Found a squirrel in my yard...

Discussion in 'Wildlife in the Garden' started by Sherry8, Dec 17, 2007.

  1. Sherry8

    Sherry8 I Love Birds!

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    We have lived here since August of 2005. We moved from the country and I guess you could call this some what country too. I have not even seen many squirrels in our area and to my surprise today...I found one sitting in my tray feeder for the birds. I enjoy watching them so I don't discourage them. We had over 12 of them at the other house but our trees are so small here that I figured it would be a while.

    I thought he had left so I went outside before it got dark to fill the tray for the early birds and to my surprise the squirrel is under the roof of the tray feeder. He had climbed up inside and I guess he plans on spending the night. I would think he could find a warmer spot though. I have a feeling that he will be sitting on the tray bright and early unless he comes down at night for a snack...I won't be startled tomorrow...I will look first before I dump more food on the tray. The tray feeder is on the side of the pergola.

    [​IMG]

    This is an old picture but it is the same type that I noticed in my yard today.
     
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  3. eileen

    eileen Resident Taxonomist Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    Cute little things aren't they? Only problem is that they chew through bird feeders and dig holes all over the garden - still they are amusing to watch. :stew1:
     
  4. bsewnsew

    bsewnsew Hardy Maple

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    squirrels

    Yes the cute nasty fellows......THe pick the Butternuts from the trees and hide them in HD garage.
    They even had some on the top of my air cleaner in the car.. Along with some fuzzy for a nest , we think.
    Oh they are so cute to watch tho// We have red and grey ones.......
    Does WIsconsin have alot of wet lands? We were up one time and did see lots of swamp like areas.. We were driving thru looking at the cows.

    b
     
  5. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

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    What a cute animal. I can imagine that squirrels would plunder feeders, they are ingenious little beasties. Is it at all tame?
     



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  6. Sherry8

    Sherry8 I Love Birds!

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    We had a sort of tame squirrel when we lived in Appleton many years ago. He would take nuts from my husbands hand. But I don't think you should trust them, they are a wild animal. Certain areas of Wisconsin can be considered wetlands. Where we lived we had swamps and that is why we had so many snakes. None poisonous just a nuisance every time you bent down to garden.
    We had the red, gray and even a couple of flying squirrels. I could get pretty close to the flying ones. If I can find the picture I took of them I will post it on this post. They were really great and neat to see, they would go in the squirrel jars we used to feed the other squirrels in and then fly back and forth to every feeder at night.
     
  7. CritterPainter

    CritterPainter Awed by Nature

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    I've always wanted to see a real flying squirrel in action- clever little beasties! I'm currently in a battle with the one in my wellhouse, he chewed another hole in the wall!!
     
  8. glendann

    glendann Official Garden Angel

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    The squirrel are so comical and can get into so much.I love to see the little flying squirrels soar from tree to tree.Beautiful little animals.
     
  9. Droopy

    Droopy Slug Slaughterer Plants Contributor

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    Me like! :D We've only got the red squirrels here, and I enjoy watching them when the play or argue. I can't tell the difference.
     
  10. DaphDaph

    DaphDaph Seedling

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    What a nice surprise for you Sherry8. I miss my little squirrels. They do get into mischief but the entertainment they provide is priceless.
    I could never tell whether they are playing are fighting. Especially when the chase each other.
    Thanks for sharing.
     
  11. Sherry8

    Sherry8 I Love Birds!

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    I only had 2 pictures of the flying squirrels that turned out ...they come out in the dark and are quite fast when they fly from one feeder to the next. No one believed we had them in Wisconsin because they had never seen them. We loved to sit out on our deck and with the woods right in our backyard, nature was easy to enjoy. We do miss the area now but it just makes things nicer here that we could finally attract a gray squirrel.

    These 2 are of the flying squirrel:
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  12. Penny

    Penny Young Pine

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    Cute picture!!
     
  13. Wrennie

    Wrennie In Flower

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    BF had never seen a flying squirrel. He went out one night to get the feeders in (we live in bear country so have to bring them in, in warmer months)and said to me isn't it late for the chipmunks to be out and feeding? So the next night we waited, shone a flashlight when the supposed chipmunk came and it was a pair of flying squirrels. They got so used to us watching them that one night he couldnt get the one to let go and get off the feeder as he was bringing it in. He got in the front hall with the little guy still holding on, and quick turned back outside shooing him off.(we have 4 indoor cats, poor guy wouldnt have had a chance.)
     
  14. Netty

    Netty Chaotic Gardener Plants Contributor

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    That's funny Sherry...I hadn't seen a squirrel here in the 4 years we lived here until yesterday. I looked outside and there was a gray squirrel running from my bird feeder. He climbed up our Maple tree and I haven't seen him since.
     

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