Hugh Thompson on the enemy at the garden gate
Problem could worsen as 'Winter is Coming'. Picture: Hugh Thompson
Festing Road is involved in an “endless war” with squirrels. It started two weeks ago with Vivien Knowland discovering an unexplained avocado skin on the kitchen floor. A few days later this was explained by a young squirrel coming through the French windows. A day later it was chased away on entry. And the other day while the Vivien was doing a Zoom yoga session on the kitchen floor he made another visit.
So she asked her neighbours if they had similar experiences. One said, “they are very bold and not at all frightened. Very partial to bagels and croissants. One has learnt how to open the bread bin. If I close the back door it comes through the window.” Another reported, “I caught one trying t get out of the back door with a whole baguette, the door wasn’t wide enough”. One neighbour opined “it starts with avocados they soon will be asking for latte with almond milk,”
Elsewhere in the street another cried, ”Us too. I caught one on the kitchen counter eating a hitherto unopened loaf of bread and totally unafraid of people.”
Though others said we were lucky it wasn’t crows pecking away at our fruit bowls and bread bins. Another said at least it wasn’t bears. Though bears haven’t been seen in Putney for 3000 years.
The sad fact is the street loves its bird feeds and they attract squirrels into the garden which is a hop away from open French doors and the kitchen which for squirrels is the promised land.
As the autumn progresses Festing Road can only expect more invasions as the squirrels start to hoard for the winter.
Hugh Thompson
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September 24, 2021
