General Chat

The reason I ask is because this year is the first year I haven't seen them throughout the winter... they appear to have hibernated, but I know they didn't last year as I watched their antics while I was poorly... they made me laugh!

They have all come out to play today, though.... and in between playing, they are gnawing furiously at the bark of the young trees on the outside border of my garden.

I gathered a load of conkers in a bucket autumn time, and they are using that as a feeding station as well.

But... will gnawing at the tree bark damage the tree? And if I put out extra food when I feed the birds, will that deter them (edit, the squirrels, by giving them a wider choice of food)? I didn't notice them gnawing last year!

Love

Daff xxx

Hello Daff, Dont think we have spoken before, I dont know much about grey squirrels either but during the winter they continued playing on the tree at the back of my house and looking for food so they have been about.

Daff - 'our' squirrels have never hibernated this winter, and come to think of it, can't rremember them doing it in previous winters. They scamper across the top of the trellis that is part of my patio, and which I can see from my kitchen window. Sometimes they stop half way across and sit looking at us watching them. I do put extra bird food out for them, but wish they could not be so greedy, and leave some for the birds. Apart from them being so greedy, they are so funny to watch.
Couple of times this winter, I have seen a skein of geese fly past, and I have not seen that for years.
Best Wishes
Julia in Derbyshire

Hello Daff:o)

We had a few weeks or more when we di'nt see them, but they are about now, sometimes 2 and the rare occassion 3. My siter in Chepstow has'nt seen hers for ages.
Not seen them eating the bark but they have got through the wire on nut holder....grrrrr lol

jude:o) xx

im sure i heard they were short ,
not as in not very tall,

just not many about as normal

we dont see many here but by dads house he gets um running thru his garden,

never thought of leaving out conkers for um, thats brilliant idea daff,
daughter lives by loads of trees, maybe she should try that
little one would love it

Winter: The grey squirrel does not hibernate and it cannot store enough energy to survive for long periods without food. A larger, thicker winter drey is built, usually on a strong branch close to the trunk, and a squirrel will lie up in this in very cold weather, coming out now and then to search out hidden stores of food. These stores of single nuts and other items are buried in the ground in autumn, well spread out. They are found by smell, rather than memory. Often they are not found at all and later may grow, helping the dispersal of trees. Winter dreys are often shared for warmth. As it sleeps, the squirrel curls its tail around its body to act as a blanket.

Thank you for your replies

Jude, I don't live too far from you... I wonder if the very harsh spell we have had led them to semi-hibernate this year? I know... they wrecked the couple of feeders I put up high away from my cats, as well...

Julia, I haven't seen them hibernate before, either... we have lived here four years but this is the fifth winter.... this time last year I wasn't 100% and used to lie on the sofa here in the conservatory, and giggle at them... they have always thrown twigs and bits at the cats, lol

Hello Crystalcat, pleased to meet you.... they are funny, aren't they? Like having a tree full of mischievous toddlers, lol

I am a bit worried about my little Rowan tree... I do hope they stick to the self-seeded trees in the copse on the other side of the fence....

They have just demolished the fat balls and the last of the christmas pudding I put out for the birds.... will need to go and feed them some more, I think!!

Love

Daff xxx

'My' Squirrels have been about this winter in all but the coldest weather. I put food out for them as well as the birds and have at least one feeder that they can't get at - it's inside a metal cage. One young squirrel did try to get in there in the summer and got stuck, twice.

I've seen them in previous years gnawing at the bark on the young oak trees beyond our fence and believe that they can damage the tree in doing this although none of those I've seen them gnawing have died as yet.

Anyway this thread as remind me that i need to go and top up the feeders to keep them from attacking my spring bulbs that are just starting to shoot.

Thanks Hoff.... that answers part of my question then... they don't actually hibernate, but they go semi-dormant during a very bad spell.

I have two huge Horse Chestnut trees at the side of me.... and during the winter, the squirrels would come looking for the conkers they'd *hidden* in the tubs and hanging baskets, lolol They haven't done that this year... well, until now... that is why I collected the conkers, so they had a good stock of them... the trees are now diseased, and not producing as many conkers , and they are smaller, so I had anticipated a bit of a famine, lol! Glad I did!

Julie Ann, I got my little granddaughter to help collect them, she loved it!

Love

Daff xxx

Hiya Sarah.... thank you for that.... oh, and of course they go go for all the young bulbs and shoots, don't they? I remember discussing this with Jac one year!

Right... I shall feed them!! Keep them well fed and maybe they will stay away from my bulbs, lolol

Love

Daff xxx

I often walk in the woods near me and there are loads of squirrels in there, but during the freeze, when all the snow was about, I didn't see one single squirrel, so I suppose they had holed themselves up somewhere.

Last week they were about again, and even wondering around in the communal car park in our flats, which I've never seen them do before, so I suppose they were foraging.

Yes, they,re Vermin,and if caught it is illegal to free them they should be killed.**M**.

TW, so it does look as though they *lie low* or semi hibernate when the weather is really bad..... which would account for not seeing them for a while.

Aw Merlin..... I know they are a bleeping nuisance at times... but they still look cute, and they make me smile, well, most of the time they do, lol

I know, Island.... but I still think they are cute... well, I like to watch them... we have one who is rather clumsy, and how he has survived I do not know!!

When we first moved here a few years ago there was evidence to suggest that they had used our loft as a winter drey... there were 4 old dreys there... I had to get permission to have the branches of two of the Horse Chestnuts cut back... they were actually just tipping in under the eaves, and this was how the squirrels were getting in. There was evidence to suggest they had been perilously close to chewing the wiring!

When all was done, Mr Rentokil man sealed up, and came back every couple of weeks to check there were no squirrels trapped up there... he was going to release, not kill them. There were none, though, and all has been well since.

Except with my nutty neighbour, who decided that I had a vendetta against trees, and was out to murder them all!! lol But that, as they say, is a different thread!!

Love

Daff xxx

Some time ago we heard a commotion outside when we went to look, our neighbours were all standing and looking at a huge squirrel just hanging on the wall beneath the roof , by the time I rushed to get my camera he had shot right across the back of the houses and over a wall and gone....now we are nowhere near country or trees at least not many, and on a very busy main road, We wondered if it had been in the roof somewhere, I know they do go in roof spaces and are very difficult to remove, just hope it didnt have a family.....never seenit since, but sad I missed the photo.....

Jean x

It is true what Merlin said. Not because they are vermin, but because they are an introduced species, not really native, and post a significant threat to native red squirrels.

So it is illegal to release them again for that reason, just the same as it is illegal to put an american crayfish back in our rivers (even though its actually illegal to fish for crayfish without a permit too). Again, they pose a huge threat to our native crayfish with disease and displacement.

However...if I managed to catch a squirrel, I could not be cruel to it. There are no red squirrels in this part of the country.

I know, Teresa... there have been so many things introduced to this country which have then destroyed or are in the process of destroying, our native flora and fauna... bluebells, Knotweed, terrapins, squirrels, etc

But I just couldn't hurt a squirrel.... well, unless it was hurting one of my cats or something... I know they can be quite vicious.

There has been a successful scheme somewhere in UK, where they are encircling the habitat of the red squirrel, which is smaller, shyer and gentler than the brash and argumentative grey, with vegetation distasteful to the grey.... and reds are doing well there... Off to google again!, lol

Love

Daff xxx

Down by the River here, it is full of Himalayan Balsom, a beautiful flower but so invasive it's even choking out the natural reeds and sedges that should be there. (it stinks too!) Insects love it, but it's taking over here. The only places it hasn't reached yet are the Japanese Knotweed patches. Can't win! lol

There is talk of leaving controlled patches of Japanise Knotweed, as it is so beneficial to insects as shelter in the winter, which in turn will benefit birds, so there are some good things come out of it.

Those Victorian gardners have got a lot to answer for though.

We have lots of Red squirrels not to far from where we live

I know ours has a fancy for sunflower seeds, we planted about a dozen sunflowers at the end of the garden so we could let them go to seed for the birds.
Last autumn, I looked out of the window and saw the squirrel rustling around amongst them. Ah bless him he’s having a few seeds I thought, later that day we found every one had been neatly decapitated, and no sign of the heads at all; he must have had a wheelbarrow!

I reckon the area may be inundated with sunflowers this year!

Regards,
Mayfield.

We had goats which would gnaw tree bark and had to wire their trunks to protect them. If trees are gnawed all the way round they will die, so squirrels and young trees are a no-no.