Red Squirrels are running all over the streets here in Oregon!!!

I don't know what's going on here!  They're acting like politicians, the red squirrels, I mean.  The weather turned hot, and one sees red squirrels running across the streets, hopping across the streets, bouncing across the streets, and getting squished in the streets.  And now there are blobs of squished squirrels everywhere.  The buzzards are delighted.  Why, why can't they stay in the bushes???

 

Can anybody explain this?!  It's embarrassing!  Up until now I always assumed that the squirrels were much smarter than our politicians, but now I'm beginning to wonder about it...

 

We live in Oregon.  I would post this down there, but the chat board is bonkers right now.

Message 1 of 16
latest reply
15 REPLIES 15

Red Squirrels are running all over the streets here in Oregon!!!

"one sees red squirrels running across the streets, hopping across the streets, bouncing across the streets, and getting squished in the streets."

 

Tree Rat.jpg





Photobucket
Message 2 of 16
latest reply

Red Squirrels are running all over the streets here in Oregon!!!

Just be glad that you do have red squirrels in Oregon.  Up here on Vancouver Island, the native red squirrels are being forced out by the grey squirrel.  That said, I haven't seen many squirrels of either variety around lately, and certainly not in the streets.  The streets are for the deer here.  (http://www.animalalliance.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/BC-MOE_UrbanUngulatesSummaryReportFINALJune2...

Message 3 of 16
latest reply

Red Squirrels are running all over the streets here in Oregon!!!

Yeah,  I kinda like them!  We have one who runs along our fence, and then sneaks down to eat some of the cat food I put out in the mornings.  The cats stay out of its way, but it is a big "it" and I think "it" is a "her,: soon to become many "its" or "Hers," or something..   When we moved here more than a year ago, the squirrels (there are actually several of them around our house) would flee the minute they saw us.  Then, all we saw was a red blur.  Now they stand their ground, knowing full well I will not hurt them, and I'm bringing food!  The outdoor cats, those awesome predators, stay out of their way!  I think it's the teeth.

 

I STILL think more of them than politicians - that's a neutral bi-partisan remark, by the way....  

Message 4 of 16
latest reply

Red Squirrels are running all over the streets here in Oregon!!!

I STILL think more of them than politicians - that's a neutral bi-partisan remark, by the way....


No worries -- we don't care if you're Dem or Rep here and we think a lot of our squirrels, too, which are always more intelligent than politicians...
Message 5 of 16
latest reply

Red Squirrels are running all over the streets here in Oregon!!!

around our area we get that type of behavior with squirrels starting in Oct when the weather gets colder  They are more brain dead than usual Run out in front of the car do a jig head back to the side of the road then  run out again

 

Have to do some fancy driving not to hit  therm

 

Our biggest concern in this area is ducks

 

those suckers believe the roads are a great place to rest. Will sit in the middle of the road and not move

 

few yrs back I was out Yard Sailing and going through the downtown area about 6:30 am

 

a family of ducks was spread out all over the main road. Slowed down  and inched my way towards them no movement on their part  honked the horn they responded by quacking at me. Finally got out and tried to chase them off the road  At first they wanted no part of that and ignored me then tried to chase me off the road

 

Took awhile but finally chased them to the side of the road 

 

Getting  back in the car I  heard applause

 

turned around and saw about 5 people across the street They had been watching me chase the ducks They called over  over and Thanked me for what I had done

 

funniest thing I have seen with ducks  was a pair of  male and female  mallard ducks

 

They were out in front of a Pharmamcy near me

 

They were bound and determined to get in to the store

 

Stood outside  the main doors  Each time it opened they headed for the door  quacking loudly to clear the way

 

The reactions of the people opening the doors was priceless

 

this went on for about 15 minutes

 

some tried to chase them away but nah-ah they were determined to get in and stood their ground

 

weavers

Message 6 of 16
latest reply

Red Squirrels are running all over the streets here in Oregon!!!

Squirrels (aka tree rats) are ........cute. I have 6 that visit my back deck daily (several times). They have gotten use to me and will eat at my feet but we haven't got to hand feeding. The photo I posted is one of them.

However as 'cute' as they are, they can also be a problem. They will get into any buildings they can to make a home and knaw on whatever they need to sharpen their teeth on. Severe cases will get into your soffit and facia on your house if they find even the slightest opening to make larger. Soon I will be thinning the 'herd' and taking about 4 of them to a forest location where they can meet other squirrels and live a quiet and peaceful life.

 

Tree Rat 2.jpg





Photobucket
Message 7 of 16
latest reply

Red Squirrels are running all over the streets here in Oregon!!!

Oh, Lordy, Lordy!  Don't get me started about DUCKS!!!  The local college football team is the Oregon Ducks.  They won big last year.  Everybody is a fanatic fan!  Yellow-Green advertising stuff -   You can make money selling duck stuff.   But when we got here, we didn't know all this..

 

So there we were, new in town, at a downtown Eugene evening sale event.  We were in a novelty shop of some kind, and they had a huge, maybe 6 foot tall, plaster of paris "Duck."   It was wearing team colors.  UGLY!  But, what the heck, I'm game.   There were some ladies sitting around.  

 

"Oh, I recognize that," I said to them by way of a friendly greeting.  "That's Howard the Duck from the movie!"

 

"No, that's the OREGON DUCK!" they screached in unison, followed by a lot of really crusty, rough, rude, downhome comments.  We fled!  Yes, they take their ducks seriously! 

 

Later, at another store, two more ladies were talking (this is the honest truth):

 

LADY #1:  "Oh, I just saw the most amazing Oregon Duck Bumper sticker," she intoned, swooning in some sort of weird passion.

 

LADY #2:  "What Was it????""  she answered, panting in anticipation.

 

LADY #1:  "It read - I'm Quivering with Quack!!!!"

 

Lady E2:   "Oh, my heavens, that's just beautiful...." (more swoon)

 

ME:  Well, I didn't SAY anything, but I wanted to say, "Lady, you're quivering with quap!!!"  But I didn't.   I bit my tongue, hard.  And now it has holes in it.

 

I hope the red squirrels will understand.  I've tried talking to them about it, but they still ignore me...

 

 

Message 8 of 16
latest reply

Red Squirrels are running all over the streets here in Oregon!!!

I found a picture of the team. I use to play left and right guard. I don't suppose they have an opening?

 

Oregon-Duck-Cheerleaders.jpg





Photobucket
Message 9 of 16
latest reply

Red Squirrels are running all over the streets here in Oregon!!!

That's odd!  I seem to have lost my ability to think for a bit there......That takes one's breath away....  Oregon Ducks, did I say???   

 

Good picture!  No wonder they support the team!

Message 10 of 16
latest reply

Red Squirrels are running all over the streets here in Oregon!!!

Squirrels.  Squirrels would be nice.  Except for the one that ran up the side of my car and into the driver's side window.  He went nuts (no pun intended) until we stopped the car and opened the doors.

Around here, it is skunks.  The have adapted well to city life.  I was waiting in front of a community center waiting for my wife.  Large skunk walks up to the automatic doors.  They open.  He walks in to the other set of automatic doors.  They open.  The skunk sat there for almost ten minutes preventing anyone from leaving (no one was trying to enter).  Finally, I guess he got bored; turned around; and left.  There were tons of things going on inside the center that night.  Can you imagine what would have happened had the skunk gone all the way in..................

Message 11 of 16
latest reply

Red Squirrels are running all over the streets here in Oregon!!!

a few years back I was selling at a Local Market

 

We had just purchased a fantastic Poster circa 1905 showing a early Santa on it Got it from a building that had been a general store at the turn of the 20th Century and the current owners of the building  found it in the basement

 

It was overcast at the market that day so put the poster rolled out on the floor of the van with the side door open

 

Took about 15 minutes to sell it

 

Rolled it up handed it to the customer turned around to close the door of the van and had a squirrel  staring  at me out the passenger window of the van

 

He had hopped in and freaked cause he did not know how to get out ran alll over the interior of the van and spent alot of time skitteriing on the floor where the poster had just been

 

Luck was with me that day  if it had been 10 minutes earlier or if the poster had not sold  10 to 1 the poster would have been destroyed  The was some paper off to the side  in the van and as the squirrel freaked its claws ripped the paper very quickly

 

It could have been the poster!  

 

weavers

Message 12 of 16
latest reply

Red Squirrels are running all over the streets here in Oregon!!!

Hi weavers!  You were very fortunate indeed!  You should thank the Supreme Squirrel Deity (SSD)!!  He lives at a secret, unknown location somewhere in Washington, D.C.  Just go to a local park and lay a fifty pound bag of nuts on the ground.  The SSD will then appear, thank you, and eat them, providing he can chase all the congress people away in time....

Message 13 of 16
latest reply

Red Squirrels are running all over the streets here in Oregon!!!





Photobucket
Message 14 of 16
latest reply

Red Squirrels are running all over the streets here in Oregon!!!

sq1






Message 15 of 16
latest reply

Red Squirrels are running all over the streets here in Oregon!!!

Cute little begger!!!!  Looking at them, it's like they KNOW something they're not sharing with us!!!

Message 16 of 16
latest reply