# What is my garden squirrel doing?



## Brock (Jun 14, 2005)

For the last few weeks, a grey squirrel has visited our garden every morning about 9 o'clock It ignores the bird table. 

Without looking too frightened, it wanders around our lawn with its nose in the grass, occasionally standing up its legs to have a look around. We watch it through the patio doors. On one occasion, it chased off another squirrel.

There is no sign of it digging into the lawn or the flower pots it also visits. The lawn is traditional grass with some weeds and is cut short.

Why is it spending over half an hour doing this every morning?


----------



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Squirrels detect buried nuts by the smell they give off. I suspect that yours is sniffing around to try and find either ones that he buried or that were buried by other squirrels. His ears should also be twitching to detect any possible bird of prey that might swoop down while he has his nose to the ground.

Have you put anything on your lawn ( moss-killer etc) that might disguise the smell of buried nuts ? If this is his territory ( and is the squirrel he chased off an interloper or owns the rights!) then he clearly thinks he has something there somewhere but can't smell it well enough to dig for it. On the other hand, it might not be his territory and he is just taking a chance on finding some.

G


----------



## Spiritofherald (May 18, 2012)

We had one recently burying bits of Jeruslaem artichokes it had scavenged from the compost bin. There were no obvious signs of where it had been burying them until they started sprouting. They ruin the lawn if allowed to grow unchecked as ours did while we were away for a couple of weeks :evil:


----------



## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Just as an aside, crows and magpies also bury things (and also have early-onset Alzheimer's so they forget where they planted them.....). we watched a crow burying a large number of seeds purloined from the nearby bird table) and the seeds grew rapidly the following spring...... Grrrrrrrr :lol: 

Dave


----------



## Brock (Jun 14, 2005)

A few days after my post, the squirrel disappeared, presumably back to the nearby Country Park.

This week the squirrel was back and we've found a few conkers buried in our newly mown lawn. I'm guessing that he sees our garden as a safe place to hide his food store away from the thieving squirrels in the Country Park. He'll be somewhat disappointed when he tries to find his conkers as we've removed them.

Lovely little thing even if he is grey and complements our resident robin.


----------



## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

We have regular mini "whirlpools" in the grass about two inches across with bare but undisturbed earth in the very centre. As if a small fork were stuck into the grass and spun several times. I've assumed to was a squirrel of which there seem to be several hundred  . Never caught one though. Anyone know?

Dick


----------



## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

If it came into my garden I would be seeing a Whippet burying a Squirrel. :lol: 

That would probably ruin my lawn as well. :wink:


----------



## prof20 (Jan 11, 2007)

Brock said:


> A few days after my post, the squirrel disappeared, presumably back to the nearby Country Park.
> 
> This week the squirrel was back and we've found a few conkers buried in our newly mown lawn. I'm guessing that he sees our garden as a safe place to hide his food store away from the thieving squirrels in the Country Park. He'll be somewhat disappointed when he tries to find his conkers as we've removed them.
> 
> Lovely little thing even if he is grey and complements our resident robin.


Nicking his conkers?! Shame on you. What's a few conkers when it might stop the little blighter from starving? :lol: :!: :?:

The damage was done when he,(or she) buried them and you dug them up. You could have left them and he would probably have done the job for you. You probably won't stop him doing it again.

Roger


----------

