The bit of North London I live in seems to be increasingly overrun by animals and birds. It is a large 1950s modernist public housing estate, built in amongst mature trees and grounds left over from the oversized, crumbling Edwardian mansion blocks which were knocked down to construct it. So very green and lush, and a haven for wild (and not so wild) life. Pigeons take over any unoccupied balcony and crows shout happily all day from the trees. Also rooks, magpies, jays, woodpeckers and - occasionally -parakeets. Meanwhile foxes patrol unbothered at night-time. But the biggest contenders for a complete takeover are the grey squirrels. They are looking sleek and plump at this time of year, having helped themselves to flowers and fruit during the summer, and are now stuffing their cheeks with carefully peeled horse chestnuts.
I have resorted to a water pistol in a - losing - campaign against squirrels who shin up the communal digital cables to my third floor balcony and have been helping themselves to my apples, strawberries, rasberries, tomatoes and aubergines (I got a bit over-excited about veg-growing on my balcony again, something I was unable to do abroad). Now the produce is almost over, they come just to bury stuff instead.
So, any advice on keeping squirrels away, without actually killing them (which is tempting), would be welcome.
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