Squirrels. Love ‘em or hate ‘em?

[TRITON]

The exodus started before you might think. There was a major influx of Scots to Ulster in N. Ireland in the early 1600's. In the mid 1800's a large number who could, got out of Ireland at the start of the potato famine.

"The Almighty, indeed, sent the potato blight, but the English created the Famine."
John Mitchel 1861

 

[TRITON]

In your dreams though the Scots sing loudly and are passionate about their country they leave it in droves.

We spread out in an attempt to bring culture to the darker reaches of the world.

Must be when so many live in London

Squirrel sausages, burgers or haggis may be on the menu then for the carnivores, sadly though I can see the vegetarian alternative because for some reason they seem to make vegetarian alternatives along the same lines as the meat ones but don't ask where the dinosaur shapes for kids came from.

Thats a good marketing ploy right there.
Squirrel shaped cooked meat slices

 

[Lons]

We spread out in an attempt to bring culture to the darker reaches of the world.

That's what Putin says. The carp Scottish weather and midges the size of sparrows with the bite of red back spider explains why the scots are so anxious to spread around the world.

I'm only 40 miles from the border so I pack my trusty bayonet and venture across occasionally but always sleep with one eye open,
Had a couple of weeks in the motorhome last month which was nice. Anstruther, Grantown, Drumnadrochit and near Stirling for the Kelpies . Falkirk Wheel which is probably as close as I'd risk going to Glasgow these days. Scotlands secret bunker was very interesting if a bit close to home given what is happening in Ukraine. Scotland's Secret Bunker – Visitor attraction of Scotland's best kept secret

 

[TRITON]

Scotlands secret bunker was very interesting if a bit close to home given what is happening in Ukraine. Scotland's Secret Bunker – Visitor attraction of Scotland's best kept secret

What's funny about that, or at least for the owners is Russia isn't likely to have updated their targeting. So if mad dog putin ever presses the button, 'Scotland's secret bunker' is going to be Scotland's not so secret crater

Anstruther. I've never been there, though worked with a guy who went there every year for his hols. It's somewhere his family went and so he continued on the tradition.
Looks to be a quaint little seaside town. How busy is it in summer ?.

 

[Spectric]

I think the Ukraine war will have helped scottish independance, having Faslane just means you are going to get vapourised along with us so getting independance means you can become non nuclear and not such an obvious target. Also placing distance between your new government and Borris, mistrust and the other cronies in westminster will take you out of the spotlight, also avoid any relationship with Biden who is hell bent on keeping this war going because it helps justify his huge defence budget when peace would only benefit the majority. In fact you would be better off if Mr Trump was president because he would not want the grass at his scottish golf club scorched.

 

[Lons]

What's funny about that, or at least for the owners is Russia isn't likely to have updated their targeting. So if mad dog putin ever presses the button, 'Scotland's secret bunker' is going to be Scotland's not so secret crater

Anstruther. I've never been there, though worked with a guy who went there every year for his hols. It's somewhere his family went and so he continued on the tradition.
Looks to be a quaint little seaside town. How busy is it in summer ?.

Nothing remotely funny about what Putin is doing in Ukraine which any reasonable person is horrified by, it wasn't aimed at that and obviously badly worded by me as all I was doing was suggesting your comment about spreading culture has similarities with a deluded Putin spreading the word that he's liberating the population not waging war. A poor attempt at humour on my part and an attempt to wind you up a bit.

Anstruther is exactly as you describe but within easy reach of St Andrews and a number of pleasant coastal villages, the bunker is only a few miles north.

 

[Lons]

I think the Ukraine war will have helped scottish independance, having Faslane just means you are going to get vapourised along with us so getting independance means you can become non nuclear and not such an obvious target. Also placing distance between your new government and Borris, mistrust and the other cronies in westminster will take you out of the spotlight, also avoid any relationship with Biden who is hell bent on keeping this war going because it helps justify his huge defence budget when peace would only benefit the majority. In fact you would be better off if Mr Trump was president because he would not want the grass at his scottish golf club scorched.

. Many of the MPs in Westminster of all parties seem to have a vacant space between their ears and I'm not sure there's much difference in Holyrood. Westminster will look a bit empty if all the Scots are removed from office though.

 

[woodieallen]

I think the Ukraine war will have helped scottish independance, having Faslane just means you are going to get vapourised along with us so getting independance means you can become non nuclear and not such an obvious target. Also placing distance between your new government and Borris, mistrust and the other cronies in westminster will take you out of the spotlight, also avoid any relationship with Biden who is hell bent on keeping this war going because it helps justify his huge defence budget when peace would only benefit the majority. In fact you would be better off if Mr Trump was president because he would not want the grass at his scottish golf club scorched.

This has to be one of the most stupid and ignorant posts ever made on this forum. If Trump was still President then most of Ukraine would be toast now with millions dead, imprisoned or tortured. How you can suggest that it is Biden keeping the war going just shows your stupidity.

 

[MikeK]

Please...no politics or any other topics for which a special forum exists.

 

[clogs]

is this getting nasty....?

bring on the squirrel burgers pls....

 

[Davyc]

Back on thread...
Never seen a squirrel in my garden in 15 plus years of living in this house in Coventry......till yesterday....
He is a brave lad considering there is two German Shepherds in the house....

 

[Spectric]

Back to squirels, the greys are an invasion and have decimated our poor old reds, more carnivores need to start eating greys and the supermarkets need to stock squirel products so as they become a valuable food commodity so more people will hunt them.

 

[Keith Cocker]

Back to squirels, the greys are an invasion and have decimated our poor old reds, more carnivores need to start eating greys and the supermarkets need to stock squirel products so as they become a valuable food commodity so more people will hunt them.

“Our poor old reds”

“Them greys come over here taking our jobs!!!”

 

[paulrbarnard]

Starlings are on the RSPB red list, as being a species in decline https://www.rspb.org.uk/globalassets/downloads/bocc5/bocc5-report.pdf . Yes - in the breeding season they descend in quantity, like any bird will. But when was the last time any of us have seen one of the most spectacular of sights, a murmuration ? Other than in a Youtube video.

And to the guy who doesn't like cats - well what can I say. We've lost three to the local main road, squashed flat. Our current one is kept indoors - I can't take the trauma of another one under the wheels. So what animal companions do you have good sir?

Pretty often actually here in Somerset

 

[Suffolkboy]

Back to squirels, the greys are an invasion and have decimated our poor old reds, more carnivores need to start eating greys and the supermarkets need to stock squirel products so as they become a valuable food commodity so more people will hunt them.

Unfortunately while the idea of getting the general public to eat grey squirrles to save the reds is a fantastic idea, it's unlikely it will take off. Look at venison. Deer have been culled in the UK for decades, in large numbers. Most of the venison produced is sold abroad.

 

[paulrbarnard]

These sort of threads are always intresting, there was a comment made about what would happen if another species appeared and started to outperform humans,,well its somthing that does concern some serious scientists it seems, I read that there are those that are worried about us beaming out messages into deep space in the hope that these might be picked up by other intelligent beings, the concern is that in the history of the world no people that have been found have benefited from it, and advertiseing that were here to possibly more advanced beings might not be such a clever idea,,native American Indians and Australians spring to mind,,but perhaps more down to earth is the genuine concerns around artificial inteligence which I believe they are working on ways to try to ensure we mantain control,,,,maybe we’ll all, like the little squirrels find ourselves looking down the barrel of a gun,,eek!
Steve

The Dark Forest…

 

[GweithdyDU]

And you think Scotland can survive without the massive funding provided by the British Government? Oil is a dying industry and how many wool products can you sell?

Yes easily. Same for Wales, there are many successful smaller countries. For us, it is water and energy that we'll be exporting, and I guess we may charge for running DVLA and so n as well but we'll see. I'd rather live a gov't that makes well intentioned cock-ups than one that doesn't give a damn. We neve get the all big govt' we vote for, likewise Scotland. Ooops, I digress.

Scotland has lots ofred squirrels and we've a fair few here in Wales as well with successful reintroductions as a result of killing greys. (brought it back to the dear little creatures, just! lol)

 

[GweithdyDU]

Unfortunately while the idea of getting the general public to eat grey squirrles to save the reds is a fantastic idea, it's unlikely it will take off. Look at venison. Deer have been culled in the UK for decades, in large numbers. Most of the venison produced is sold abroad.

Blame Disney!

 

[niemeyjt]

Apparently, you are not now even supposed to release them if you catch them somehow, like in the house:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/march-2019-update-invasive-non-native-species-and-grey-squirrels

 

[GweithdyDU]

Q
"Apparently, you are not now even supposed to release them" Thanks for the interesting link. However, the most interesting part of it is this: "Any companion animal of a listed species - that was kept before it was included on the EU list - may continue to be kept in secure accommodation, as long as it is not able to breed until the end of its natural life. What a difference a comma can make. I wasn't aware that any animal listed species that was infertile during life that can breed after the end of its natural life!!