Pests in the yard

Our yard patrolling cat kicked the bucket after 20 years. He really had a hard time the last year, it was a lesson in growing old for all who chose to learn from him. The old guy was very determined in struggling to hold on to life, so we thought he surely wasn't doing any pest control. Wrong!!! Not long after he passed, the critters started filling his void. First squirrels started exploring the yard, where before they didn't often brave the risk of running into the cat. Since he is gone, the squirrels started regular forays of coming around. Their visits became more often, and now  four months later we have a group building a nest in a tree in the yard. Not good!

The squirrels are not the only pests taking over. We have had some raccoon raids on the bird feeders and in the sheds.  They make a giant mess, surely it is a huge raccoon, because he bent the bird feeder which is made of steel. The coon has been sticking his arm into the top of the feeder which bent the lid. His weight seems to have broken off the perch the birds sit on. One night when we came home in the dark he went running off into the dark and down to the water to escape.  He was a BIG critter, the size of a beagel. We moved the feeders to an area with more traffic,so that has discouraged him. The threat of running into us has obviously hindered his raids.

 In walking the yard we came upon these huge runs of tunnels that run half way above the ground, and halfway below just like the one in the picture to the right. Research has told us that these are marsh rats. It is like a cartoon character. You can just about stand out there and watch the tunnel proceed across the yard. Every morning we get up and go out into the yard, there is a new tunnel. Not much stops them. Though they are not in the house or sheds, they do make a giant mess of the yard. This critter obviously tunnels a distance and then he seems to stick his nose out of the ground for air, which forms a volcano shaped mound in the tunnel. There is no hole, so he is not making an escape through the hole, but it is an annoyance. The volcano like mounds are huge, eight inches across and five inches high. The tunnels are a hazard to human navigation. These things are so large that your heel gets stuck in them if you are not paying attention while walking.  Poison and traps have not stopped their progress. Mr and D saw one in the yard, and took measures to control their explorations, but the animals still persist. To me it seems that we need a new cop on the beat. We are loathe to take on more responsibility, but it is looking like we do not have a  choice at this point. Mr has bought a new trap to try to out fox it, but it seems like a fox is exactly what we need to solve this problem. We'll see....