Meet a red squirrel at the ever popular Red Squirrel Day this Saturday at Mount Stewart in Newtownards, Co. Down, and we guarantee you'll come away with a quite different view of these little garden escapologists.
The garden's Red Squirrel trail is a good excuse to look around the magnificent grounds as it takes in the path around the lake, the Lily Wood and Rhododendron Hill as well as the glorious formal gardens. On the way you'll find squirrel feeders where you can watch this well-loved wild creature's acrobatic high jinks.
Red squirrels are endangered in Ireland thanks to habitat loss, disease and competition for resources from the ubiquitous grey squirrel – also a thorn in the side of gardeners thanks to its habit of stealing wild bird food, stripping bark off fruit trees and devouring just-planted tulip bulbs.
Squirrels make amusing visitors to your wildlife garden, though, so enjoy their antics without the worry by taking a few precautions. You'll find all you need at our garden centre here in Athlone. Squirrel-proof bird-feeders allow wild birds in while keeping long-tailed opportunists out. Cover tulip and crocus bulbs with wire mesh, pegged down securely. And use tree guards on vulnerable trees to protect the bark.
