Inquiring Terriers Want to Know: Squirrel Wars in the UK?

Pals,

Yesterday, for the second time in a few months, we saw a segment on a Sunday morning show that amounted to an indictment of the invasive eastern grey squirrel for declining numbers of red squirrels in the UK.

When we looked up red squirrels on Wikipedia -- this is what we found:

The red squirrel or Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) is a species of tree squirrel (genus Sciurus). The red squirrel is a tree-dwelling omnivorous rodent that is common throughout Eurasia. In Britain, however, numbers have decreased drastically, in part due to the introduction of the eastern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) from North America[2].

And further under grey squirrels:

In the United Kingdom, the animal is known simply as the grey squirrel and it has few natural predators. This has aided their rapid population growth and has led to the species being classed as a pest. Measures are being devised to reduce their numbers, including one plan for famous television chefs to promote the idea of eating grey squirrels.[2] In areas where relict populations of red squirrels survive, such as the island of Anglesey, programmes seeking to eradicate grey squirrels are in progress in an effort to allow red squirrel populations to recover.[3]
Although complex and controversial, the main factor in the displacement of red squirrels by greys is thought to be the greys' greater fitness and, hence, a competitive advantage over red squirrels on all measures.[4] Grey squirrels tend to be larger and stronger than reds and have been shown to have a greater ability to store fat for winter. These factors are thought to result in grey squirrels competing effectively for a larger share of the available food, resulting in relatively lower survival and breeding rates among red squirrels.

Since many of our pals live in the UK, we started wondering if they had any special insights into the alleged Squirrel War. And of course, like good fox terriers -- or any terriers for that matter -- or any dawg for that matter -- we wondered if there was anything we could do about it.

We saw hunters shooting grey squirrels -- and we wondered if that was the best way to solve the problem, when there is an equal-opportunity army of dogs ready, eager, and able to chase those furry-tailed creatures.

Jackson, Eric, any other dog, what's up? Enlighten us, please. Do we need to book a trip across the pond?

Jake and Just Harry

A Sad Day for Pawlitics

We know our pals in other countries haven't had the opportunity to listen to one of the great pawlitical journalists of our time; but we suspect most of our pals here in the US are sad that Mr. Tim Russert died yesterday.

Here in Flori-duh, we learned to love him during the 2000 presidential election, with his little white erase board. And since, we've listened to him all the time -- on Sunday mornings, Meet the Press, and in the evenings, during the primaries, when he would dot the i's and cross the t's about an event and interpret what was happening in a way that even we dawgs could understand.

How sad that in this extraordinary campaign, he won't be here to enjoy it in his irrepressible way. And how sad that we won't have his sharp, piercing, honest questioning of those who are running for office.

A very sad day for pawlitics...

Jake and Just Harry

Goodies from Foley

As we mentioned in our last post, when Mom and Dogdad got home from San Francisco, they found a box with OUR NAMES on it on the porch. Having learned from us, they actually sniffed it -- and Dogdad even tore one of the corners open until Mom said STOP, it's for the Boyz!!

Then, when we got home yesterday, we too got to sniff the box, but had to wait until this morning to open it. Why? Who knows. (Rumor has it that our human siblings had to wait a long time on Christmas morning for their gifts too....)
Anyway, FINALLY, we got to go outside with the box (for better photos) and got to check out all the yummy-smelling edibles that Foley sent us -- and some squeaky toys with wonderfully loud squeaks in them





Then -- oops, just when the folks thought all was well -- the wonderfully loud squeaks turned into the even louder squeals and growls of two terriers deciding they wanted the same toy!!! We're foxies, what more can we say?


So you will see a bit of intervention and time out were called -- and then we got to enjoy the goodies again -- separately!!





We'll be sending more photos once we get to taste some of the yummies. In the meantime, we've discussed our little tiff, and decided it was because we -- or at least one of us -- was still sleep-deprived from our week at camp. And the instigator decided to go back to sleep.



FYI: In the 26 hours since we have been home, we have barked just once -- and that was JH barking one hoarse woof to wake our folks up at dawn.

Mom and Dogdad and both of us are awed at Foley's generosity. We can't begin to thank you enough -- and your Mom and Moco too. Most of the edibles in the box are brand new to us, and we can't wait to sample them!! And the toys are very cool too. We agree, we hope this is the start of a long friendship!And thank you Mr. T. Bone Beasley and Chef for this very fun exchange!!!

Jake and Just Harry

Heron-Cam Gets His Reward: A Live Fish

Now this may not look like much, but trust us -- it's a live fish that Mom and Dogdad picked out for steaming at a Chinese restaurant with friends on their last night in San Francisco.

Reports are that they told the chef to save part of it for Mr. Heron-cam himself, as a thank you for all his good work. Additional reports are that the rest was steamed with ginger and scallions and was beyond delicious!!! Clams with black bean sauce were also on the menu.

We've decided that Mr. Heron-cam needs a name -- and the first one we thought of was Blue (see original San Francisco post); but we already have a friend named Blue, so we weren't sure what to do. But then we remembered that he really is a Blue Heron, so it's a no-brainer...especially for us terriers!!

Once he's made his way back from San Franciso, he'll deserve a rest, and we'll be back in real time!

(Pee ess: We've actually been home for four hours, and have not barked once!!! Could it be that our vocal cords have been exhausted? For how long, we wonder. What a terrible state of affairs!!)

Jake and Just Harry

Heron-Cam Discovers Class for Stuffies in San Francisco

We've heard there will be lots more tales and photos when the folks get home and we can hear first paw all about their adventures. In the meantime, our heron-cam discovered this inspirational class for stuffies being held in a store window.

He also had lots of fun trying to fly between all the different heights and styles of buildings in the city.


And we heard that, while they were in Chinatown, the folks purchased a wide-angled lens for the camera, which also has a lens that allows really close-up photos. We anticipate lots of photos of big black noses in our future.

Woofs pals. We're getting really impatient for everybody to be home again. It's nice here, and everyone is very kind to us, but we're about barked out!!

Jake and Just Harry

Heron-Cam Rides the Cable Cars and Visits Japantown

What a cool bird our new heron-cam is. He accompanied Mom and Dogdad on several cable card rides up and down the spectacular San Franciso hills.




These hills are exciting to a Florida bird because his usual habitat is flatter than flat.


Yesterday afternoon, he visited the Japanese-American community of Japantown.




He was a bit chilly -- because the weather hovered in the 50s -- but he's a good sport and just ruffled his feathers to keep warm. He also found an amazing collection of stuffies in a beautiful mall....



...and was rewarded with a selection of sushi.

We, on the other paw, are hearing thunder boomers and discover it's in the 90s when we go outside to do our business. Sigh.

But we have been practicing our barking and expect that, by the time the folks get home in a few days, we will be more hoarse than dog!!

Woof, pals!!

Jake and Just Harry

Heron-Cam Report from San Francisco

First, to those of you who remember our out-of-control egret-cam from Christmas, be advised that we have replaced him with a much more compliant heron-cam. And when we offered heron-cam a plush assignment to check up on our folks who are in San Francisco for a few days, he said, "Cool!! Outta' here!! I'm on my way!!!" Who wouldn't want to fly out to San Francisco? Sadly, Mom and Dogdad had to take one of the legacy airlines, instead of Aire Ruby. Two hours late. "Food for purchase" ($10 for a turkey sandwich!!). Not enough leg room. Sigh.

So here we are in camp (again) and there they are in San Francisco. Dogdad is at a public transit conference.

Yesterday, they apparently had brunch at the Beach Chalet overlooking the Pacific Ocean (that's a body of water that, if you are from the Atlantic side of the continent, appears to be on the wrong side... but it's beautiful once you get used to where it is.)

The Beach Chalet was built in the 1920s. Then during the Great Depression of the 30s, Franklin Delano Roosevelt commissioned murals as part of the Works Progress Administration program. And look at what Mom and Dogdad found in those murals!!!

Our heron-cam promised a more detailed report later.