Got Squirrel Shots? (In memorial of Rupert)

ccc_ · 09-24-2017, 07:09 AM

I read somewhere that grey squirrels are very territorial and autumn ignites a nesting acquisition impulse
that forces the dispersal of what were once family groups to find winter shelter
apparently the little guys do not share well

our fox squirrels aren't roughhousing in groups but are caching food
instead of a dozen at a time we are seeing singles and pairs spread over the entire area instead of concentrations at two or three neighborhood feeders

not scientific but that is what we are observing

as Rupert mentioned they do come back en masse
I assume other feeders shut down and the dependable food sources are visited again

jddwoods · 09-24-2017, 03:50 PM

Originally posted by ccc_

I read somewhere that grey squirrels are very territorial and autumn ignites a nesting acquisition impulse
that forces the dispersal of what were once family groups to find winter shelter
apparently the little guys do not share well

our fox squirrels aren't roughhousing in groups but are caching food
instead of a dozen at a time we are seeing singles and pairs spread over the entire area instead of concentrations at two or three neighborhood feeders

not scientific but that is what we are observing

as Rupert mentioned they do come back en masse
I assume other feeders shut down and the dependable food sources are visited again

Interesting. Rupert's squirrel guests are fox squirrels, mine are eastern grays, but both of us are observing the same phenomena at the same time. Same as Rupert stated, with the squirrels are away, so are the birds. Yours is the only theory for this I have seen and I can see it may have validity. It is a change of season and is causing a behavior change, not only in squirrels but birds also. Meanwhile my feeders are stocked and up for when the squirrels and birds decide to return

ccc_ · 09-24-2017, 05:27 PM

Originally posted by jddwoods

Interesting. Rupert's squirrel guests are fox squirrels, mine are eastern grays, but both of us are observing the same phenomena at the same time. Same as Rupert stated, with the squirrels are away, so are the birds. Yours is the only theory for this I have seen and I can see it may have validity. It is a change of season and is causing a behavior change, not only in squirrels but birds also. Meanwhile my feeders are stocked and up for when the squirrels and birds decide to return

as to the birds...

we took off for a short vacation two weeks ago
the day before we left we had hundreds of birds in the yard
we left the feeders out but our son does not replenish the food...by design

he said that by Tuesday the yard was quiet except for hummers in the garden and goldfinches and house finches at the sunflowers

we now have a few doves, hummers, finches, cardinals and chickadees...oh, downies, hairies, redbellies and a group of flickers are here at the suet feeders
the multitudes have moved on...even the horde of house sparrows

normally what happens is more northerly migrants will pass through and some will overwinter...the number varies every year

that is the pattern we experience
if we don't shut the food off for a while, we will have more birds than we can afford to feed and a harsh winter can be devastating for the birds that stay because it's easier than moving south

reh321 · 09-24-2017, 07:08 PM

Originally posted by Rupert

It is a mystery I experience every year......and have no real clue as to why or where they go? Here at 9AM my cedar fence is usually covered with squirrels.....today, there is not a single one in sight. My birds have thinned out too, since they use squirrels a lookouts for predators...and squirrels are gone.

Crazy stuff!

Regards!

Our fox squirrels are very busy this time of year at their work of planting oak trees. We do get cold weather - and sometimes lots of snow - so they really need to get that work done.

Rupert · 09-24-2017, 07:33 PM

Today I saw one squirrel.....this one is called Jumper....he loves to jump and is good at it. He was the only squirrel here, where there are normally dozens.He had the whole place to himself and ate like a pig!

"Damn right I can jump!"

Regards!

photolady95 · 09-25-2017, 08:50 AM - **1 Like**

Some from yesterday, and I found out the gray squrrels mate twice a year. From February to April and then again in August or September so the females, gestation period for Grays are 44 days. Mommy squirrel boats the males out, and raises the young herself. They wean about 10 weeks, but can wait as long as six weeks more.

Quote:

Taken from a google search, Squirrels have two litters a year, the first between February and April and the second in August or September. After mating the female drives the males away and raises the two to five young by herself. The babies are born naked and helpless and do not venture out of the nest for seven or eight weeks.

Marcus Rowland · 09-26-2017, 01:40 PM - **2 Likes**

Lots of young squirrels in the park today - this one seemed to be utterly fearless (or VERY stupid), considering I took this with a 50mm f1.8 lens from about 2ft.

This one was not so brave - he only had a little stub of tail, and I suspect may have had a run-in with a dog or something

The rest of the shoot - mostly plants etc., primarily a lens test - here

Nikon AF 50/1.8 Test | Flickr

Rupert · 09-27-2017, 08:22 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Marcus Rowland

this one seemed to be utterly fearless (or VERY stupid),

He may be a veteran of the Otis Army....they are fearless!

Nice shooting too!

Originally posted by photolady95

Some from yesterday, and I found out the gray squrrels mate twice a year. From February to April and then again in August or September so the females, gestation period for Grays are 44 days. Mommy squirrel boats the males out, and raises the young herself. They wean about 10 weeks, but can wait as long as six weeks more.

Nice shots Photolady.

Also some interesting information.

In the past week this is the only squirrel I have seen......Jumper the squirrel....he has the place and the feed all to himself.

Name: IMGP8762-800-K1.jpg
Views: 150
Size: 320.0 KB

Regards!

**paulh** · 09-27-2017, 02:35 PM - **1 Like**

Hundreds of squirrels scampering around nearby Parr Park, as usual. This one didn't feel like posing...

KiloHotelphoto · 09-27-2017, 04:23 PM - **1 Like**

This guy was right in the middle of a very busy Red tailed hawk area, I watched for about twenty minutes waiting to see what would happen.
Canon 5ds-r and 600mm F4 IS II with 1.4 TC

ccc_ · 09-27-2017, 06:08 PM - **1 Like**

there is a stream and a dog dish but this guy prefers nutrient rich pot water...go figure

**aslyfox** · 09-27-2017, 06:09 PM - **1 Like**

well this guy was in the middle of the 3 acre enclosure of the Chimpanzees at the Kansas City Zoo

and they do hunt the squirrels

ralph-uk · 09-28-2017, 01:47 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by paulh

Hundreds of squirrels scampering around nearby Parr Park, as usual. This one didn't feel like posing...

Perhaps it was afraid you'd brought a K100 with you:

A moment earlier it had been enjoying those seeds and then someone took its picture with a 'thwackomatic'

Thanks for looking,

Ralph

**paulh** · 09-28-2017, 01:57 PM

Originally posted by ralph-uk

Perhaps it was afraid you'd brought a K100 with you:

A moment earlier it had been enjoying those seeds and then someone took its picture with a 'thwackomatic'

Thanks for looking,

Ralph

The K100D has been known to spoil a few squirrels' dinners. My K10D is much quieter, but apparently not quiet enough!

redox61 · 09-30-2017, 08:20 AM - **2 Likes**

09-27-2017, 08:22 AM - 1 Like	#1823
Rupert Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 25,123 Original Poster	Originally posted by Marcus Rowland this one seemed to be utterly fearless (or VERY stupid), He may be a veteran of the Otis Army....they are fearless! Nice shooting too! Originally posted by photolady95 Some from yesterday, and I found out the gray squrrels mate twice a year. From February to April and then again in August or September so the females, gestation period for Grays are 44 days. Mommy squirrel boats the males out, and raises the young herself. They wean about 10 weeks, but can wait as long as six weeks more. Nice shots Photolady. Also some interesting information. In the past week this is the only squirrel I have seen......Jumper the squirrel....he has the place and the feed all to himself. Regards!

09-30-2017, 08:20 AM - 2 Likes	#1830
redox61 Senior Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: Ekaterinburg Posts: 159	Last edited by redox61; 09-30-2017 at 08:35 AM.

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09-24-2017, 07:09 AM	#1816
ccc_ Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,400	I read somewhere that grey squirrels are very territorial and autumn ignites a nesting acquisition impulse that forces the dispersal of what were once family groups to find winter shelter apparently the little guys do not share well our fox squirrels aren't roughhousing in groups but are caching food instead of a dozen at a time we are seeing singles and pairs spread over the entire area instead of concentrations at two or three neighborhood feeders not scientific but that is what we are observing as Rupert mentioned they do come back en masse I assume other feeders shut down and the dependable food sources are visited again

09-24-2017, 03:50 PM	#1817
jddwoods Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,035	Originally posted by ccc_ I read somewhere that grey squirrels are very territorial and autumn ignites a nesting acquisition impulse that forces the dispersal of what were once family groups to find winter shelter apparently the little guys do not share well our fox squirrels aren't roughhousing in groups but are caching food instead of a dozen at a time we are seeing singles and pairs spread over the entire area instead of concentrations at two or three neighborhood feeders not scientific but that is what we are observing as Rupert mentioned they do come back en masse I assume other feeders shut down and the dependable food sources are visited again Interesting. Rupert's squirrel guests are fox squirrels, mine are eastern grays, but both of us are observing the same phenomena at the same time. Same as Rupert stated, with the squirrels are away, so are the birds. Yours is the only theory for this I have seen and I can see it may have validity. It is a change of season and is causing a behavior change, not only in squirrels but birds also. Meanwhile my feeders are stocked and up for when the squirrels and birds decide to return

09-24-2017, 05:27 PM	#1818
ccc_ Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,400	Originally posted by jddwoods Interesting. Rupert's squirrel guests are fox squirrels, mine are eastern grays, but both of us are observing the same phenomena at the same time. Same as Rupert stated, with the squirrels are away, so are the birds. Yours is the only theory for this I have seen and I can see it may have validity. It is a change of season and is causing a behavior change, not only in squirrels but birds also. Meanwhile my feeders are stocked and up for when the squirrels and birds decide to return as to the birds... we took off for a short vacation two weeks ago the day before we left we had hundreds of birds in the yard we left the feeders out but our son does not replenish the food...by design he said that by Tuesday the yard was quiet except for hummers in the garden and goldfinches and house finches at the sunflowers we now have a few doves, hummers, finches, cardinals and chickadees...oh, downies, hairies, redbellies and a group of flickers are here at the suet feeders the multitudes have moved on...even the horde of house sparrows normally what happens is more northerly migrants will pass through and some will overwinter...the number varies every year that is the pattern we experience if we don't shut the food off for a while, we will have more birds than we can afford to feed and a harsh winter can be devastating for the birds that stay because it's easier than moving south

09-24-2017, 07:08 PM	#1819
reh321 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: South Bend, IN, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 23,177	Originally posted by Rupert It is a mystery I experience every year......and have no real clue as to why or where they go? Here at 9AM my cedar fence is usually covered with squirrels.....today, there is not a single one in sight. My birds have thinned out too, since they use squirrels a lookouts for predators...and squirrels are gone. Crazy stuff! Regards! Our fox squirrels are very busy this time of year at their work of planting oak trees. We do get cold weather - and sometimes lots of snow - so they really need to get that work done.

09-24-2017, 07:33 PM	#1820
Rupert Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 25,123 Original Poster	Today I saw one squirrel.....this one is called Jumper....he loves to jump and is good at it. He was the only squirrel here, where there are normally dozens.He had the whole place to himself and ate like a pig! "Damn right I can jump!" Regards!

09-25-2017, 08:50 AM - 1 Like	#1821
photolady95 Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Cruising the forum watching his back Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,712	Some from yesterday, and I found out the gray squrrels mate twice a year. From February to April and then again in August or September so the females, gestation period for Grays are 44 days. Mommy squirrel boats the males out, and raises the young herself. They wean about 10 weeks, but can wait as long as six weeks more. Quote: Taken from a google search, Squirrels have two litters a year, the first between February and April and the second in August or September. After mating the female drives the males away and raises the two to five young by herself. The babies are born naked and helpless and do not venture out of the nest for seven or eight weeks.

09-26-2017, 01:40 PM - 2 Likes	#1822
Marcus Rowland Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: London Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,079	Lots of young squirrels in the park today - this one seemed to be utterly fearless (or VERY stupid), considering I took this with a 50mm f1.8 lens from about 2ft. This one was not so brave - he only had a little stub of tail, and I suspect may have had a run-in with a dog or something The rest of the shoot - mostly plants etc., primarily a lens test - here Nikon AF 50/1.8 Test \| Flickr

09-27-2017, 02:35 PM - 1 Like	#1824
paulh Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: DFW Texas/Ventura County, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 33,262	Hundreds of squirrels scampering around nearby Parr Park, as usual. This one didn't feel like posing...

09-28-2017, 01:47 PM - 1 Like	#1828
ralph-uk Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 168	Originally posted by paulh Hundreds of squirrels scampering around nearby Parr Park, as usual. This one didn't feel like posing... Perhaps it was afraid you'd brought a K100 with you: A moment earlier it had been enjoying those seeds and then someone took its picture with a 'thwackomatic' Thanks for looking, Ralph

09-28-2017, 01:57 PM	#1829
paulh Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: DFW Texas/Ventura County, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 33,262	Originally posted by ralph-uk Perhaps it was afraid you'd brought a K100 with you: A moment earlier it had been enjoying those seeds and then someone took its picture with a 'thwackomatic' Thanks for looking, Ralph The K100D has been known to spoil a few squirrels' dinners. My K10D is much quieter, but apparently not quiet enough!