The red squirrel is probably the most iconinc mammal of this area. The native red is much smaller and more agile than the grey squirrel and displays a surprising variation in colour with many local mature squirrels having almost black tails. Red squirrels prefer coniferous woodlands, but are also fond of hazelnuts. A sign o squirrels in the area is hazel shells split vartically in half, and pine cones which look as though they have been gnawed like an apple core.
Dreys are constructed for breeding and also shelter from the weather and can be seen in local trees (they look like an untidy bird's nest). In good years, breeding will occur twice. Litters are normally of 3 or 4 young which are entirely dependent on their parents for eight weeks.
The Squirrel Hide is the ideal place to sit and watch out for the red squirrels. In the enclosed hide you will find an abundance of information and it offers binoculars for you to use.
As you walk around the woodlands on your discovery tour, you will find several information panels (one is a quiz) about the red squirrels. Enjoy.
This cache is placed with permission from one of the directors of the Cormonachan Community Woodlands Ltd. It is their explicit wish to have geocaches placed in this woodlands and more will be published over the coming months.
You can read more about the Cormonachan Community Woodlands here: http://www.cormonachan-woodlands.co.uk/