"CK" wrote in message
...
I have to say that in my part of Somerset, grey squirrels don't seem to
have
hibernated for many years now.
We see them all through the winter.
Chris


They haven't hibernated here in Redditch (Worcs.) either, for years!!
--
Chrissie
http://www.thegardener.btinternet.co.uk

In article , Judith Lea
writes

Why did they end up in my garden and not in a warm
burrow?

Hares don't live in burrows and a fox or a cat probably got the parents.
Life in the wild is hard
Mind you, if they were rabbits I would have had a go at them myself if I
saw them eating my plants or digging them up!!!
--
Jane Ransom in Lancaster.
I won't respond to private emails that are on topic for urg
but if you need to email me for any other reason,
put jandg dot demon dot co dot uk where you see deadspam.com

In article , Anne Jackson
writes

They are certainly not hibernating here - not too far from you in
Twickenham.

...and the Perth grey squirrels are pretty active,too!

Our resident family of grey squirrels always remain active through
winter. They feed from bird feeders which are positioned safely from
our two cats. We like to watch their antics as they leap through our
trees, ignoring the envious gaze of the cats.

Maybe red squirrels would be more 'natural', but the local population of
those lovely creatures gave way to the ravages of intensive farming long
ago. We are just grateful that greys are able to be their replacements.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

On Sat, 8 Feb 2003 19:28:15 +0000, Alan Gould
wrote:

Maybe red squirrels would be more 'natural', but the local population of
those lovely creatures gave way to the ravages of intensive farming long
ago. We are just grateful that greys are able to be their replacements.

Gray squirrels were deliberately introduced onto Vancouver Island
by a madman within the last twenty years or so. Now they are
everywhere, at least in the city.

We have a small native squirrel here with a rusty coat; unusually
for a squirrel, it is very quiet and secretive. In over 3 decades
of life here, I have seen one exactly four times! Regrettably,
the native squirrel is very territorial, and experts think that
the gray squirrels (not very territorial) will drive it out of a
lot of its range in time. It may be that that's why your British
red squirrels are scarce now - competition from the grays.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

In article , Rodger Whitlock
writes

Regrettably,
the native squirrel is very territorial, and experts think that
the gray squirrels (not very territorial) will drive it out of a
lot of its range in time. It may be that that's why your British
red squirrels are scarce now - competition from the grays.

The competition is from humans. British red squirrels are scarce because
they are unable to thrive well in modern rural (and urban) conditions.
In this area they had become very scarce long before greys arrived.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

in article , Alan Gould at
wrote on 9/2/03 5:58 am:

In article , Rodger Whitlock
writes

Regrettably,
the native squirrel is very territorial, and experts think that
the gray squirrels (not very territorial) will drive it out of a
lot of its range in time. It may be that that's why your British
red squirrels are scarce now - competition from the grays.

The competition is from humans. British red squirrels are scarce because
they are unable to thrive well in modern rural (and urban) conditions.
In this area they had become very scarce long before greys arrived.

Aren't they much pickier eaters, whereas the greys eat just about anything
that comes their way? I thought more than a lot of the problem with reds is
that their preferred diet is no longer widely available to them - whatever
that is?
Rodger, do you have the black squirrels on VI that I saw in Vancouver
itself? Beautiful!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk

On Sun, 09 Feb 2003 10:30:45 +0000, sacha
wrote:

Rodger, do you have the black squirrels on VI that I saw in Vancouver
itself? Beautiful!

No, but among those I've trapped and deported to a happier life
in a park have been two with significantly darker coats than
normal. (Happier because free of the psychic stress of me glaring
at them as they dig in my cyclamen beds.)

I can't tell you if the black squirrels in Vancouver are grays
gone to the dark side or some other, possibly native, species,
but if curiosity starts to drive you mad, I will find out.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

in article , Rodger Whitlock at
wrote on 10/2/03 2:23 am:

On Sun, 09 Feb 2003 10:30:45 +0000, sacha
wrote:

Rodger, do you have the black squirrels on VI that I saw in Vancouver
itself? Beautiful!

No, but among those I've trapped and deported to a happier life
in a park have been two with significantly darker coats than
normal. (Happier because free of the psychic stress of me glaring
at them as they dig in my cyclamen beds.)

I can't tell you if the black squirrels in Vancouver are grays
gone to the dark side or some other, possibly native, species,
but if curiosity starts to drive you mad, I will find out.


LOL! Don't go to any trouble but it's just interesting to know if they
'made it over the water'! I haven't forgotten about your primrose seeds,
BTW. Last year, just as I was about to try to find some for you, the
heavens opened for several days and I couldn't find a single, viable seed
head among the 'real' primroses. They seemed to disappear as if by magic!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk

"TheGardener" wrote in message
...

"CK" wrote in message
...
I have to say that in my part of Somerset, grey squirrels don't seem to
have
hibernated for many years now.
We see them all through the winter.
Chris


They haven't hibernated here in Redditch (Worcs.) either, for years!!

Well there is no doubt that in the Windsor area they
do hibernate, and the mild winter last year certainly
reduced the numbers.

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

"Alan Holmes" wrote in message
...

"TheGardener" wrote in message
...

"CK" wrote in message
...
I have to say that in my part of Somerset, grey squirrels don't seem
to
have
hibernated for many years now.
We see them all through the winter.
Chris


They haven't hibernated here in Redditch (Worcs.) either, for years!!

Well there is no doubt that in the Windsor area they
do hibernate, and the mild winter last year certainly
reduced the numbers.


I've been watching this thread with interest. I was under the impression
that grey squirrels might retreat to the shelter of their drays for a few
days at a time in the worst winter conditions, but that neither they nor red
squirrels actually hibernated.

So, serious question, how do you know they hibernate in the Windsor area?

"BAC" wrote in message
...

"Alan Holmes" wrote in message
...

"TheGardener" wrote in message
...

"CK" wrote in message
...
I have to say that in my part of Somerset, grey squirrels don't seem
to
have
hibernated for many years now.
We see them all through the winter.
Chris


They haven't hibernated here in Redditch (Worcs.) either, for years!!

Well there is no doubt that in the Windsor area they
do hibernate, and the mild winter last year certainly
reduced the numbers.


I've been watching this thread with interest. I was under the impression
that grey squirrels might retreat to the shelter of their drays for a few
days at a time in the worst winter conditions, but that neither they nor
red
squirrels actually hibernated.

So, serious question, how do you know they hibernate in the Windsor area?

The complete lack of sightings during the winter.

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

So, serious question, how do you know they hibernate in the Windsor
area?

The complete lack of sightings during the winter.

Alan

If they hibernate in the UK they must be of a different breed than
ours.(USA)......we have both the red and the greys playing in our garden
area every single day.......great fun to watch........(especially now when
the breeding time is upon us)........even in the minus 17 C degree weather
they continue.
HW.

In article MI18a.278963$tq4.6205@sccrnsc01, Anne Middleton/Harold
Walker writes


So, serious question, how do you know they hibernate in the Windsor
area?

The complete lack of sightings during the winter.

Alan

If they hibernate in the UK they must be of a different breed than
ours.(USA)......we have both the red and the greys playing in our garden
area every single day.......great fun to watch........(especially now when
the breeding time is upon us)........even in the minus 17 C degree weather
they continue.

Yes, your red squirrel is a completely different species (indeed
different genus) from ours. Unlike our grey squirrel which is yours and
we would like you to come and take them all back, please! And in
exchange we will take all your starlings and house sparrows because they
are both becoming much scarcer over here. Though, of course, we also
realise how much you love them both....:-))

--
Malcolm

In article , Malcolm
writes


Yes, your red squirrel is a completely different species (indeed
different genus) from ours. Unlike our grey squirrel which is yours and
we would like you to come and take them all back, please!

I agree we'd have preferred them never to give them to us, but if they
came and took them all back, would the reds really recolonise? Or would
I be left with no squirrels at all in my garden?

And in
exchange we will take all your starlings and house sparrows

No, no, no, no! I've got plenty of both of those! 4 starlings regularly
visiting the bird table, which is all I need, and about 20 house
sparrows twittering away in the hedge outside the kitchen window.

They're getting very good at hovering and perching - I'm sure the ones
around when I was a kid weren't that good.

because they
are both becoming much scarcer over here. Though, of course, we also
realise how much you love them both....:-))


--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/garden/

Yes, your red squirrel is a completely different species (indeed
different genus) from ours. Unlike our grey squirrel which is yours and
we would like you to come and take them all back, please! And in
exchange we will take all your starlings and house sparrows because they
are both becoming much scarcer over here. Though, of course, we also
realise how much you love them both....:-))ha ha ha........you can have
them with the greatest of pleasure and most particularly the
starlings.......the greedy little b's gobble up everything in site and leave
little for the beautiful blue birds and other beauties.

HW.

--
Malcolm