Posted on 09/08/2006 12:28:09 AM PDT by glorgau
AU CLAIRE, Wis. (AP) - Groundskeepers at Forest Hill Cemetery thought it was kids who were stealing dozens of American flags. That is, until one found a giant squirrel's nest.
"I was mowing, looked up out into the distance, and something caught my eye," said Dave Ender, a groundskeeper employed by the Eau Claire Parks and Recreation Department.
He drove his riding lawnmower to a nearby street intersection and looked up a tree.
"Low and behold, I found the missing flags," Ender said.
They were ripped and serving as the foundation of a giant squirrel nest. "I never seen anything like that before," he said.
No one at the cemetery had ever seen a squirrel with a flag in its mouth, either.
"They must have done it at night, or very early in the morning," Ender said.
"Those little rascals, they're just amazing," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at dwb.sacbee.com ...
But, I thought this was kind of a fun way of showing that sometimes when things go missing it isn't because of malice.
Are some people going to call for the squirrel to be killed for desecrating the flag.
"They must have done it at night, or very early in the morning," Ender said."
I beg to differ. The fact that they were not seen stealing the flags indicates they hid their activity. This indicates knowledge that they knew the activity was unlawful and, therefore, IS Malice Aforethought.
These squirrels should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Shame Congress didn't pass that flag desecration thing. We could have gotten them for that too.
Unpatriotic varmints!
ping
It lasted through several near-misses by hurricanes, the usual stormy weather we have on the coast, and just recently toppled- not bad durability for something built ad-hoc by birdies and woven into a stand of bamboo that flexes with every breeze.
Examining the mostly-intact nest, I was amused to find bits of the dog's fur, string, plastic wrap we had used years ago, scraps of my mechanic's rags, tabs from the reroofing of 1996, and other pieces of construction material from projects years and years past.
All very cunningly woven together and interlaced into a ball that lasted far longer than that brief spring moment of time when it cradled and warmed the little ones. Not bad work, for a couple of simple little birds.
Those squirrels should be wiretapped.
I watched a squirrel in my backyard stuff a handfull of pillow stuffing in its mouth, totally hiding the wad before it scurried off. My dog tore it from the dog bed inside his doghouse and the squirrel confiscated it.
Typical. Just because they have fluffy tails, the squirrels get a pass. If they had hairless tails, folks would be out there setting traps and leaving poison for them, or even shooting them on sight.
Now, if squirells knew the proper way of displaying a flag, somebody might come under intense attack for disturbing them...
They're nuts I tell you, just plain nuts!
I put the lint from my dryers lint trap on the patio for birds use.
That is a neat idea!
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