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Red Squrrils back in the Phoenix Park

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  • 09-02-2007 9:04pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,326 ✭✭✭


    Red Squirrels are to be re-introduced to the Phoenix Park, over the last few months there has been a Grey squirrel trapping program in the grounds of Ashtown Castle, Phoenix Park,....once trapped the squirrels are fitted with radio collars & data on their movements is being analyzed to discover the Grey’s habits in the local area & see how far they range from the home patch, this data will help in deciding when & where to introduce the first Red Squirrel population,
    Dublin Zoo have active breeding Red Squirrels & will provide the breeding stock.

    BTW visitors to Ashtown castle can see lots of Greys running about with Tiny radio collars on.


Comments

  • Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 1,139 ✭✭✭artieanna


    Just curious are there any other places in ireland where you can see grey or red squirrels in the wild??


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,620 ✭✭✭Roen


    Hi Artieanna,
    I posted this in the Otters in Ireland thread.
    http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=52754444&postcount=18


  • Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 1,139 ✭✭✭artieanna


    Thanks roen just saw that....


  • Registered Users Posts: 21,466 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    artieanna wrote:
    Just curious are there any other places in ireland where you can see grey or red squirrels in the wild??
    I'm fairly certain I've seen red squirrels in the woods along the road that runs alongside Lough Dan in Wicklow.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,159 ✭✭✭mobby


    I saw a Red Squirrel in the Phoenix park near the Knockmaroon Gate just beside the girls school last Tuesday 13th Feb. Tiny little thing much smaller then the grey. First red I have seen in a long time.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,326 ✭✭✭lensman


    mobby wrote:
    I saw a Red Squirrel in the Phoenix park near the Knockmaroon Gate just beside the girls school last Tuesday 13th Feb. Tiny little thing much smaller then the grey. First red I have seen in a long time.
    The red's have been missing from the Phoenix Park for 20yrs !! are you 100% sure ? sometimes the greys take on a red/brown tint to their coat in winter/spring & in the right type of light they can almost fool you.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,159 ✭✭✭mobby


    lensman wrote:
    The red's have been missing from the Phoenix Park for 20yrs !! are you 100% sure ? sometimes the greys take on a red/brown tint to their coat in winter/spring & in the right type of light they can almost fool you.

    I am almost sure lensman I was stuck in a line of traffic at the time it disappeared into the grass, very small and defiantly red. travel out that way most evenings so will keep a look out and have camera at the ready:)


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,001 ✭✭✭✭Flukey


    Have you ever seen a black squirrel? This is some footage I shot in Toronto in 2002.

    Black Squirrels.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,620 ✭✭✭Roen


    Flukey wrote:
    Have you ever seen a black squirrel? This is some footage I shot in Toronto in 2002.

    Black Squirrels.
    Pure evil I tells ya!
    I've seen em on Flickr once or twice, and coincidentally enough they were in Toronto as well.
    I wonder are they just found in North America?


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,001 ✭✭✭✭Flukey


    They are common there, whatever about them being exclusive.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 13,513 ✭✭✭✭fits


    Alun wrote:
    I'm fairly certain I've seen red squirrels in the woods along the road that runs alongside Lough Dan in Wicklow.

    Yup lots of red squirrels around there. Unfortunately my dog caught and killed one a few months ago:( I was gutted.
    I *suspect* that the local gamekeepers are shooting the grey squirrels, as their numbers have dwindled in the area in the last 18 months, and I mostly just see the red guys these days.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 18,239 ✭✭✭✭WindSock


    artieanna wrote:
    Just curious are there any other places in ireland where you can see grey or red squirrels in the wild??

    I saw 3 grey squirrels in St Annes Park last week. Got up right beside two.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 49,621 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    if you catch a grey in the phoenix park, are you allowed eat it?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,487 ✭✭✭boneless


    if you catch a grey in the phoenix park, are you allowed eat it?

    Only if you share it with me....:D They are quite tasty....


  • Registered Users Posts: 15,416 ✭✭✭✭Supercell


    artieanna wrote:
    Just curious are there any other places in ireland where you can see grey or red squirrels in the wild??

    There are reds here in the local woods in Annamoe.

    Until recently I never appreciated just how tiny they are in comparison to the greys as had only seen them on TV.

    For every red I see I'd count at least 10 greys in the same interval. They really are so much bigger than the reds and more brazen.

    The reds are petite and far more shy than the greys though, I hope this is contributing to their much rarer sightings.

    I personally think our natural countryside will have lost something special when the greys eventually wipe out the reds apart from protected areas like Pheonix park:(

    Have a weather station?, why not join the Ireland Weather Network - http://irelandweather.eu/



  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 49,621 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    i'm surprised that they're not extending this scheme to the botanic gardens; given that there are trees in the botanic gardens which are extremely rare in ireland, and the damage greys do, one might have thought that they would be at the forefront in these schemes.
    also, the greys there would be easy to trap.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 643 ✭✭✭Beelzebub


    Flukey wrote:
    Have you ever seen a black squirrel? This is some footage I shot in Toronto in 2002.

    Black Squirrels.

    He timed that crossing well!

    I saw some in Michigan a few years back. I'll try to dig up some pics I took if I can find them!

    Not sure if they're related to the grey squirrel or not.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 643 ✭✭✭Beelzebub


    artieanna wrote:
    Just curious are there any other places in ireland where you can see grey or red squirrels in the wild??

    There used to be some reds in Cabinteely park, haven't been there in a while though.


  • Registered Users Posts: 273 ✭✭hibby


    A few years ago I saw a red squirrel sitting on a boulder beside a busy road adjacent to Ballawley Park in Sandyford, Dublin. I mentioned it to a person who works in the national parks and wildlife service and he said "no you didn't - it must have been a grey that looked reddish". No wonder they think there are no reds in the area if they deny every reported sighting!

    Just a few days ago I saw a grey in a roadside hedge near Stepaside and the next day my wife (and dog!) saw one in Marlay Park, Rathfarnham.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1 Spudy1


    Hi all,

    An all Ireland squirrel survey is currently underway. So if you want to report your sightings go to www.irishsquirrelsurvey.com


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 119 ✭✭Lillyella


    Saw two grey squirrels in Malahide Castle grounds last week. Bloody thugs!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,581 ✭✭✭dodgyme


    I shoot ever grey squirrel I saw if I had a gun with me. I'd also shoot ever mink, the damage they do to bird and fish life alike. Poor old redzer is pushed out at this stage.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 11,390 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hermy


    Over the past twenty years I've been attracting all sorts of birds to my back garden in a built-up suburb in Dublin North East. The list of birds is not inconsiderable but two days ago I had a surprise visitor of the non-feathered variety. A grey squirrel spent about half an hour on the feeder gorging itself on peanuts - might have stayed there all day despite the advances of a young magpie, but eventually left when older and much more aggressive magpie turned up. Turned up again yesterday for a repeat performance including the bullying and I was surprised that the squirrel disregarded all but the most hostile actions of the magpie. I am left wondering what threat the magpie poses to the squirrel.

    Genealogy Forum Mod



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