16-03-2009, 07:46 PM
posted to uk.rec.gardening
|
|
external usenet poster
|
|
First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 243
|
|
Who's got squirrel-trapping experience?
"alan.holmes" wrote in message
...
"BAC" wrote in message
...
"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?
I wonder if he would feel the same if he wanted to grow things like nuts
for his table?
You are what you eat, they say.
|