The Bottomless Pits!

  With every hike about the hillside, I seem to be finding more and more grey squirrels are moving in on us.  Since the property to our west has been clear cut, the animals there had no place to go...except here.  Now, I am overrun with every critter imaginable.  Most are skittish and are staying in the wooded area behind the house.  The squirrels, however, have decided that the yard is their preferred residence.  Perhaps since the family of bobcats, a dozen or so coyotes and just as many fox are in the back, the squirrels are staying in the front.  To be honest, those predators need to thin the crop of squirrels a bit.  They are obliterating my garden!

  Most folks have a huge misconception about the squirrels.  It seems that a lot of people think that squirrels are cute and cuddly.  They have this idea that squirrels are a lot like house cats but nicer since "they only eat nuts and won't catch birds".  Who are you trying to kid?  Granted a squirrel is not going to catch a full grown bird, but, face it, squirrels are omnivorous. They can and will eat anything they can overpower...and that includes birds.  Usually, they stick to raiding nests and robbing the eggs but, occasionally, that nest may have tiny birds so that changes things.  Yep, the squirrel will still devour what is in the nest but their appetite changes from eggs to nestlings.  

  Today as I was wandering the gardens, I thought of how squirrels will just about eat anything.  With the onslaught of critters, I have lost peaches, plums and tomatoes to the rascals.  They are eating the green (unopened) pine cones and a few of the hickory nuts.  It was this afternoon that I saw a young squirrel eating yet a different kind of meal.  This rascal had caught and was devouring a cicada.  I don't trust the squirrels.  They eat just about anything so it is best to not leave anything that is valued out in the garden!  They will have it in a heartbeat!