Did the harsh Winter obliterate the squirrel population? (2013, neighborhood)

[1ondoner]

Is it me or the squirrel population has dwindled? The first thing I see when I open my blinds is squirrels running up and down my yard. However, I've only spotted one squirrel so far and this was on my neighbor's yard across the street.

The more I think about it, the more I realize I've hardly spotted any squirrels outdoors. I remember seeing squirrels in the middle of Winter but they are now nowhere to be found. I can't seem to find any information online about squirrels but there are a couple of news reports regarding increased deer mortality this past winter.

[soulsurv]

Originally Posted by 1ondoner

Is it me or the squirrel population has dwindled? The first thing I see when I open my blinds is squirrels running up and down my yard. However, I've only spotted one squirrel so far and this was on my neighbor's yard across the street.

That's because they're all in MY front yard driving my Doberman CRAZY!!!! I feel as though I'm living in a mad house!!!

[cat1116]

If only I could teleport my pesky squirrel to Londoner in Phili

[selhars]

1) I don't this this past winter was harsh at all. I think it was pretty darn OK -- for winter in Philly.

2) My neighborhood has plenty of squirrels. Come get some if you want. I'd love to not have my trash can chewed up by the rodents with bushy tails. But then again we have skunks and opossums around, so maybe it's not fair to just blame 'chubby cheeks.'

It actually might make a funny thread..."squirrel encounters of of the third kind".
In addition to trash cans being chewed, a friend's tomatoes have been eaten (a squirrel bold as day was sitting on the rim of her porch planter having a great time eating her tomato for lunch), I and other family members have been scared half to death.....we opened a blind or curtains to find a squirrel with claws hanging to the window screen right in front of our face -- two flights up! UGH! I think they're nasty little buggers.

Philly residents have a bad rep for having attitude -- I guess that goes for the squirrels, too!

[2e1m5a]

Did you know Philly created the idea of squirrels in cities in 1847?


http://archive.oah.org/special-issue...12/article.pdf

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by 1ondoner

Is it me or the squirrel population has dwindled? The first thing I see when I open my blinds is squirrels running up and down my yard. However, I've only spotted one squirrel so far and this was on my neighbor's yard across the street.

The more I think about it, the more I realize I've hardly spotted any squirrels outdoors. I remember seeing squirrels in the middle of Winter but they are now nowhere to be found. I can't seem to find any information online about squirrels but there are a couple of news reports regarding increased deer mortality this past winter.

Yes, I think so. I started noticing it a couple of years ago. Squirrels are, or have been, part of the urban fabric too. Common all the time...running around, climbing trees, etc. I don't see as many pigeons either. There may be sonic things keeping them off Dilworth and Love Parks but in years past those places would at least have had flocks of sparrows.

This winter has not been as harsh as others in my lifetime. At least where I am, in the city, we really didn't have any major snow. It was wet though.

[Philly Joe]

Bees and birds are also dwindling. Have you noticed?


How about the chemtrails being sprayed into the sky 5 days a week... could this have something to do with it? Look up once in a while... that is NOT jet engine exhaust.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by selhars

1) I don't this this past winter was harsh at all. I think it was pretty darn OK -- for winter in Philly.

2) My neighborhood has plenty of squirrels. Come get some if you want. I'd love to not have my trash can chewed up by the rodents with bushy tails. But then again we have skunks and opossums around, so maybe it's not fair to just blame 'chubby cheeks.'

It actually might make a funny thread..."squirrel encounters of of the third kind".
In addition to trash cans being chewed, a friend's tomatoes have been eaten (a squirrel bold as day was sitting on the rim of her porch planter having a great time eating her tomato for lunch), I and other family members have been scared half to death.....we opened a blind or curtains to find a squirrel with claws hanging to the window screen right in front of our face -- two flights up! UGH! I think they're nasty little buggers.

Philly residents have a bad rep for having attitude -- I guess that goes for the squirrels, too!

Two stories is nothing for them. They were able to climb up to the 11th fl in a building I used to work in.

Speaking of city animals, it's not uncommon to see rabbits. I've seen them on Fairmount Ave. But squirrels not so much now.

[timeEd32]

Originally Posted by Philly Joe

Bees and birds are also dwindling. Have you noticed?


How about the chemtrails being sprayed into the sky 5 days a week... could this have something to do with it? Look up once in a while... that is NOT jet engine exhaust.

Really?

[1ondoner]

This Winter may not have been too cold, however, we had much more and persistent snow cover. There were a few occasions when the snow did not melt in between the snow days. I think I used my snow blower more times than any other Winter season.

The snow cover could have limited the squirrels ability to forage for food beneath the snow. Earlier on in the Winter I did see them digging up nuts in the snow.