My two bird feeders have been attracting gray and red squirrels that make a strong attempt to out smart these squirrel resistant feeders. So I dug out an old have-a-heart trap, loaded it with peanut butter, set it up underneath the two feeders on the ground with a heavy cement block atop it to prevent a trapped gray squirrel from rolling the trap over, or something.
Lo & behold, the first victim was a small red squirrel that must have froze to death overnight, or something. It was definitely dead.
Tossed it out onto the lake ice for the crows or eagles, and it slid across the very solid ice, ending up positioned with its legs sicking straight up what with rigor mortis. A red squirrel is a mammal so assume it goes rigor mortis just like a human?
Anyway, the next day the dead squirrel is totally 'not there' and all that's left is a blur mark on the solid ice ..... it's last resting spot ..... before being scavanged by a crow, eagle or some unknown hungry local? ......
Not that it makes any difference, but the blur mark is very close to the same icy spot where I crashed through the ice there, recently, while holding a box of Cheez-its under one arm. .....
These feeders are reserved for chickadees and the like ........ so, sorry squirrels ........ just beat it! ...... or you will end up a snack for a pair of always hungry crows! .....