Missing squirrels?

[Seagull]

Anyone else noticed that, this season, theres a whole lot more untouched windfall fruit of beech, oak and hazel on the deck, everywhere....in the woods, large gardens and village verges?

Squirrels on strike, or something? or just the Yorkshire lot.

Ceeg

 

[Tony]

I was thinking just the same thing a few days ago, I wonder if it’s because it's dropping early this year and the animals aren’t in storage/scoffing mode yet....they need to get a move on though or i'll have it all!

 

[Toddy]

Funny you should mention this; normally I've got squirrel kittens running about my garden from late Spring onwards, but none this year at all They've been such a common feature of the wildlife round here that the cat doesn't even stir herself to go and see what they're up to. It's been a funny year all round.

atb,
Mary

 

[hammy]

Are we talking reds or greys here ?
Coz I'm sure all out war has been declared on the greys.

 

[hammy]

Ahh yes here we are
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4635330.stm

 

[Toddy]

We get both, though the reds don't come into the gardens as much but seem to prefer to stay in amongst the Scots pines and the castle policies woodlands.
The two can't interbreed, can they? The greys are becoming noticeably darker rust coloured along their backs and sides.

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[janiepopps]

The trees have never been so plentiful down here either. Just been out for 1/2 an hour and have a HUGE bowl of hazelnuts.

You'll see me out there feeling sorry for the squirrels come winter and I'll be buying them AND the birds nuts!!

j

 

[Seagull]

We get both, though the reds don't come into the gardens as much but seem to prefer to stay in amongst the Scots pines and the castle policies woodlands.
The two can't interbreed, can they? The greys are becoming noticeably darker rust coloured along their backs and sides.

Cheers,
Toddy

Adaptive cammo?

Ceeg

 

[stovie]

The two can't interbreed, can they? The greys are becoming noticeably darker rust coloured along their backs and sides.

Cheers,
Toddy

Apparently not...but to quote a line from a famous film..."...Life finds a way..."

Tall, odd lookin' bloke in Jurrasic park...can't think of his name Buggin' me now...

 

[Dan Wound]

Apparently not...but to quote a line from a famous film..."...Life finds a way..."

Tall, odd lookin' bloke in Jurrasic park...can't think of his name Buggin' me now...

That'll be Mr. T. Rex then, lovely bloke very knowedgeable on bushcraft and food chain heirachies.

On topic - The bit of land I use most in Somerset, on the edge of the moors, has only in the last 2 years seen the return of greys, so in a way to see one or two is more than I'm used to.

 

[Shewie]

I`ve seen plenty in my local haunts in west yorks this year - my dumb dog likes to pretend he can catch them. Have you ever seen a golden retriever try to climb a tree - it`s rather amusing.

I must say the wildlife in general has been out in force round here, plenty of randy bunnies, badgers and even the odd deer or two.

 

[Montivagus]

I'm sorry I didn't know I had to wait! I started culling years ago ooops.....VERMIN!

For more Jurasic Park science see http://www.scarysquirrel.org/theory/letters1.html

 

[Toddy]

I`ve seen plenty in my local haunts in west yorks this year - my dumb dog likes to pretend he can catch them. Have you ever seen a golden retriever try to climb a tree - it`s rather amusing.

You should have seen my Tom cat trying to act nonchalant as he frantically held on to the roughcast half way up the gable wall. His enthusiasm for the hunt had him chase after the squirrel and run up there before the daft moggie realise that cat claws and roughcast don't really work all that well!

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[BorderReiver]

I`ve seen plenty in my local haunts in west yorks this year - my dumb dog likes to pretend he can catch them. Have you ever seen a golden retriever try to climb a tree - it`s rather amusing.

I must say the wildlife in general has been out in force round here, plenty of randy bunnies, badgers and even the odd deer or two.

My flatcoat has the same fixation but there have not been so many to chase this year.

Hadn't really thought about it until this thread.

 

[tomtom]

Funnily enough i was in the woods yesterday and i kept finding ripe hazle nuts on the floor which hadnt been eaten everytime i went to pic one up i was expecting it to be a half of an empty shell laying so that it appeared to be whole but infact post were whole and ready i thought it odd that this late in the season most of them hadn't been eaten or hidden away for winter stores. Having said that i havent noticed a lack of squirrels, i have seen plenty about.

 

[fred gordon]

All I can say is that if it's the greys that are 'missing', just thank you're lucky stars!

 

[ArkAngel]

Nope not seen many round here either this year. Just one in fact on the track to my house about 3 weeks back. Not seen any since.


Stovie- You are thinking of Jeff Goldblum

 

[scoops_uk]

They're all on my peanut bird feeder. Getting fed up of chasing them off!

It's get's hilarious in the autumn when they get too fat to climb the metal pole and keep sliding down.

Scoops