A Scurry of Squirrels
11 journalers for this copy...
Synopsis:
Polly Pullar has had a passion for red squirrels since childhood. As a wildlife rehabilitator, she has hand-reared numerous orphan kits, eventually returning them to the wild.
Here she shares her experiences and love for the red squirrel and, with reference to history and natural history, explores how our perceptions of the animal have changed. Heavily persecuted until the 1960s, it has become one of the nation's most adored mammals. But we are now racing against time to ensure its long-term survival.
Set mostly against the beautiful backdrop of Polly's Highland Perthshire farm, where she works continuously to encourage wildlife great and small, "A Scurry of Squirrels" highlights how nature can, and indeed will, recover if only we give it a chance. In just two decades, Polly's habitat restoration work has brought spectacular results, and numerous squirrels and other animals visit every day. Many of them feature in this enchanting and though-provoking book.
-------------------
Received this as a gift for my birthday on 21st of November from Mum and Dad.
Journal Entry
2 by
Ythan at
Ellon, Scotland United Kingdom on Thursday, December 30, 2021
An easy and enjoyable read; featuring a good combination of learning about wildlife, the environment and personal stories from the author.
I'd like to read more books by this author and I think I'll start with "A Richness of Martens", I've not seen them in real life before and I'd like to learn more about them.
Journal Entry
3 by
Ythan at
Ellon, Scotland United Kingdom on Thursday, December 30, 2021
Book 75 of 87, 87 books for 87 years.
In memory of my gran (Ena).
4.7.1920 - 22.12.2007.
Always in our hearts.
Journal Entry
4 by
Ythan at
-- By Post or by Hand--, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom on Thursday, December 30, 2021
Released 2 yrs ago (12/30/2021 UTC) at -- By Post or by Hand--, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Ythan's book for the Favourite Book of 2021 Roundabout:
1. Cross-patch (UK)
2. Poodlesister (UK)
3. earthcaroleanne (UK)
4. greenbadger (UK)
5. grovalskii (Germany)
6. Paulanni (Finland)
7. Fifna (Netherlands)
8. estelle1806 (Ireland)
9. mathgirl40 (Canada)
10. mcsar (Canada)
11. valpete (USA)
12. dark-draco (UK)
Journal Entry
5 by
Cross-patch at
Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Thursday, January 6, 2022
It’s here and now I’m ready to start on the favourite read of 2021 for real.
Journal Entry
6 by
Cross-patch at
Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Monday, January 17, 2022
The opening pages took me straight back to my childhood in the Thetford Chase where we were surrounded by wildlife including red squirrels and roaming deer. The red squirrels 🐿 have gone, to be replaced by the grey as in so many places. I do remember the bounty placed on grey squirrel tails as many foresters supplemented their living with the payment for tails!
Polly Pullar is eloquent in her depiction of habitat and behaviour of wildlife and is obviously utterly knowledgeable. The anecdotes were delightful and her expression of love for all the creatures heartwarming , but occasionally I found her preachy and a little dry.
Overall a good choice and a surprise pleasure.
Journal Entry
7 by
Cross-patch at
-- By Post or by Hand--, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom on Monday, January 17, 2022
Released 2 yrs ago (1/17/2022 UTC) at -- By Post or by Hand--, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Continuing the Favourite Read of 2021 journey.
Journal Entry
8 by
Poodlesister at
Walthamstow, Greater London United Kingdom on Wednesday, January 19, 2022
I love the photo on the front of the book. My cousin has been illustrating a children’s book about squirrels so we keep sending each other squirrel cards. This looks like my kind of book. I’ve only ever seen one red squirrel (on the Isle of Wight) and I have very annoying grey squirrels that hang out in my garden.
Journal Entry
9 by
Poodlesister at
Walthamstow, Greater London United Kingdom on Tuesday, March 1, 2022
I loved this book and the descriptions of wildlife and landscape and the anecdotes of hand rearing wild animals. I’m a supporter of Trees for Life, giving them money every month and I have a virtual grove so friends and family can donate instead of giving me presents. https://treesforlife.org.uk/groves/g7999/ It’s great to read about their success.
Azuki has also set up a Bally Woods grove for Bookcrossing Day and Earth Day 2022 https://treesforlife.org.uk/groves/394821/
Polly is on Twitter @pollypullar1 and she has posted a video of a red squirrel using her as a tree. Lovely.
Journal Entry
10 by
Poodlesister at
-- By Post or by Hand--, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom on Tuesday, March 1, 2022
Released 2 yrs ago (3/1/2022 UTC) at -- By Post or by Hand--, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
This will travel to earthcaroleanne with some books for her office shelf next time I go to the post office.
Journal Entry
11 by
earthcaroleanne at
Falkirk, Scotland United Kingdom on Monday, March 7, 2022
Arrived today. Thank you.
Journal Entry
12 by
earthcaroleanne at
Falkirk, Scotland United Kingdom on Friday, May 6, 2022
This book started straight off with memories for me. I have spent a couple of holidays in a log cabin in Butterstone and it is a favourite area of mine. My best memory is opening presents on Christmas Day while watching deer bounce across the snow covered grass. Then she mentions Loch of the Lowes. This is the first place I saw a red squirrel in the wild but you can no longer hand feed them, I had to watch from behind glass. I do follow the ospreys on the live webcam and they have just laid their third egg this season if you are interested - https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/watch-wildlife-online/loch-of-the-lowes-webcam/. I’m a member of the Scottish Wildlife Trust and we have recently had very interesting talks on Hedgehogs and Red Squirrels. Unfortunately, I live in the Central Belt of Scotland so I’m not likely to get any sightings in the wild at home. I loved this book and I am very jealous of her home and lifestyle which is one I could only dream of, although I might be less good at the hourly feeds.
Journal Entry
13 by
earthcaroleanne at
St Albans, Hertfordshire United Kingdom on Sunday, May 15, 2022
Released 1 yr ago (5/16/2022 UTC) at St Albans, Hertfordshire United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Sending on in the roundabout
Journal Entry
14 by
greenbadger at
St Albans, Hertfordshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, May 18, 2022
It's arrived, thank you!
Journal Entry
15 by
greenbadger at
St Albans, Hertfordshire United Kingdom on Monday, May 30, 2022
This is not only a charming book about Pullar's work with squirrels and other native creatures, as she rehabilitates and hand rears them, but also an important discussion of our relationship with nature and the value of conservation. Something about the writing style didn't quite gel with me, though I can't put my finger on what. I still enjoyed the book and it was great to learn more about these lovely animals.
Journal Entry
16 by
greenbadger at
St Albans, Hertfordshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, May 31, 2022
Released 1 yr ago (5/31/2022 UTC) at St Albans, Hertfordshire United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
On its way to grovalskii next.
Journal Entry
17 by
grovalskii at
Zehlendorf, Berlin Germany on Saturday, June 11, 2022
Received yesterday. It will have to wait a bit as I have another book from the roundabout still laying here.
Journal Entry
18 by
grovalskii at
Zehlendorf, Berlin Germany on Wednesday, June 29, 2022
This book is a prime example of a book that I would NEVER have picked up in a store! I love nature, I love watching squirrels (we do have reds around where I live), but a book entirely about red squirrels? That did not sound enticing to me. And honestly, the first few pages were hard and I kept thinking that I really don't HAVE to finish a book I can't get into. But I'm glad I stuck it out, because it got more interesting. Except for the very end. I did some skipping there as well. I did enjoy some of the stories of raising orphaned wild life. Thank you very much for sharing, Ythan, because without you, I would not have come across this story of a fascinating person!
Journal Entry
19 by
Paulanni at
Riihimäki, Kanta-Häme / Egentliga Tavastland Finland on Wednesday, July 13, 2022
The book is with now. Thank you for sending it.
Journal Entry
20 by
Paulanni at
Riihimäki, Kanta-Häme / Egentliga Tavastland Finland on Saturday, August 13, 2022
This was a lovely book and I enjoyed reading it. Red squirrels are familiar where I live, though from a short distance at best. I don't think there are any grey squirrels in Finland (yet). Two and sometimes more reds race in tall spruces around my apartment building. They seem to think the flower pots on my ground floor balcony are ideal for caching food, and it always gives me heart palpitations. The squirrels are fine by me, but I have a cat who considers the balcony as her territory, and any four-legged or winged intruders enter at their own peril. Except for hedgehogs! No squirrels have come to any harm thus far, and I think they are learning to cache their winter store in my neighbours' flower pots.
I liked learning about squirrels, martens and other species the writer worked with, and appreciated her emphasis about the right balance in natural world. Thank you for sharing the book, Ythan!
Journal Entry
21 by
Paulanni at
Favourite Book Roundabout, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, August 13, 2022
Released 1 yr ago (8/15/2022 UTC) at Favourite Book Roundabout, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
The book will travel to the Netherlands after the weekend. Happy reading!
Journal Entry
22 by
Fifna at
Voorburg, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Friday, August 19, 2022
It has arrived here, thanks Paulanni!
Journal Entry
23 by
Fifna at
Voorburg, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Wednesday, September 7, 2022
I really enjoyed reading about the author's conservation efforts and her passion for the red squirrel. The greys haven't reached us here in the Netherlands yet, but the reds are struggling nonetheless. I did feel some of the details could have been pared down a bit and besides the sometimes preachy style there were some definite grammar issues too. But I certainly learnt a lot about red squirrels, and she and other conservationists are doing such important work. Thanks for sharing, another great roundabout choice!
Journal Entry
24 by
Fifna at
Clonsilla, Co. Dublin Ireland on Wednesday, September 7, 2022
Released 1 yr ago (9/8/2022 UTC) at Clonsilla, Co. Dublin Ireland
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Travelling to estelle1806.
Journal Entry
25 by
estelle1806 at
Clonsilla, Co. Dublin Ireland on Wednesday, September 14, 2022
Received today, thank you.
Journal Entry
26 by
estelle1806 at
Clonsilla, Co. Dublin Ireland on Wednesday, October 5, 2022
I love watching animal documentaries on TV, so I was kind of looking forward to this but for me this book is real but just plain boring. The author was repeating herself constantly and I definitely didn't need to be convinced by her statements.
However, this lengthy book is probably necessary to make more people aware of nature's destruction and what we can do to repair and ease the ache...
Thanks for sharing this book, Ythan.
Journal Entry
27 by
estelle1806 at
in the mail, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada on Wednesday, October 5, 2022
Released 1 yr ago (10/6/2022 UTC) at in the mail, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Travelling to the next reader on the roundabout.
Please let us know when you release it again...
Journal Entry
28 by
mathgirl40 at
Waterloo, Ontario Canada on Thursday, October 20, 2022
This book is now with me.
Journal Entry
29 by
mathgirl40 at
Waterloo, Ontario Canada on Tuesday, November 15, 2022
I found this book to be both charming and informative. My only complaint is that some parts seemed rather repetitive. I enjoyed the stories of how the author rescued injured or abandoned animals and the process she went through to return them to the wild, and I learned more about the red squirrel than I ever thought possible!
Journal Entry
30 by
mathgirl40 at
Waterloo, Ontario Canada on Tuesday, November 15, 2022
Released 1 yr ago (11/15/2022 UTC) at Waterloo, Ontario Canada
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
This book is on its way to mcsar.
Journal Entry
31 by
mcsar at
Richmond, British Columbia Canada on Monday, December 5, 2022
The book arrived earlier in the week. I am so delighted by the squirrel on the cover. I am still in the middle of another Roundabout book, and have a second one in line, but I will try to get to this asap.