"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 16/3/09 10:42, in article
net, "mark"
wrote:
"Martin Pentreath" wrote in message
...
I've got a Fenn MkIV trap but I'm not having much success in coaxing
the little bleeders into its jaws. I've dug the trap into the earth so
that its treadle plate is pretty much level with the soil and then
covered the whole trap with bark chips to make it more or less
invisible. I bought a metal tunnel with the trap, and I've covered the
whole set up with this. But despite scattering a few peanuts around
and inside the tunnel I've had no luck. They eat the nuts outside and
carefully avoid the tunnel. I thought perhaps they didn't like the
strange metal tunnel, so I've tried a couple of house bricks with roof
tile on top - no success that way either.
I don't much like the idea of poison for the sake of the squirrels or
other wildlife, so plan B is an airgun, but obviously a trap would be
a lot less work (and less vulnerable to my appalling marksmanship).
I feed mine peanuts.
I quite like to watch them.
mark
They're lovely to watch but they're so destructive to birds' eggs.
Hmmn. Eating an egg or chick is 100% destructive to it, true, but how many
birds' eggs and chicks does the average squirrel consume each year, and,
more important, what effect do squirrels have on bird breeding success? Dr
Mark Avery, Director of Conservation for the RSPB wrote in a letter to the
Telegraph on 22nd October, 2007, "Grey squirrels are not found in most other
parts of Europe, yet woodland bird population is also dropping on the
continent. ... Poor woodland management, climate change and factors
affecting migrating birds are far more significant." Wise words, IMO, and I
don't believe we should rush to judgement to scapegoat squirrels, magpies
and sparrowhawks for observed declines in bird populations.
In addition to changes in the climate and in agricultural practices at home
and abroad, there are plenty of gardeners who have been doing their bit to
destroy birds' habitats, by removing nesting sites (trees, shrubs, holes
under eaves, etc), food stuffs (weeds and seeds etc) and paving over or
decking land which used to produce invertebrate food for birds. Wouldn't it
be ironic if such people were to start killing squirrels and magpies because
they don't notice so many birds about as there used to be?