I have a birdfeeder in front of my house which is constantly under siege by squirrels (aka Tree Rats). I also throw birdseed on the giant snowbanks in front of my window so my cat can watch her favorite show all day. Naturally, the squirrels like this too and spend a lot of time on the top of the snowbank (incidentally, this snowbank is not the result of plowing and is very clean on top - only birds, squirrels and seeds).
In the last few days, I’ve noticed dime-sized red spots and spatters here & there on the snowbank. Before the snowfall, I noticed what appeared to be a single drip of blood on the lid of my birdseed bin on the porch. There has been no apparent killing, no fur, no feathers…just a vague sprinkling of red drops. None of the squirrels appear to be injured and the marks don’t indicate any sort of dragging/smears.
Are the squirrels in heat and leaving blood on the snowbank?
I realize they’re mammals and do go into heat but…is this the time of year? Squirrel period experts, please weigh in.
I didn’t think of that, then again I don’t see many large birds here…too bad, because I like them, especially crows. The distance betweeen my house & the street is short, about 24", with two big trees that obscure the, ah, birds-eye view. I’m used to seeing hawks hunting over large open areas, and I hear them calling over the river nearby, but I don’t see them hunting around my property.
We had plenty of large birds, fox and the notorious fisher cats lurking at my dad’s house in the next town, but his place is far from the road with a large field in front and is bordered on three sides by dense woods. Lost a few cats there. I am now in a neighborhood with houses that are close together, my own bordered on three sides by people who own dogs. I don’t even get deer here! My vegetable garden is virtually untouched in the summer.
I should also mention that there is a frigging army of Tree Rats that frequent my feeder & snowdrift buffet. Still perplexed. Maybe I should set up a webcam.
As my usual online name is Taolynn, and Taomist was just a second I started using after another, Asian-metagamer named ‘Taolynn’ started popping up everywhere and I was tired of getting confused…
After noticing the title and coming in to post Just Stop to the OP, I was walking to the grocery store the other day, and in an alley right by it, suddenly a hawk swooped down 2 feet or so from me and scooped up a sparrow.
No disrespect, bro! I loves the birdies, and secretly like the Tree Rats as well. Just trying to figure out who is bleeding all over my nice clean snow. Not picturesque, ruining the visuals here.
Oh how I long to be the girl I used to be
Menstruating squirrels, won’t you stop picking on me!
I am not an expert on squirrels periods but I did go to graduate school in behavioral neuroscience in a lab that focused on the estrus cycle of rats. Our general findings were that, “although it is known many female rodents are quite the little whores, there isn’t much demand for female hygiene products among the rodent various species”. You just don’t see a mother and daughter squirrel hopping around the yard having that particular pep talk because it isn’t needed in their world. That fresh and natural feeling comes natural to them although the father and son squirrels do have a lots of inside jokes about protecting their nuts.
Even in a densely populated area, birds of prey can show up. Peregrine falcons often build nests in urban areas, and many cities encourage their presence because they prey on pigeons. I live in an inner ring suburb but I’ve seen a peregrine falcon stalking the birds at my neighbor’s feeder.
My parents have kept squirrels for years (doubt they’re the same species, but probably not much difference in this) and no-one’s ever seen mystery blood spots in their cage, despite them breeding annually. I’d go with the consensus that something was attacked, if it’s definitely blood.
Just saw this. Thanks:) I kinda made the name trying to think of something fanciful and fun. I tend enjoy Taostic philosophy and idea of the Tao’s Revenge seemed pretty mysterious and oddly action packed.
I guess it could be something like the Buddhist story where a thief steal’s a Zen Monk’s clothes. The monk apologizes for not having more to give the thief. Naked, the monk looks up at the night sky and says “I wish I could have given him this moon”. The revenge being the monk still had what he needed to stay happy, but thief just got some clothes.
However I prefer to think of it involving a pirate ship somehow.
And this made me laugh out loud with giddiness; thanks
ETA: Without much originality, Taolynn was the name of a friar I played, more or less a monk. Well, monk-ette.
Monks have all the fun. I have never ever wanted to be a nun, but a monk? I could do that for a while, provided I could hide my gender of course.
Well you just gotta find a progressive enough monastery. The biggest problem I could see is that shaving off the air on the top your head thing monks sometimes do. It looks both drafty and an invitation for sunburn.
