Mainly Mammals 2018

Cyril paté? Curried Cyrils? Yum yum!

Unknown said:

You have a tough decision to make regarding your Cyrils.  How does the Kania manage not to capture anything else such as Jays, etc.?  Are there any regulations regarding supplying your local nouveau eatery with Cyrils--lol?!

   The reason I may opt for the Kania is that it is the most humane method approved and conforms to the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 as you have to ensure (mandatory) you use a "tunnel" entrance to deter none target species.     I would still only set it if I was on site to monitor it constantly and it would never be in situ if we were out.    It's been tested as an instant kill trap although I won't take any chances if we decide to go for it -    we will keep close by and if it didn't live up the promise of instantaneous kill then it would be consigned to the bin.         Live and let live has always been my motto - I won't kill a fly  but it's hard to do nothing when you see the beautiful Oaks dying due to the bark being removed.     I also noticed one squirrel with almost no ears which could be due to inter-breeding and a few birds have had close calls when the greys have bulldozed through them as they chase one another.      A decision I don't want to make but probably a necessary one.  Of course,  I don't expect it to eradicate them, that is impossible with their numbers and others that will come in and take their place, but if should reduce the population somewhat.       

Apparently, one of the local town farmers markets sell squirrel pie but I shan't be the supplier !        If the buzzard is overhead I may see if it takes one, (my previous next door neighbour used to shoot the greys and he said the Buzzard used to come down for it)    at least something should benefit food-wise from Cyril's demise.   

I know I love the squirrels, but I support entirely your decision Hazy. They have no natural predators, especially in urban gardens, I think that urban foxes should be treated in the same manner!

You could ask local associations like dog rescue centres if they'd like the bodies for feeding the animals or perhaps a local farmer with dogs.

Hazel C said:

You could ask local associations like dog rescue centres if they'd like the bodies for feeding the animals or perhaps a local farmer with dogs.

    The Kania has been ordered and we'll see if it proves as successful and instant kill as they say;      We do have a local bird of prey centre so I could check with them to see if they can use the carcasses -  assuming we catch the little blighters !  

  I've been testing my  lungs with a spot of garden workout (raking, weeding and bagging) for the last three hours and you should see the amount of bark debris and chewed up branches I collected - poor old oak trees.     It does make the hard decision a little easier to make when you see the destruction around the place.    I don't mind the 5 feeders they have wrecked (4 are squirrel - not so proof ! ) and as much as I love the stumpery areas for photography, I wouldn't kill a squirrel just for those reasons,  but I do think when numbers exceed 20 with no food on the ground that it time to act.    I would have no problem with 4 squirrels, even half a dozen but I think more local people have dogs these days so the empty house across the road has greys that opt to cross the road to our garden away from the dogs.      Did consider getting a dog instead of culling but that was a bit too drastic to consider and very tying if we wanted to travel regularly to Cumbria  !     

Hazel (both of you!), I prefer the idea of supplying an animal rescue centre or a bird of prey centre or the Buzzards with the Cyrils rather than using them for human food.  The nearest bird of prey centre to us uses day old chicks (the males), rats and quail to give the birds all of the nutrients they require.  Not sure if such a centre would take anything they had not sourced themselves from a standard supplier.  I suppose, Hazy, that you could suggest a visit to allow them to inspect your equipment and methods.  But nothing ventured, nothing gained and I'd rather the Cyrils went to a good cause than were used for nothing.  I imagine the Buzzards would be happy to have some of them. The Cyrils could be frozen and gradually put out for the Buzzards over the rest of the winter.

You'd make a lot of pies with one of these Wild Boar, seen today on our local marshes,

I did think they should have gone on the bottoms-up thread!

Excellent, never seen a wild one...

... but did you see Asterix and Obelix, too?

Sorry, can't associate wild boar with anything else!

Unknown said:

but did you see Asterix and Obelix, too?

All the time, but they are too quick for the camera! LOL

Unknown said:

but did you see Asterix and Obelix,

You will have to enlighten me please ...  don't get out much so know nothing of these???