Oooops, I did not know that. We were not told when we enquired about methods of getting rid of them.
I just did read a bit on the net about this, which suggests we should have released it into a bag then hit it over the head. Hard. Don't think my nerves would stand it. Shooting was the other alternative but I only have a water pistol.

"trin" wrote in message
...

fenwoman Wrote:
trin wrote in message
...
We caught the squirrel very easily and then drove to a large wood
about
10 miles away and set it free

This is illegal. You are not allowed to release captured grey squirrels
as
they are classed as pests.
Oooops, I did not know that. We were not told when we enquired about
methods of getting rid of them.
I just did read a bit on the net about this, which suggests we should
have released it into a bag then hit it over the head. Hard. Don't
think my nerves would stand it. Shooting was the other alternative but
I only have a water pistol.


Too late to worry about it now - and no harm done, either. One more or less
grey squirrel in an area already populated by the breed isn't likely to make
any significant difference.

The message
from "BAC" contains these words:

Too late to worry about it now - and no harm done, either. One more or less
grey squirrel in an area already populated by the breed isn't likely to make
any significant difference.

It does matter on several counts, if someone inadvertently moves
animal diseases around the country, or repopulates preserved woodland
with a pregnant squirrel, when much time energy and money has been spent
trying to remove them. Or, if they move grey squirrels into a
red-squirrel "pocket", or into a squirrel-controlled area where very
rare birds are nesting.

Janet.




--
Isle of Arran Open Gardens weekend 21,22,23 July 2006
5 UKP three-day adult ticket (funds go to island charities) buys entry
to 26 private gardens

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message
from "BAC" contains these words:

Too late to worry about it now - and no harm done, either. One more or
less
grey squirrel in an area already populated by the breed isn't likely to
make
any significant difference.

It does matter on several counts, if someone inadvertently moves
animal diseases around the country, or repopulates preserved woodland
with a pregnant squirrel, when much time energy and money has been spent
trying to remove them. Or, if they move grey squirrels into a
red-squirrel "pocket", or into a squirrel-controlled area where very
rare birds are nesting.


None of the locations you mention are 'an area already populated by the
breed'.

"BAC" wrote in message
...

"Josie" wrote in message
...
Message from Alan Holmes on Sat, 3 Jun 2006
22:07:05 Squirrels:


"Pest Effects" wrote in message
...

Josie Wrote:
This year the garden is inundated with grey squirrels. Does anyone
know
whether they take rat poison, or whether a special poison is
available?

Thank you, Joe
--
Your garden may be inundated with them, but before you take any
drastic
action, please consider what damage they are actually causing and also
think about your neighbours. We have squirrels that have become the
wild pets of old folk who live near by and my disabled son. They
cause
little damage in the area since they are regularly fed by the people
who
love them and look forward to their arrival in the mornings.

I appreciate that some people may like squirrels because they look
pretty, but they are pests. They ravage costly bird food - they are
costing me a fortune in shelled sunflower seeds; they destroy birds
nests (even a tits nets box in my garden) and God help you if they
access your loft undetected.

I don't mind the odd one, even every day, but we're now inundated with
two or three almost throughout the day. I think they are nesting high
up in an apple tree!

I think poison will be the most effective solution.

Perhaps if you were to stop attracting scavengers into your garden by
putting out food for them, they might move on?

I wasn't aware that great tits were scavengers!

Alan

"greengrass" wrote in message
...

Josie Wrote:
This year the garden is inundated with grey squirrels. Does anyone
know
whether they take rat poison, or whether a special poison is
available?

Thank you, Joe
-- squirrels are a real pita, but don't use poisen it'll wind up killing
other wildlife or the neigbors pets. ask the neighbors to stop feeding
them or try spreading hot pepper over your beds. I just read that deer
repellant works on squirrels as well. I also read that motion activated
sprinklers will chase the little suckers away by soaking them. or get a
dog.

Much more effective is to trap the buggers and kill them.

Alan


--
greengrass

"Alan Holmes" wrote in message
...

"BAC" wrote in message
...

"Josie" wrote in message
...
Message from Alan Holmes on Sat, 3 Jun 2006
22:07:05 Squirrels:


"Pest Effects" wrote in
message
...

Josie Wrote:
This year the garden is inundated with grey squirrels. Does anyone
know
whether they take rat poison, or whether a special poison is
available?

Thank you, Joe
--
Your garden may be inundated with them, but before you take any
drastic
action, please consider what damage they are actually causing and
also
think about your neighbours. We have squirrels that have become the
wild pets of old folk who live near by and my disabled son. They
cause
little damage in the area since they are regularly fed by the people
who
love them and look forward to their arrival in the mornings.

I appreciate that some people may like squirrels because they look
pretty, but they are pests. They ravage costly bird food - they are
costing me a fortune in shelled sunflower seeds; they destroy birds
nests (even a tits nets box in my garden) and God help you if they
access your loft undetected.

I don't mind the odd one, even every day, but we're now inundated with
two or three almost throughout the day. I think they are nesting high
up in an apple tree!

I think poison will be the most effective solution.

Perhaps if you were to stop attracting scavengers into your garden by
putting out food for them, they might move on?

I wasn't aware that great tits were scavengers!


Any wild creatures eating food people have left lying about in the open are
scavenging. People who put out food intended as bait for one particular
species they wish to see in their garden, but which is also attractive to a
wide range of species, shouldn't be surprised when all and sundry turn up
for the free feast. Nor even when predators learn to 'harvest' the
concentrations of creatures attracted to the garden.

What then is the purpose of live-capture traps if the only thing you are allowed to do is destroy the live-captured animal, be it mouse or squirrel?

And what exactly is the point of a law that makes it illegal to move a grey squirrel or mouse from one place to another place which is already infested with them anyway? Has anyone ever been prosecuted for releasing their live-captured mouse/squirrel down the road?

And while I'm at it, what exactly does my local council do with the fat dormice (Myoxus glis, formerly known as Glis glis) you have to ask it to come and capture if you get them in your house (living in the UK fat dormouse hot-spot?), which it is apparently allowed neither to kill nor release? Now at least there is some point to that rule, since probably we don't want people introducing fat dormice where they are not.

Grey squirrels decimate 85% of song birds. They also invade the nests
of other birds. Furthermore, here where I live there are red squirrels,
trying to hold on as the grey invader multiplies beyond all belief.

Buy a simple air-gun, with a scope, and simply kill them, instantly and
painlessly, then skin them and put them in the pot. Squirrel is even
more delicious than rabbit or wood pigeon. (Just don't be tempted to
put the meaty-looking tail into the pot too - it disintegrates into
dozens of tiny bits of vertebrae!)

Ellie.

"Ellie Bentley" wrote in message
...
Grey squirrels decimate 85% of song birds. They also invade the nests
of other birds. Furthermore, here where I live there are red squirrels,
trying to hold on as the grey invader multiplies beyond all belief.

Buy a simple air-gun, with a scope, and simply kill them, instantly and
painlessly, then skin them and put them in the pot. Squirrel is even
more delicious than rabbit or wood pigeon. (Just don't be tempted to
put the meaty-looking tail into the pot too - it disintegrates into
dozens of tiny bits of vertebrae!)


That tail sheath is a very useful device for the squirrel. Not only does it
provide balance, it is used as a sun-shade, and for signalling, and
distraction of predators. Part of the tail sheath is detachable to allow the
animal to escape the grasp of a predator. It's a bit much expecting it to
taste good, too.

Although squirrels undoubtedly take some clutches of eggs and nestlings
birds, I believe these 85% estimates to be an exagerration, or there would
be very few songbirds in areas with a plentiful squirrel population. Is
there anywhere in the squirrels' range with a zero songbird population, even
those areas where grey squirrels have been established for decades?

"echinosum" wrote in message
...

fenwoman Wrote:
trin wrote in message
...
We caught the squirrel very easily and then drove to a large wood
about
10 miles away and set it free

This is illegal. You are not allowed to release captured grey squirrels
as
they are classed as pests.
What then is the purpose of live-capture traps if the only thing you
are allowed to do is destroy the live-captured animal, be it mouse or
squirrel?

The purpose is to allow you to release (unharmed) non-target species, and to
permit the target animals to be despatched in a humane manner. According to
the Forestry Commission advice, that means either shooting the trapped
animal, or putting it in a sack and clubbing it to death, or taking it to a
vet for euthenasia. I did ask the RSPCA if drowning trapped squirrels was
'humane' and was told that if they were informed of a person doing that,
they would investigate and prosecute if it could be proven.


And what exactly is the point of a law that makes it illegal to move a
grey squirrel or mouse from one place to another place which is already
infested with them anyway?

This is supposed to deter people from deliberately or recklessly releasing
into the wild a species which the powers that be have decided fall into the
invasive alien category. Although, as you point out, it's patently
ridiculous trying to close the stable door after the horse has well and
truly bolted.

Has anyone ever been prosecuted for releasing
their live-captured mouse/squirrel down the road?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/tex...n_page_id=1770

The moral being to do good by stealth, I suggest.


And while I'm at it, what exactly does my local council do with the fat
dormice (Myoxus glis, formerly known as Glis glis) you have to ask it to
come and capture if you get them in your house (living in the UK fat
dormouse hot-spot?), which it is apparently allowed neither to kill nor
release? Now at least there is some point to that rule, since probably
we don't want people introducing fat dormice where they are not.


They probably have some even fatter cats who take the law into their own
paws :-)

BAC writes

"Ellie Bentley" wrote in message
...
Grey squirrels decimate 85% of song birds. They also invade the nests
of other birds. Furthermore, here where I live there are red squirrels,
trying to hold on as the grey invader multiplies beyond all belief.

Buy a simple air-gun, with a scope, and simply kill them, instantly and
painlessly, then skin them and put them in the pot. Squirrel is even
more delicious than rabbit or wood pigeon. (Just don't be tempted to
put the meaty-looking tail into the pot too - it disintegrates into
dozens of tiny bits of vertebrae!)


That tail sheath is a very useful device for the squirrel. Not only does it
provide balance, it is used as a sun-shade, and for signalling, and
distraction of predators. Part of the tail sheath is detachable to allow the
animal to escape the grasp of a predator. It's a bit much expecting it to
taste good, too.

Although squirrels undoubtedly take some clutches of eggs and nestlings
birds, I believe these 85% estimates to be an exagerration, or there would
be very few songbirds in areas with a plentiful squirrel population. Is
there anywhere in the squirrels' range with a zero songbird population, even
those areas where grey squirrels have been established for decades?

Well, she did say they *decimate* 85% of song birds. Since the true
meaning of decimate is to kill one in 10, this would suggest grey
squirrels are killing one in 10 of 85% of songbirds, or 8.5% ;-)

I certainly couldn't make sense of the statement any other way.


--
Kay

echinosum writes

fenwoman Wrote:
trin wrote in message
...
We caught the squirrel very easily and then drove to a large wood
about
10 miles away and set it free

This is illegal. You are not allowed to release captured grey squirrels
as
they are classed as pests.
What then is the purpose of live-capture traps if the only thing you
are allowed to do is destroy the live-captured animal, be it mouse or
squirrel?

You can release it on your own land. Which may not be totally pointless
if you are releasing a mouse from your house into your garden.


--
Kay

K wrote:
Well, she did say they *decimate* 85% of song birds. Since the true
meaning of decimate is to kill one in 10, this would suggest grey
squirrels are killing one in 10 of 85% of songbirds, or 8.5% ;-)

I certainly couldn't make sense of the statement any other way.

OOK, "she" did not use "decimate" accurately but meant to refer to
recent reports that squirrels totally destroy about 85%.

Certainly here in my garden, very close to the top of two very tall pine
trees, probably about 150 feet in height, two large thrush nests were
quickly abandoned very shortly after they were created, some weeks ago,
and the two trees in question are part of the squirrel highway passing
through this property.

I too was brought up believing those little grey squirrels were the
cutest and most loveable of creatures . . . but then again in that
childhood world of Walt Disney I was instructed that ALL creatures were
adorable and each of them loved the other for their adorability. Not
so! It's mayhem and bloodshed out there!

Ellie.

Ellie Bentley writes
K wrote:
Well, she did say they *decimate* 85% of song birds. Since the true
meaning of decimate is to kill one in 10, this would suggest grey
squirrels are killing one in 10 of 85% of songbirds, or 8.5% ;-)

I certainly couldn't make sense of the statement any other way.

OOK, "she" did not use "decimate" accurately but meant to refer to
recent reports that squirrels totally destroy about 85%.

I just do not understand this statement. It does not square with the
observation that, even in grey squirrel areas, songbirds are not
declining that fast. Or does it mean that 85% of eggs are taken? - the
fact that birds have often two batches of several eggs being their
strategy for coping with a high infant mortality. A species where a pair
reared only 4 young to breeding age, and with each pair breeding only
once, would increase over a thousand-fold in 10 years.

--
Kay