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  • Author Author: ralphjy
  • Date Created: Date Created
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  • Comments 17 comments
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Bad Squirrel

ralphjy

It's officially spring and like a good Oregonian, my wife has been planting some seeds to get starts for summer vegetables.  We've finally gotten a stretch of sunny days in the 70s (F) , so she put her seed pots on the front step to get the morning sun.  Yesterday she noticed that the dirt in the pots was disturbed and the seeds were missing.  She suspected that the local squirrels might have done it and I was surprised when she put out new seeds this morning without adding any protection..

 

While we were out walking the granddog (only 5 1/2 miles today), I got an alert from my doorbell camera.  I didn't see anything amiss on my phone, but I checked a full resolution picture when we got home and something caught my eye.  I've marked it in the image below.

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I checked playback around that time on the NVR and it indeed was a squirrel!

 

 

We live in a medium density suburban neighborhood, but we have a fair number of animals because of the numerous greenspaces.  I've had mice, rats, rabbits, raccoons, and a large assortment of squirrels and birds in my yard.  And we've had coyotes and deer roaming the streets.  Last year we had a problem with tomatoes and cucumbers being eaten in our garden and one day we were surprised to see a squirrel eating a cucumber!  Of course we didn't get any photo evidence, so no one believed us.  The only picture I got was of the cucumber, but I didn't have dental records to incriminate the squirrel image.

image

 

My wife is happy that we have video evidence this time.  And it reminded me that I wanted to reprint the mounting plate on the doorbell camera to move the view to the left and down a bit.

Parents

  • Yes you...
    image

     

    … stop eating my garden tools !

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    I used to have an electric lawnmower, but they managed to convert it to a manual... image

  • in reply to beacon_dave

    I've thankfully never had a problem with squirrels eating my tools, but I am careful not to leave the garage open when I am working in the back.  I have had the experience of a squirrel trying to follow me inside.  I guess they think they are part of the family image.  They're not even afraid of the dog - they have been quick enough so far, but I don't think they should push their luck...

     

    A common problem around here is woodpeckers that make their homes in the wooden facade around chimneys.  I moved here from earthquake and wildfire country (southern CA), so I don't have a fireplace - but both my adjacent neighbors have had woodpeckers - my wife just saw (and heard) one open up a hole in their chimney yesterday.

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  • in reply to beacon_dave

    I've thankfully never had a problem with squirrels eating my tools, but I am careful not to leave the garage open when I am working in the back.  I have had the experience of a squirrel trying to follow me inside.  I guess they think they are part of the family image.  They're not even afraid of the dog - they have been quick enough so far, but I don't think they should push their luck...

     

    A common problem around here is woodpeckers that make their homes in the wooden facade around chimneys.  I moved here from earthquake and wildfire country (southern CA), so I don't have a fireplace - but both my adjacent neighbors have had woodpeckers - my wife just saw (and heard) one open up a hole in their chimney yesterday.

Children
  • in reply to ralphjy

    The squirrels managed to get into my neighbour's roof space one year and started to chew their way downward through the ceiling. They didn't appear to be too bothered about the cats either.

     

    I had a woodpecker visiting one year - it really put the other birds to shame on the peanut bird feeder. image

     

    The last few years I have had a compost bin full of 'tree bumble bees'. I think some creeping juniper clippings initially attracted them and they have remained ever since. No pots of honey yet on the doorstep though...