We heard a heck of a row coming from our back garden first thing in the morning. We were immediately concerned in case an animal had been hurt.
We traced the noise to a large tree in our garden and we could see a squirrel - a grey squirrel. We weren't too sure what was wrong because of the awful noise he was making.
This finally stopped and the squirrel appeared okay as he was sitting on a branch.
We went indoors and both agreed we never realised squirrels made such loud noises.
I looked out of the window a few minutes later and there was the squirrel in our bird house, as per the photos. He seemed quite happy munching on the seeds and nuts I had left for the birds.
The food was soon devoured and the squirrel appeared to push the dish forward as if asking for more - see below - an Oliver Twist moment!
We occasionally have a grey squirrel passing through our garden as we live opposite a small wood.
I did a Google search and found the exact noise the squirrel was making on the British Library web site. It seems that they can make chattering, rasping and barking noises and can become particularly noisy when alarmed or angry. You live and learn!
According to the British Library they are highly intelligent mammals.
As I guess most people in the UK know the grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) were foolishly introduced to the UK in the 1870s from the USA. This consequently resulted in a decline of our native, more attractive, red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris).
Back in the 1870s there were an estimated 3.5 million red squirrels in the UK. Nowadays, in England, there are only an estimated 15,000. The major problem is that the grey squirrels carry the Parapoxvirus, which does not appear to affect their health but can kill red squirrels. And we all know about the danger of viruses! We shouldn't mess with nature.
This gave me a good chuckle! I love animals, but of all animals I think I might love squirrels the least. The grey ones here are noisy and destructive. We have to use special bird feeders that they can’t access. They hate red pepper spray or pepper flakes in birdseed, so that helps. Once they find a food source they always return. Your photos are delightful and your visitor looks healthy. Hopefully it will return to the woods soon!
ReplyDeleteThe squirrels in the wood opposite our house rarely come into our garden. I quite like to see them when they do, as long as they don't attack the bird food we put out - which they have never done previously.
DeleteThanks Ann.
They are very amusing and intelegent. I do like to see them, we get one in our garden but only very occasionally. We saw quite a few native reds up in the Lake District and they are delightful.
ReplyDeleteLovely pictures Mike. 😀
Thank you David.
DeleteI haven't seen a red squirrel for many, many years, and never in Cornwall. With the greys I never realised the strange noises they could make, have never heard this previously.