Why northern woodlands are the red squirrel's last stronghold

There is something almost magical about the first time you spot a red squirrel. Blink and you will miss it — a flash of russet high in the canopy, a scurry along a mossy branch, then stillness. In much of England, seeing one is now a genuine event. In the north, thankfully, it is still possible to spend a morning in the right woodland and come home having watched half a dozen.

The red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) has been squeezed out of most of lowland Britain by the introduced grey squirrel, which carries the squirrelpox virus and outcompetes our native species for food. What remains of the red population clings on in northern England, Scotland, parts of Wales and Northern Ireland. Cumbria, Northumberland, the Scottish Borders and the Highlands are the places to head for. In these strongholds, largely conifer-dominated forests suit reds far better than greys, and conservation groups work hard to keep the balance in their favour.

Autumn is the best time to go looking

Red squirrels are active all year, but autumn is when they are at their most visible. From September through to November they are busy caching food — hazelnuts, pine seeds, beechnuts and fungi — to see them through the leaner months. All that hoarding means more time on the ground and lower branches, and far less time hidden away in a drey.

The leaf fall helps too. Once the canopy thins, a squirrel moving through the tops is no longer screened by foliage, and the rustle of dry leaves underfoot makes their movements easier to follow. Cool, still mornings just after sunrise are ideal. Avoid windy days if you can: squirrels are unsettled by a swaying canopy and tend to stay put.

Where to look once you are there

Not all woodland is equal. Reds favour mature conifers — Scots pine, larch, spruce and Norway spruce stands — though they will also use mixed woodland with a good proportion of native broadleaves. The presence of hazel, rowan and birch is a bonus.

Look for the signs before you look for the animal:

• Chewed cones. A red squirrel strips a pine cone down to a neat, ragged core, often leaving a small pile at the base of a favoured tree — a "larder" or feeding station used again and again.
• Stripped hazelnuts. Neat round holes with fine tooth marks around the rim indicate a red; greys tend to split nuts more crudely.
• Dreys. Football-sized masses of twigs and moss, usually tucked into a fork high up or against the trunk. Reds often have several and move between them.
• Bark stripping. Patches of fresh, pale wood on sycamore or maple, particularly in spring, are a telltale sign of squirrel activity.

Once you have found a likely spot, concentrate on the middle storey of the trees rather than the very top. Reds often pause on a horizontal branch to eat, resting their tail along their back.

How to watch without disturbing them

Red squirrels are shy, sharp-eyed and quick to disappear. The single most useful skill is patience. Walk slowly, stop often, and keep your movements smooth. Wear muted colours — plenty of greens, browns and greys — and avoid rustling waterproofs if you can manage it.

Pick a comfortable spot near a known feeding tree or a stump smeared with a little peanut butter (check that feeding is permitted where you are, and never leave food behind). Sit still for twenty minutes or more. It is astonishing how much wildlife appears once you stop being a moving object.

Binoculars make a world of difference. A compact pair of 8x42s is plenty for woodland work, and they will let you watch the fine details: the tufted ears, the white belly, the way the tail is carried. Resist the urge to creep closer for a photograph. If the squirrel flicks its tail repeatedly and calls — a sharp, chattering chuck — you are too near.

Why native trees matter to reds

Red squirrels evolved alongside our native trees, and their fortunes are tied tightly to them. Scots pine provides a staple crop of seeds in spring, while hazel and oak deliver autumn bounty. A woodland with a mix of species and ages gives them food across the whole year, rather than a single glut followed by scarcity.

Native woodland also supports the fungi and insects that reds rely on, and it holds the canopy structure they need for safe travel between feeding areas. This is one of the reasons conservation bodies focus on restoring and connecting native woodland rather than planting quick-growing monocultures. Fragmented woods isolate squirrel populations; joined-up habitat lets them move, breed and recover.

You can help from home, too. If you are lucky enough to garden near a red squirrel area, plant hazel, rowan, crab apple or bird cherry. Keep feeders clean, and never put out food that will attract greys into a red stronghold. Report grey sightings to your local red squirrel group, as their records guide the hard work on the ground.

A quiet pleasure worth the effort

Seeing a red squirrel is not a guaranteed thing. Some mornings you will walk for hours and see nothing but a kestrel and a lot of moss. But the day you finally catch that first flash of russet — the tail curving over the back, the nut turning in small clever paws — you will understand why so many people plan whole trips around it. Take a flask, wear soft colours, walk quietly, and let the woodland come to you.