The problem was that the squirrels were not both males. Only one was. So now we have a plague of the pests here. I'd love to thin the herd around my house, but my neighbors would probably complain if I started mowing them down with my .22, so I was pleased to discover an alternative solution that the British have employed - eating them into oblivion.
"A number of places in Northumberland are thinking of having grey squirrel on the menu.
"I haven't tried grey squirrel but people I know who have say it tastes like chicken used to taste when it tasted like chicken.
"The Americans have numerous recipes for grey squirrel, with the most popular being Brunswick Stew, which is casseroled squirrel."
Last year Lord Inglewood, who lives near Penrith in Cumbria, warned the red squirrel will soon become extinct if the non-native grey population is allowed to go on increasing.
He suggested then that one way of dealing with the problem would be to foster a market for grey squirrel meat.
He said: "What about celebrity chefs like Jamie Oliver promoting it for school dinners? I have never actually eaten a grey squirrel but I am prepared to give it a go."
Just be careful that you don't eat the brains.
