How come the squirrels round here are burying peanuts at this time of
year? Do they know something we don't about a climatic disaster
approaching?

Also I have noticed that their habits are changing to suit
circumstances. Squirrels have always been known to "lose" what they
bury, but round here they only go through the motions of burying it, and
leave each nut sticking half out of the ground. Presumably they've
adapted to realise that as there are not a lot of competitors in a town,
it's more efficient to leave the food easy to find.

With any luck in another couple of years they will realise that the same
households will always leave plenty on the birdtable all year round and
there is no need to "squirrel them away" in any case.

Hmm... has no one told these people that you're not meant to put out
peanuts when the birds are breeding?

Inge Jones2/4/04 3:22

How come the squirrels round here are burying peanuts at this time of
year? Do they know something we don't about a climatic disaster
approaching?

Also I have noticed that their habits are changing to suit
circumstances. Squirrels have always been known to "lose" what they
bury, but round here they only go through the motions of burying it, and
leave each nut sticking half out of the ground. Presumably they've
adapted to realise that as there are not a lot of competitors in a town,
it's more efficient to leave the food easy to find.

In Wandsworth, my sister in law has a squirrel that comes into their tiny
back garden regularly and waits for the walnuts she rolls out of their
french windows, onto the lawn. ;-)

With any luck in another couple of years they will realise that the same
households will always leave plenty on the birdtable all year round and
there is no need to "squirrel them away" in any case.

Hmm... has no one told these people that you're not meant to put out
peanuts when the birds are breeding?

It's okay to have peanuts but they should be in tough, small mesh, feeders.
This means the birds only peck tiny bits off and don't take whole nuts which
they then stuff down the throats of their hapless offspring, choking them to
death.
Recently at a local feed and grain/gardening etc. etc. store (Tucker's in
Ashburton) we have found Barley gleanings in sacks and the birds love those.
(gleanings isn't the right word but I can't remember the correct one!)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

Inge Jones2/4/04 3:22

How come the squirrels round here are burying peanuts at this time of
year? Do they know something we don't about a climatic disaster
approaching?

Also I have noticed that their habits are changing to suit
circumstances. Squirrels have always been known to "lose" what they
bury, but round here they only go through the motions of burying it, and
leave each nut sticking half out of the ground. Presumably they've
adapted to realise that as there are not a lot of competitors in a town,
it's more efficient to leave the food easy to find.

In Wandsworth, my sister in law has a squirrel that comes into their tiny
back garden regularly and waits for the walnuts she rolls out of their
french windows, onto the lawn. ;-)

With any luck in another couple of years they will realise that the same
households will always leave plenty on the birdtable all year round and
there is no need to "squirrel them away" in any case.

Hmm... has no one told these people that you're not meant to put out
peanuts when the birds are breeding?

It's okay to have peanuts but they should be in tough, small mesh, feeders.
This means the birds only peck tiny bits off and don't take whole nuts which
they then stuff down the throats of their hapless offspring, choking them to
death.
Recently at a local feed and grain/gardening etc. etc. store (Tucker's in
Ashburton) we have found Barley gleanings in sacks and the birds love those.
(gleanings isn't the right word but I can't remember the correct one!)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

On Sat, 03 Apr 2004 13:40:29 +0100, Sacha
wrote:

Inge Jones2/4/04 3:22
@te xt.giganews.com
snip
It's okay to have peanuts but they should be in tough, small mesh, feeders.
This means the birds only peck tiny bits off and don't take whole nuts which
they then stuff down the throats of their hapless offspring, choking them to
death.

Does this really happen? Has anyone ever found a dead chick with a
whole peanut stuck in its throat?

regards
jim

On Sat, 03 Apr 2004 13:40:29 +0100, Sacha
wrote:

Inge Jones2/4/04 3:22
@te xt.giganews.com
snip
It's okay to have peanuts but they should be in tough, small mesh, feeders.
This means the birds only peck tiny bits off and don't take whole nuts which
they then stuff down the throats of their hapless offspring, choking them to
death.

Does this really happen? Has anyone ever found a dead chick with a
whole peanut stuck in its throat?

regards
jim

"Inge Jones" wrote in message
. ..
How come the squirrels round here are burying peanuts at this time of
year? Do they know something we don't about a climatic disaster
approaching?

Also I have noticed that their habits are changing to suit
circumstances. Squirrels have always been known to "lose" what they
bury, but round here they only go through the motions of burying it, and
leave each nut sticking half out of the ground. Presumably they've
adapted to realise that as there are not a lot of competitors in a town,
it's more efficient to leave the food easy to find.

With any luck in another couple of years they will realise that the same
households will always leave plenty on the birdtable all year round and
there is no need to "squirrel them away" in any case.

Unlikely, squirrels have no brains to use for thinking, the only way to
stop them is to trap them and dispose of them.

Alan
--
Reply to alan(at)windsor-berks(dot)freeserve(dot)co(dot)uk

"Inge Jones" wrote in message
. ..
How come the squirrels round here are burying peanuts at this time of
year? Do they know something we don't about a climatic disaster
approaching?

Also I have noticed that their habits are changing to suit
circumstances. Squirrels have always been known to "lose" what they
bury, but round here they only go through the motions of burying it, and
leave each nut sticking half out of the ground. Presumably they've
adapted to realise that as there are not a lot of competitors in a town,
it's more efficient to leave the food easy to find.

With any luck in another couple of years they will realise that the same
households will always leave plenty on the birdtable all year round and
there is no need to "squirrel them away" in any case.

Unlikely, squirrels have no brains to use for thinking, the only way to
stop them is to trap them and dispose of them.

Alan
--
Reply to alan(at)windsor-berks(dot)freeserve(dot)co(dot)uk

In article , alan@holmes-
g4crw.freeserve.co.uk says...

Unlikely, squirrels have no brains to use for thinking, the only way to
stop them is to trap them and dispose of them.

Lol! I don't like them at all, but I think there will be increasing
wildlife in towns as long as there are people who think it's helpful to
feed them.

Fortunately the squirrels that come through my garden don't seem as
aggressive as one we had in our last garden, who frequently threatened
and actually attacked my cat unprovoked once.

In article , alan@holmes-
g4crw.freeserve.co.uk says...

Unlikely, squirrels have no brains to use for thinking, the only way to
stop them is to trap them and dispose of them.

Lol! I don't like them at all, but I think there will be increasing
wildlife in towns as long as there are people who think it's helpful to
feed them.

Fortunately the squirrels that come through my garden don't seem as
aggressive as one we had in our last garden, who frequently threatened
and actually attacked my cat unprovoked once.

In article ,
Inge Jones wrote:
In article , alan@holmes-
g4crw.freeserve.co.uk says...

Unlikely, squirrels have no brains to use for thinking, the only way to
stop them is to trap them and dispose of them.

Lol! I don't like them at all, but I think there will be increasing
wildlife in towns as long as there are people who think it's helpful to
feed them.

Fortunately the squirrels that come through my garden don't seem as
aggressive as one we had in our last garden, who frequently threatened
and actually attacked my cat unprovoked once.

We need more pine martens, and probably beech martens.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
Inge Jones wrote:
In article , alan@holmes-
g4crw.freeserve.co.uk says...

Unlikely, squirrels have no brains to use for thinking, the only way to
stop them is to trap them and dispose of them.

Lol! I don't like them at all, but I think there will be increasing
wildlife in towns as long as there are people who think it's helpful to
feed them.

Fortunately the squirrels that come through my garden don't seem as
aggressive as one we had in our last garden, who frequently threatened
and actually attacked my cat unprovoked once.

We need more pine martens, and probably beech martens.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Subject: Are squirrels OT?
From: "Alan Holmes"
Date: 03/04/2004 16:54 GMT Daylight Time
Message-id:

Unlikely, squirrels have no brains to use for thinking

Squirrels read the daily mail?
--
Rhiannon
http://www.livejournal.com/users/rhiannon_s/
"The trick is to commit crimes so confusing that police feel too stupid to even
write a crime report about them."
Aubrey on remaining at liberty
www.somethingpositive.net

Subject: Are squirrels OT?
From: "Alan Holmes"
Date: 03/04/2004 16:54 GMT Daylight Time
Message-id:

Unlikely, squirrels have no brains to use for thinking

Squirrels read the daily mail?
--
Rhiannon
http://www.livejournal.com/users/rhiannon_s/
"The trick is to commit crimes so confusing that police feel too stupid to even
write a crime report about them."
Aubrey on remaining at liberty
www.somethingpositive.net

"Inge Jones" wrote in message
. ..
In article ,
alan@holmes-
g4crw.freeserve.co.uk says...

Unlikely, squirrels have no brains to use for thinking,
the only way to
stop them is to trap them and dispose of them.

Lol! I don't like them at all, but I think there will be
increasing
wildlife in towns as long as there are people who think
it's helpful to
feed them.

Fortunately the squirrels that come through my garden
don't seem as
aggressive as one we had in our last garden, who
frequently threatened
and actually attacked my cat unprovoked once.

What an eminently well-behaved squirrel. May I borrow it
please?

Franz

"Inge Jones" wrote in message
. ..
In article ,
alan@holmes-
g4crw.freeserve.co.uk says...

Unlikely, squirrels have no brains to use for thinking,
the only way to
stop them is to trap them and dispose of them.

Lol! I don't like them at all, but I think there will be
increasing
wildlife in towns as long as there are people who think
it's helpful to
feed them.

Fortunately the squirrels that come through my garden
don't seem as
aggressive as one we had in our last garden, who
frequently threatened
and actually attacked my cat unprovoked once.

What an eminently well-behaved squirrel. May I borrow it
please?

Franz