old man Posted February 24, 2022 Report Share Posted February 24, 2022 On 23/02/2022 at 10:03, Mice! said: That is strange, I might not see any squirrels walking the woods, but I'm seeing loads of birds? I had a walk yesterday afternoon, nice sunshine cold wind so I only saw birds, but I did fill a feeder on my walk. I was in two minds this morning where I should go, it was quite windy with rain forecast? I risked the feeder at the golf course I filled yesterday, I set of at 645 and was shocked to find it was already pretty light. I was in the wood and set up for ten past 7, and the first squirrel came past me from Behind about 750, it had to have seen me, it was only 5 or 6mtrs away, but I just kept still and waited as it went towards the feeder. Few minutes rooting around then it went up onto the feeder, Pfft Whack boing boing flipping around so I gave it another Pfft. Twenty minutes later and another comes from the opposite direction, very twitchy and nervous, I'm guessing it can smell the other. It messed around going up and around, down and back up with the tail twitching the whole time, it kept stopping on the branches of the pine for a look down and managing to have a twig or something covering its head, it was only a thin twig each time but you just know you'll hit it 🙄 Then she stopped on a branch with a clear view, Pfft Whack boing, and landed out out sight, so I got up to find her very dead with a hole in the forehead and an exit behind the ear. No idea what caused the flipping around today. I gave it a while, the tits arrived in force but no more squirrels showed up, the wind was picking up and the rain was starting so I packed up and headed for home. Large female and a male. A good day then bud. My latest location is a bit exposed and windy so maybe common sense prevailed. Today I scored an own goal, two different forecasts gave a miserable day today compared with tomorrow so chose tomorrow. Guess the weather men need a new piece of seaweed as instead of the likely snow and rain it's been nice. Just found out need to be home tomorrow when should be out on the tree rats. Will be out later than usual tomorrow but who knows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted February 24, 2022 Report Share Posted February 24, 2022 Fortunately I looked at the clear sky at 8am and thought they got it wrong or it had gone through already. Apart from a bit of wind it is a nice day and I should be out but home jobs needed doing now and my neighbours wheelbarrow fell apart so had to refurbish that. Tomorrow looks a bright day. I'm gettoing wihtdrawl symptoms I need to eliminate a tree rat or three. Land Rover still in hospital for a 15 year service on the LPG system, so restricted a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mice! Posted February 24, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2022 2 hours ago, old man said: My latest location is a bit exposed and windy so maybe common sense prevailed. Yeah they don't like that, I'll be putting a feeder back in it's old location once the leaves start coming out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man Posted February 25, 2022 Report Share Posted February 25, 2022 What to say, finally sitting by 13.30 following a lot of messing about with a delayed carpenter. For once the sun was out, right in my eyes so a lot of squinting needed. Finally after an hour the first customer arrived coming down the feeder tree after footling about for ten minutes or so. stopping to take a drink at a convenient pool in a natural tree bole it took an AA field to the head, sadly the water now a bit polluted with blood. Quick look at the feeders, nearly empty so a fill and recovery of a young boar. 45 minutes later another one appeared out of thin air to sniff the water hole, big mistake that the S200 sorted. An old sow in superb condition prior to the collision. Gave up at 16.00 as the wind came up, an ok outing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted February 25, 2022 Report Share Posted February 25, 2022 Checked two of my flip tops as I had not been for a couple of weeks and they where both cleaned out. I sat for an hour and a half 1.30 to 3pm and called it a day with nothing showing. Will top both feeders up tomorrow ready for next week and hope to have the Landie back as well from it's refurb so I can at the golf course again as I bet they have cleaned those out as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mice! Posted February 25, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2022 40 minutes ago, Walker570 said: Checked two of my flip tops as I had not been for a couple of weeks and they where both cleaned out. I sat for an hour and a half 1.30 to 3pm and called it a day with nothing showing. Will top both feeders up tomorrow ready for next week and hope to have the Landie back as well from it's refurb so I can at the golf course again as I bet they have cleaned those out as well. I don't like to sit at an feeder that was empty, get them filled and bag em up a few days later. 2 hours ago, old man said: What to say, finally sitting by 13.30 following a lot of messing about with a delayed carpenter. For once the sun was out, right in my eyes so a lot of squinting needed. Finally after an hour the first customer arrived coming down the feeder tree after footling about for ten minutes or so. stopping to take a drink at a convenient pool in a natural tree bole it took an AA field to the head, sadly the water now a bit polluted with blood. Quick look at the feeders, nearly empty so a fill and recovery of a young boar. 45 minutes later another one appeared out of thin air to sniff the water hole, big mistake that the S200 sorted. An old sow in superb condition prior to the collision. Gave up at 16.00 as the wind came up, an ok outing. Two is good for the afternoon, and sounds like your feeders are getting hit hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam triple Posted February 27, 2022 Report Share Posted February 27, 2022 I’m up the woods first time in about 3-4 weeks and still nothing, seems to be devoid of squirrels I know I’ve not **** them all , winds still quite strong but the sun is out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man Posted February 27, 2022 Report Share Posted February 27, 2022 On 25/02/2022 at 23:05, Mice! said: I don't like to sit at an feeder that was empty, get them filled and bag em up a few days later. Two is good for the afternoon, and sounds like your feeders are getting hit hard. Interestingly a totally different snout profile between the two, the boars was normal length but the sows was noticeably shorter. Have seen short snouts before on occasion, must take more notice. Genetic variation maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted February 27, 2022 Report Share Posted February 27, 2022 Done as ordered Sir Mice🤣, feeders now filled and will have a look this next week as the weather looks good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sciurus Posted February 27, 2022 Report Share Posted February 27, 2022 Two trapped for the price of one on Friday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted February 27, 2022 Report Share Posted February 27, 2022 I had to look twice. Brilliant . First time I have seen that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mice! Posted February 27, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2022 8 hours ago, old man said: Interestingly a totally different snout profile between the two, the boars was normal length but the sows was noticeably shorter. Have seen short snouts before on occasion, must take more notice. Genetic variation maybe? Haven't noticed that one before? 6 hours ago, Walker570 said: Done as ordered Sir Mice🤣, feeders now filled and will have a look this next week as the weather looks good. I will await your results 😅 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sciurus Posted February 27, 2022 Report Share Posted February 27, 2022 @Walker570 It’s happened to me once before in similar circumstances. Houseowner rings up to say he has 2 greys raiding the bird feeder, I put out a trap and 3 or 4 days later, catch two together. I assume they must be siblings. A pal once caught a young badger - it must be the peanuts, it was after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man Posted March 1, 2022 Report Share Posted March 1, 2022 Two this morning despite the cold wind. Both feeders empty. 1 young boar and one in the brambles for the night cleaners. Roll on Thursday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted March 1, 2022 Report Share Posted March 1, 2022 I have one lurking somewhere in our wood. Spotted once on camera but not shown up since. Not having Landie has restricted me a bit this last three weeks but hopefully I have it back tomorrow so back on the golf course and otehr locations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mice! Posted March 1, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2022 2 hours ago, old man said: Two this morning despite the cold wind. Both feeders empty. 1 young boar and one in the brambles for the night cleaners. Roll on Thursday. Nice. 1 hour ago, Walker570 said: I have one lurking somewhere in our wood. Spotted once on camera but not shown up since. Not having Landie has restricted me a bit this last three weeks but hopefully I have it back tomorrow so back on the golf course and otehr locations. Probably been a good time to be restricted given how the weather has been. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mice! Posted March 2, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 I managed a single female this morning, but I had to wait nearly two hours for her to arrive, I'd decided 8:30 was home time with rain forecast for 9am, it had gone darker and colder but there were birds moving around so at 8:40 i thought 5 more minutes or till it rains 😅😅 then I spotted a grey moving along the floor off in front of me! But then I thought she was going to run right up to me, but she paused and headed for the feeder, Pfft Whack and collapsed on the spot. Just under the ear, job done. Didn't see any others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 Neat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martlandhw100 Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 Got a new feeder up at the shoot today so hopefully start to add some more numbers. Just finding the time with training the pup and everything else 🙈 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man Posted March 3, 2022 Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 Another damp overcast morning. Waited for 90 minutes for the first of 3 customers. All on the ground adjacent to the bramble patch, all will be collected by the night cleaners. Good news, saw 4 from the same wood whilst walking out to the car. Interestingly all were out on the open field around molehills and retreated wood side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam triple Posted March 5, 2022 Report Share Posted March 5, 2022 Looking like another blank coming up hod knows where they’ve gone im the only one shooting this wood ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisheruk Posted March 5, 2022 Report Share Posted March 5, 2022 Out before daybreak aft an illusive squirrel. Single female comes along at 7.30am. This 600gram female won’t be breeding this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mice! Posted March 5, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2022 7 hours ago, sam triple said: Looking like another blank coming up hod knows where they’ve gone im the only one shooting this wood ! Tucked away waiting on young, looking at my records my shot area was quiet in March last year but the fresh area was ten in Feb & March. Best you can do is put up a camera and watch your feed levels. I'm still not seeing squirrels mooching about just at feeders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam triple Posted March 6, 2022 Report Share Posted March 6, 2022 4 hours ago, Mice! said: Tucked away waiting on young, looking at my records my shot area was quiet in March last year but the fresh area was ten in Feb & March. Best you can do is put up a camera and watch your feed levels. I'm still not seeing squirrels mooching about just at feeders. Feeder are still going down , but small bird life is well up 👍 as is the numbers of jays 👎, 8 Roe deer came belting out of the wood as I arrived !!, not sure how much they’ve robbed from feeders , caught the sight of 2 greys as I was leaving around a pheasant feeder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted March 6, 2022 Report Share Posted March 6, 2022 Well after three weeks managed to get to the farm and check out two feeders. Shot one on the first at0700 and it then went very quiet.... you know the feeling no doubt....so I moved down to another flip top on the Pear Tree and settled down to wait and at 0800 number two arrived, that one bounced into the duck pond and at 08300 I was just preparing to call it a morning when number three arrived. All three young females so saved a fair few this season. Feed levels had gone down about what I would expect fromthat number, so will check again next week for new commers. I have shot 342 off these two flip tops and another the other side of the farmyard, so probably got the numbers down. Just keep at 'em, few at a time. I have two other spots adjacent to 400 acres of ancient woodland, I would like to get at but both are infiltrated by people walking footpaths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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