown here. I am lost for words.
Atlas shows breeding of north-east birds
The highlight of the week for me was the new Breeding Birds of North-East Scotland which I received last week.
This is the first local breeding atlas reissued for any part of Scotland and it also makes comparisons with earlier local and national atlases. It covers Moray, Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City and includes close to half of the Cairngorms National Park.
There is some interesting coverage in the introduction such as the fact that it covers more than 170 species that have nested since 1968 and for 20 of these the region holds more than 10 per cent of the UK breeding population.
Whilst I do visit the eastern parts of the area covered, the whole atlas is entirely compatible with what happens in the Highlands.
The recording took place mainly between 2002 and 2006 but, where possible, information has been updated to 2009.
All the main headings of the text are equally applicable to the Highlands, whether they are covering the Scottish distribution or habitat and breeding biology.
I was particularly interested in the excellent sections on population and trends that pull no punches.
The book looks good and feels good, very tactile and the wide and extensive range of photographs are of the very high standard we can expect these days. How the publishers managed to publish such a superb and comprehensive book for £25 is beyond me, but all concerned should be congratulated on a monumental task. It will act as a baseline for others to try and meet in the future.
The book was published by the Scottish Ornithologists Club and can be purchased from their branch c/o RSPB Scotland, 10 Albyn Terrace, Aberdeen AB10 1YP. Price £25 and add postage and packing of £7 per copy. You will not be disappointed.
