Winter Wildlife

The chill of December and January brings with it amorous action in the forests and hills as the mating season for foxes commences and red squirrels begin their courtship rituals. It is easier to find the endangered, bushy tailed red squirrel at this time of year as the trees have lost their leaves. And with a little help they are becoming more common. The 'Red Squirrels In South Scotland' project, managed by the Southern Uplands Partnership and part funded by Scottish Natural Heritage, is working to protect and enhance key red squirrel habitats in south Scotland.

Squirrels are best seen early in the morning or late in the afternoon because they enjoy a nap around midday. “A squirrel will usually see you before you see it,” says Red Squirrel Conservation Officer Zoe Smolka who works in Dumfries and Galloway. “Every so often, it pays to stop and remain still for 5-10 minutes. Any nearby squirrel frozen to the spot, may feel that the danger has passed and will resume its daily activities.”

Head to Kirroughtree Forest in Galloway Forest Park which is managed by Forest Enterprise and constitutes part of Britain’s largest (300 square miles) forest park. The forest is just three miles from Newton Stewart. There are several way-marked trails around the forest providing great habitat for the thriving red squirrel population found there. There is also a visitor centre at Stronord on the southeastern edge of the forest. Mabie Forest, Drumlanrig Castle Gardens and Dalbeattie Forest are also worth a look if you want to spot one or more of these elusive, bushy tailed tree dwellers. Dalbeattie Forest alone receives some 45,000 visitors a year and has a number of biking and walking trails including a 2 kilometer long ‘Easy Access Trail’ to help people of all abilities experience the forest.

There are many landowners and farmers throughout south Scotland who control grey squirrels in an attempt to slow their spread into red squirrel strongholds. The key to success is thought to be the vast coniferous forests found across south Scotland. Managed appropriately, red squirrels can, and do, survive happily in this type of woodland. Grey squirrels, on the other hand, dislike this type of habitat and much prefer mixed or broadleaved forests.

Further north and up in the hills the plump ptarmigan displays its winter plumage having shed its brown summer feathers. The winter sees the ptarmigan transform itself into a hilltop albino, completely white except for its black tail and black eye-patch. There are about 10,000 pairs in Scotland.. However, the camouflage is so good that spotting ptarmigan in the Cairngorms, or any other mountainous regions above 1000 metres where it lives, is tough. It’s a year round Scottish resident and lives and breeds in much the same area year after year. It forages for shoots, leaves, leaf buds, berries and insects and the bird makes a distinctive harsh croaking noise.

Also found on the high tops are mountain hares. These were introduced to the Pentlands in 1867 and 1868 to provide an additional game species for the area. The hares were shot as part of the popular sport of hare drives during that time. There are thought to be some 350,000 mountain hares in the UK of which only some 500 are found outside Scotland in the Pennines and Peak District. However no systematic survey has ever been carried out. Moors managed for grouse provide the highest populations. Since the 1930's game bags from shooting estates show a steady decline in numbers, but happily they are no longer shot. Their main predators are foxes, stoats, buzzards and eagles.

The hare is brown in colour, but like the ptarmigan, it turns white in winter and is often called the blue hare or white hare. “It is unusual for any of the rangers to see mountain hares whilst out on patrol in the hills nowadays. Hares are largely nocturnal although they may be seen at dusk,” says Susan Falconer, a Senior Ranger in the Pentland Hills regional park. “During late March the first litter is born,” adds Falconer. “So the hares will probably be lying low during February and March.”

They mate from the end of January onwards and the females give birth to one to three offspring between March and July. The main threats to mountain hares are land use changes including afforestation and increased sheep grazing on heather moorland. Although it’s one of the most difficult species to spot in the wild, visitors to the Pentlands could be in luck. “A good site for seeing mountain hares is Ben Chonzie above Loch Turret,” says Falconer. “Whenever I've walked in the area I've always seen them, no guarantees though”

Badgers, with their distinctive black and white head, can be seen throughout the year, but with the days getting shorter it is probably easier to see these nocturnal mammals at this time. You can see badgers throughout Scotland, but some reserves run ‘Badger watches’. Falls of Clyde reserve in New Lanark is run by the Scottish Wildlife Trust. It runs regular badger watches although only in the evening between May - September. Booking is required. For more information or to book, telephone 01555 665262. Badgers live in undergound setts. They can’t see very well and rely heavily on their sense of smell. Being omnivores, they’ll eat anything from frogs to fruits, insects to berries.

November and December continue to be good months for ducks, “It’s a lot easier to see birds in the winter,” says Zul Bhatia, RSPB Lochwinnoch Reserve Manager. A large number and variety of ducks choose Scotland to spend their winter. “Birds like Shoveller duck are quiet common here in the winter,” adds Bhatia. RSPB Lochwinnoch is less than thirty minutes from Glasgow city centre. The small Lochwinnoch train station is right outside the front door of the reserve. Visitors arriving by train pay a discounted entrance fee. The reserve is one of the most popular and well equipped bird reserves in the UK with fantastic views over the loch, reed beds and surrounding Renfrewshire hills.

Goldeneye, red-breasted merganser, shelduck, wigeon, pochard and several types of geese are just a few of the many species in residence during the winter months. Viewing is easy from the spacious, wooded, downstairs window seating area, from the raised platform above the visitor centre or along one of several trails around the shoreline of the loch. “One of our trails now joins a new footpath which takes you straight to Lochwinnoch village so now it’s very easy to walk to the village without going on the roads,” explains Bhatia.

More on red squirrels :
www.red-squirrels.org.uk

Pentland Hills Regional Park
Boghall Farm
Edinburgh

Tel: 0131 229 3663

Kirroughtree Forest Visitor Centre, Newton Stewart.
Tel: 01671 402165

Drumlanrig Castle Gardens and Country Park.
Tel : 01848 330 248

Mabie Forest
Tel: 01387 247745
www.dumfriesandgalloway.co.uk

Lochwinnoch
Renfrewshire
Tel: 01505 842663
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/l/lochwinnoch/index.asp
www.lochwinnoch.info/rspb/