July 21, 2010

  • Hawks and Squirrels

    We have about 30 trees on our half-acre lot, and most of them are oaks. Oak trees produce acorns, and squirrels LOVE acorns. Not surprisingly, we have had many, many squirrels in our yard for the 37 years we’ve lived in our house. They’ve eaten green tomatoes off our plants, picked pears before they’ve ripened (only to throw them on the ground after taking a single bite out of them), dug up newly planted seeds, and shredded our canvas patio umbrella, presumably to get material to use to build their nests. I’ve trapped them and turned them loose into the forest miles away from my house. I’ve recruited some of my friends who are hunters to take out as many as they could. I’ve shot arrows at them unsuccessfully with my bow. I haven’t put out poison for them for fear some unsuspecting dog or cat in the neighborhood would get into it by accident, but I’ve wanted to. Over the years I became largely resigned to the fact that the squirrels were just pests that I would have to put up with.

    That all changed this spring, though, when a pair of hawks nested in a tree across the street. The pair had three young that survived, and those 5 hawks have not been friends of the squirrels. In times past it was not uncommon to see 7 or 8 squirrels on our front lawn when I went out to get the mail, and they didn’t even have the courtesy to scurry when I walked out to the street. Since the arrival of the hawks, though, we haven’t seen a single squirrel in our yard or in neighbors’ yards. I’ve seen the hawks drinking water out of a puddle on the side of the street, but I haven’t seen them attack a squirrel. They must be doing that, though, or their mere presence has been enough to send the squirrels into hiding. Whatever it is, I’m happy about the hawks.

    ED

Comments (1)

  • jeez squirrels surly know how to waste food………….one bite and leave the rest of it, what are they, children? shit, would it kill them to finish a fucking meal?

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