Squirrels

has any seen any black squirrels. A friend 15 miles from me had one in his garden and one has been reported in Hertfordshire.

 

I was at Vancouver Island on holiday a few years ago, Stanley Park had hundreds of them and they look lovely. Probably another import over here and goodness knows what will happen. Squirrel pox from greys, what from blacks?????
:eek::eek:

 

i READ SOMEWHERE THAT bLACK sQUIRRELS ARE JUST A MELANISTIC FORM OF THE COMMON GREY SQUIRREL - LIKE THE OPPOSITE TO AN ALBINO FORM... SORT OF. sO THEY ARE BASCIALLY THE SAME ANIMAL - JUST WITH A COAT COLOUR DISCREPANCY.

Eek capital button again.... :o

So basically, apart from being really quite rare over here, they shouldn't make much difference - except they'll be harder to spot to shoot....! :p Evolution may have found the answer and black squirrels may be the ones to survive due to being more difficult to see - give it a few hundred million years or so... :(

PS Nature will be avenged....



:rolleyes:

 

I decided to visit the Royal Victoria Park in Bath yesterday afternoon and there were grey squirrels everywhere. I agree that they are cute looking but couldn't help but think that there were possibly a few too many.

I'm starting to see grey squirrels, not as vermin, but certainly a species that needs to be managed especially as they're non native. On that topic, i'm all for humane animal control to maintain a healthy population. I think Pro Guard has the right idea with a simple quick and clean kill. Obviously, this has to be under some licensing scheme.

The same goes for foxes, deer and any other animal that an organisation like the Forestry Commission (I'm not too sure who handles that type of stuff) saw as needing management. What I don't like is some Tom, Dick or Gavin riding around the countryside on a horse with a pack of dogs, chasing a fox and using the excuse that it helps control the population. I really don't care that it's a "tradition".

Of course a lot of the above is most probably in place so I'll stop rambling like an clueless oaf. :D

Ant.

 

Don't worry Shiney chuck! All of us at each pole of this debate have all spoken off forum and are all still mates!!! I think... :eek:

My last post was very much of the tongue in cheek variety!

I wouldn't do anything to spoil the atmosphere on this site - it is far too precious and RARE in today's world of discussion boards!

 

Just thought I would add a couple of the photos that I took when we went over to the RSPB reserve at Sandy the other week.These are the best as they were taken through glass and so couldn't get good enough photos



Great little acrobats I would say:thumb:

 

That video was fab! And the photos - such cute ickle chaps!

 

Just an update on my 2 squirells, Now there are 4. We have Maw, Paw and the 2 weans all running about the deck and the young ones are taking wee nibbles of everything just to see what it tastes like. I supose this is the only way to learn. Great fun watching them try to copy Maw and Paw. They slide and fall all over the place. Will try and get some pics soon.
G.man.
:D

 

I have a wood just next to the garden and squirrels come and go, especially because we have walnuts and oaks in the garden. The only "real problem" with them is that I get little oaks and walnuts sprouting ALL OVER the place. If only those little fluff balls would remember the eat them after hiding them!!

If I could sell oak seedling a palm tall, I wd be rich.

 

Aww.. Some nice pics here. We have a few living in the tress behind my house, though they never come anywhere near the house because of the cats - our cats won't stop until they've caught what they're after! Luckily I haven't seen any squirrels left on the rug for me yet.

 

Here are some new pics of the little guys doing what they do best





I couldn't get the whole family together but i'll keep on trying.
G.man
:thumb:

 

Very nice pics!

 

At last I have found the squirell's Dray. It is up about 50ft in an old beech tree at the side of the wood next to the house. They keep coming down every other day or so because it is so cold here just now -3 degrees at night. The young ones are still quite brave and wait till the last minute before they scoot off into the trees. Because there are no leafs on the trees just now it was an easy job to trace them back to their wee hidey hole.
More nuts on the bird tables will ensure they survive to cheer us up in the springtime.
It has been too frosty over the last month to plant up the tulip bulbs and I haven't been able to plant up a new ( given to me by a friend who is moving house ) very large urn.
I have bought the plants and am waiting for a day of higher temps.
Changed the back garden set-up will post on my back garden thread.
Gingernutsman
PS. Happy new year to everyone and I hope all goes well for you 2009