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04-06-2007, 04:36 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Berkshire
Posts: 1,618
| | | Do I really deserve this? I have a plague of squirrels (is that the correct collective noun, I wonder?)
Last autumn we had masses of acorns in the garden and all the squirrels gorged themselves all winter and all spring on those. Now it seems the acorns must be finished and they have decided to raid my feeder.
I have put up a baffle but I know that it is not going to hold them off for long. Here are the little devils.
Of course, when the regular hoover up'ers of the feeding station come along, the squirrels do allow them to share!
But, look - butter would not melt in it's mouth.....
They are actually better than anything on television these days. However, when they get past my baffle (just a matter of time), I am going to be so mad
Jenny | 
04-06-2007, 04:42 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Sheffield, FPRSY
Posts: 4,865
| | | Re: Do I really deserve this? Not necessary the term that I'd use. I would suggest a competition for an appropriate collective noun but suspect most entries wouldn't get past the censors! 
[quote=jennyb;126117]I have a plague of squirrels (is that the correct collective noun, I wonder?)/QUOTE] | 
04-06-2007, 04:46 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Little village called Chedworth
Posts: 4,583
| | | Re: Do I really deserve this? Oh no!!! Fab pictures though!! | 
04-06-2007, 04:57 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Berkshire
Posts: 1,618
| | | Re: Do I really deserve this? I've just looked it up...
dray of squirrels
or
scurry of squirrels
Not good enough in my opinion.
Jenny | 
04-06-2007, 05:07 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Little village called Chedworth
Posts: 4,583
| | | Re: Do I really deserve this? well they are American so what about an illegal occupation of squirrels.....
(only joking  )
is your garden part of any kind of axis of evil that you're aware of? | 
04-06-2007, 05:17 PM
|  | Active Member | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Ripley Derbyshire
Posts: 73
| | | Re: Do I really deserve this? Hi
sorry I cant, help with the squirrels
the pics are excellent | 
04-06-2007, 05:44 PM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Sawbridgeworth, Herts.
Posts: 221
| | | Re: Do I really deserve this? That last pic is awesome.....
The answer you are looking for is put out twice as much food and don't be a meanie 
__________________ All the best
Pete.. | 
04-06-2007, 06:10 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Berkshire
Posts: 1,618
| | | Re: Do I really deserve this? If I decide to put out a separate ground feeder for the squirrels, what do they like best? Nothing too expensive, please!
Jenny | 
04-06-2007, 06:28 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Suffolk
Posts: 2,425
| | | Re: Do I really deserve this? That last pic is fantastic, he looks like he is trying hard to be a native
You need a large bird of prey, hope this helps  | 
04-06-2007, 07:25 PM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Sawbridgeworth, Herts.
Posts: 221
| | | Re: Do I really deserve this? Quote:
Originally Posted by jennyb If I decide to put out a separate ground feeder for the squirrels, what do they like best? Nothing too expensive, please!
Jenny |
NUTS 
__________________ All the best
Pete.. | 
05-06-2007, 07:12 AM
| | Active Member | | Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 29
| | | Re: Do I really deserve this? Superb photos! As your squirrel has taken the trouble to dress for dinner, you might try giving some Ritz crackers as a treat! They love them, eat half and bury half in the lawn. The giggle comes when they try to find the buried ones...tee!hee! Corn on the cob should be fun too  | 
05-06-2007, 08:19 AM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Romford, Essex
Posts: 1,491
| | | Re: Do I really deserve this? One collective noun for that many squirrels is 'a fur coat' lol  | 
05-06-2007, 08:28 AM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Sawbridgeworth, Herts.
Posts: 221
| | | Re: Do I really deserve this? Quote:
Originally Posted by Ukwildlifeo One collective noun for that many squirrels is 'a fur coat' lol  |
Very good 
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Pete.. | 
05-06-2007, 09:03 AM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ipswich
Posts: 741
| | | Re: Do I really deserve this? Quote:
Originally Posted by Hez Superb photos! As your squirrel has taken the trouble to dress for dinner, you might try giving some Ritz crackers as a treat! They love them, eat half and bury half in the lawn. The giggle comes when they try to find the buried ones...tee!hee! Corn on the cob should be fun too  | Caution: Ritz crackers planted in the ground grow into Holiday Inns 
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05-06-2007, 10:08 AM
| | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Hastings, Sussex
Posts: 350
| | | Re: Do I really deserve this? Lovely pics.
I know how you feel, not quite so overrun but have up to 4 in the garden at any time...the birds don't stand a chance of getting the food before the squirrels. | 
05-06-2007, 11:28 AM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Berkshire
Posts: 1,618
| | | Re: Do I really deserve this? There are some great ideas here. I like the fur coat one best  Maybe I should start up a new business  
They are really entertaining, but I don't want to spends lots of money on feeding them. They are just sooo greedy.
The squirrels this year are not so smart as one that we had last year. I don't know what happened to him, but he was completely fearless. He tried everything to get past the baffle. He squeezed up between the pole and the hole cut in the baffle to fit on the pole. He got around the baffle (it tips, unfortunately) and he would leap from anything close by. One time he even started eating the baffle!
Once he got up there, he decided it was easier to lift off the fat ball feeder and throw it to the ground rather than have to climb up again after I chased him off!
He was a real little character.
Anyway, I am hoping that all will go back to normal again when the acorns start falling.
Jenny | 
05-06-2007, 02:50 PM
| | Active Member | | Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 29
| | | Re: Do I really deserve this? Quote:
Originally Posted by Tursiops2 Caution: Ritz crackers planted in the ground grow into Holiday Inns  | lol! I've had a lucky escape then probably thanks to Hedgehogs and crows finding them first!  | 
05-06-2007, 04:00 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Letchworth Garden City
Posts: 1,333
| | | Re: Do I really deserve this? In my experience what they like is sunflower hearts. I put special squirrel food and nuts out for them in a feeder of their very own last winter and they just ignored it and kept raiding the feeders.
Here is one of this year's young. He/she hasn't quite got the hang of the feeder yet - sorry about the anthropomorphism, but it should be captioned: "Help! My periscope is upside down!"
The string (now replaced with wire) is to stop them pushing the bottom off the feeder.  | 
13-12-2007, 11:24 PM
| | New Member | | Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 1
| | | Re: Do I really deserve this? are they all Red Squirrels?? Wow!!
Thought they were near extinction... | 
14-12-2007, 12:04 AM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Romford, Essex
Posts: 1,491
| | | Re: Do I really deserve this? Quote:
Originally Posted by vin_ie are they all Red Squirrels?? Wow!!
Thought they were near extinction... | No these are grey squirrels, the ones that have been introduced and pushing out the native red squirrerls | 
14-12-2007, 06:06 AM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Lankysherr!
Posts: 105
| | | Re: Do I really deserve this? I know this is a really old thread but feeding the greys is a mega terrible idea, them being an invasive species and all.
The "fur coat" is a much better idea!  | 
14-12-2007, 06:55 AM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: South Cumbria
Posts: 211
| | | Re: Do I really deserve this? If I lived nearer to Berkshire, I'd offer to trap them for you Jenny. | 
14-12-2007, 07:00 AM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: In a tranquil valley with a stream in garden
Posts: 1,765
| | | Re: Do I really deserve this? i ain't getting into this one other than to say they are great photos and to recommend a David Attenborough video / dvd Squirrels: Are They Tough Enough? A good make of bird feeder to use is the yankee Droll ones - had them up for a year and they've not got into them yet  They are a bit expensive but have a lifetime guaruntee - even against squirrel attack. Mine squirrels (in non red area) all have names  and special hoppers for nuts! 
and i'm not getting baited into other discussions! 
__________________ Longing for warm, starry, moonlit nights:) | 
14-12-2007, 08:13 AM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Lancashire
Posts: 2,501
| | | Re: Do I really deserve this? Must have missed this thread. They do look a bit red but are missing the ear tufts. These Grey squirrels know when they are onto a good thing. Great photos though, especially the last one, super poser. 
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14-12-2007, 08:40 AM
|  | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: North Yorkshire ( Gods Country )
Posts: 840
| | | Re: Do I really deserve this? Collective noun for squirrels?,,,, a Nutkin??
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