THE picture by Rob Long published in The Press of March 23 of the ‘cute’ grey squirrels on top of a vandalised bird nest box is probably on Rawcliffe Meadows, where there are more trees, and definitely more nest boxes, than on the adjacent Clifton Ings.

Last week we put up two new interpretation boards, thanks to funding from Yorkshire Water, to explain about Rawcliffe Meadows and Clifton Ings as many visitors assume they are a public park owned by the council, when they’re not.

The ‘cute’ grey squirrels are actually a nuisance as they chew their way into nest boxes, as the photo confirms, robbing them of chicks and eggs, along with raiding bird feeders.

The reason why we have so many boxes in the copse on the meadows is to provide homes for the sociable and threatened tree sparrow, along with great tits.

Dr Mick Phythian, York Natural Environment Trust, Monkton Road, York.