Backyard Bystander: A Squirrely Dilemma
Oh, those squirrels. I have a grudging appreciation for them since they are fairly entertaining and liven up our window side theatre.
Once I learned how to (mostly) thwart their attempts to raid our bird feeders we settled into an amicable relationship: we provide peanuts and they provide a show.
That is, until recently.
Our primary squirrel residents are fox squirrels, the large ones with gray coats and orange tummies. They are curious, personable, and definitely comical. For over 20+ years they were constant in our yard. We even had one squirrel, Syringa, who would come bounding up to us and sit on our leg while she cracked open peanuts. She would never allow us to pet her though. She lasted a couple of seasons, as a squirrel’s life is a short one, unfortunately.
In the last couple of years our squirrel population increased with the addition of a couple of red squirrels.
These are odd little critters. Tiny, just a bit bigger than a chipmunk, about half the size of a fox squirrel, these little guys are frenetic compared to their foxy cousins. They zip and dash about gathering up seeds and nuts, burying with the determination of a terrier hiding bones in the backyard. They resemble little terriers as well, the way they bound about with purpose. They are not personable. They are caffeinated. They rarely stay in one place long enough to be watchable. Their main purpose in life to claim as much food as possible and as quickly as possible.
They have also chased away all our fox squirrels. I wondered what happened to them, thinking it strange how we went from several cavorting around the yard to none.
It became clear to me one day as I glanced out the window. I spied JB (short for Jitter Bug), the alpha red squirrel, suddenly zip out from the day lilies and take on a juvenile fox squirrel, who, though young, was twice the size of JB.
JB tussled with that foxy intruder (an interloper in his mind) like a tiny tornado. Foxy, being a squirrel, being food-motivated, did not give up, and kept attempting a raid on the birdfeeder gleanings. Although after the third time of being trounced soundly by JB he is gone.
I did spy a couple of fox squirrels crossing the driveway, migrating to our neighbor’s yard. I see them frolicking together, living the squirrel dream.
We are now a one-squirrel yard. We have reluctantly accepted the fact we harbor a bully squirrel. This presents a problem, as we like our backyard to be a haven for wildlife, with the idea that feathers and fur can safely come and go in peace.
JB is not interested in that agenda.
What does one do with a bully squirrel?
I am quite open to suggestions.
Pam Webb 