What's up with the squirrels today?

I don't know if this is the appropriate forum, mods please feel free to move if warranted.

The squirrels in my yard (2 acres in Southern NH) seem to be going berserk today. Not sure if it has something to do with the solstice or whatever, but I've never noticed the kind of activity and 'squeals' that they seem to be making today previously.

It's especially disconcerting as I have two separate hawk nests on my property, and all of the rodentia (chipmunks, squirrels, field mice, etc.) usually remain non-descript to avoid certain death.

But today is different.

Anyone else noticing anything of the same sort today?

Prolly a domestic disturbance between the two. They'll work it out.

I have an ongoing intense life or death battle with my squirrels every yr this time of yr. No natural predators here is the problem I think.. but one of us is gonna lose eventually. Seems right now its me and the gardens that are losing I even put a fake owl out there that moves.. the damned squirrels were CLIMBING on it...

ANyway, yeah, Ive noticed weird behavior out of the ones that invade me in the last week or so. They are much less afraid and snatching everything in sight. I figure its a warning sign of a nasty winter.

reply to post by billybobh3


Maybe it's the weather. We've got some serious storms headed our way later in the week and all the little critters are going a little wonky. I was dodging bats from the left and birds from the right yesterday at around dusk. It was definitely an adventure in defensive driving.

Check your forecast, even a week in advance something may be up.

The domestic disturbance theory is the cutest thing I've read today.

reply to post by hhcore


Much more than that. It's been happening all day with at least a half dozen of them involved at any given time. I haven't been sitting on my deck all day watching them, but each time I go outside, all day, there's been something going on with them. I've lived here for 14 years and never seen anything like this before.

Ive noticed weird or at least different behavior from many woodland critters. not just the squirells and chipmunks but also just today i was on the highway and a bird was flying in circles at low, car height almost was hit a couple times before i passed. The bird appeared hurt or disoriented. many of the animals near my work i notice are increasingly active out amongst humans where normally they would not be.

just seems different to me, this is coming from the northeast just for an idea of location.

Would be interesting to know where NH is????

reply to post by quedup


New Hampshire, USA.

Originally posted by quedup
Would be interesting to know where NH is????

New Hampshire, since thats the abbreviation for it.

reply to post by tncryptogal


I've seen some pretty serious storms in my time, but I've never noticed this kind of behavior preceeding said storms.

That isn't to say that it hasn't happened, just that I've never noticed it.

I noticed the same thing with the little punks a few weeks ago. I even had to fish one of them out of my kids pools after he took a high dive into it out of the oak tree. Oddly enough, I haven't seen them in a few days.

reply to post by billybobh3

I actually know of a guy who had a squirrel take a sh** in his bed this morning.

It looks like all the squirrels are loosing there nuts!

Originally posted by R3KR
It looks like all the squirrels are loosing there nuts!

Haaaaa!

But SERIOUSLY folks...

Squirrels are small and somewhat sensitive creatures....
Is it far fetched to think they are affected by any sort of
magnetic disturbance or such?

Originally posted by MajorTom4754
Squirrels are small and somewhat sensitive creatures....
Is it far fetched to think they are affected by any sort of
magnetic disturbance or such?

That's why I want to know who is seeing the same or similar behavior and where. Thank you for your serious query.

Squirrels have always been un-predictable, rabid, insane animals! When I was a kid, I met one on the way home from school..I tried feeding it a nut (learned a lesson there) and it went all spastic and ballistic! Chased me all the way home, I barely made it.

We have a lot of chipmunks in our backyard/rock-walled garden, and every once in awhile they go INSANE.

I've had to actually go outside and yell at them all to shut up, because I couldn't study with all the racket they were making. I think usually what happens is that they have bit of a turf war.

They are also really courageous ... I even saw one do a weird scream-chatter at my cat the other day, which seems a bit foolish since my cat is begging me to let him out unattended so that he can hunt them.

Anyway, do you think its possible that they are fighting over resources? I also notice that we get a lot of animal activity before it rains. It seems like the porcupines and hedgehogs pick rainy weather to show themelves, so I suppose, like others have suggested, it could be that too.

While the hawks are away the squirrels will play !There could be another predator you arnt seeing..snake maybe ?

reply to post by granpabobby


Good thought. I've never noticed anything other than the standard garter snake on my property; and that's pretty rare. The squirrels are chasing each other fairly vocally.

Perhaps one or more are rabid? I just don't know why it's all of a sudden as of today.