Photo-a-Day  (Monday, 10th July, 2023)

Yes it is nice to feed the Ducks, but we are told not to by the local Council for that very reason.
Seagulls are a pest too.

There's a flying rat with the vermins too. Feeding Ducks/birds in general is not good at this time of year in Summer. They should defend for themselves. We should only feed and help birds during the cold Winter months when food is not easy available to them. In some areas, Councils will
Prosecute people who feed birds in public places.

Disgusting horrible creatures, I had a mouse in the garden two years back because of birds scattering food from the feeder.

Oh my god, I hate them, filthy things. Not one of your best Dennis.

These don't both me, I've worked with rats and bosses over the years.

Time to bring on the council Weasels .

always see a load of them near tesco on the ramp down to Hilton St

Good photo Dennis, at least an issue about feeding the ducks has been brought to our attention.But not first thing in the morning while having breakfast.

It’s the human rats who drop food on the ground to tempt the rats that cause many problems. Plus street cleaning has gone by the board these days.
When I see the volunteers litter picking it makes me wonder will the official ones ever come back. They only clean the main thoroughfares.

If you take away the fluffy tail and the "cute" way of sitting on their hind legs to nibble at nuts held in their paws, squirrels look very similar to rats. Those fluffy tails have brought forth many an "awwwww!" from passers-by in the park, whereas rats' long bare tails bring revulsion.

I was waiting for the bus Veronica, last week when a volunteer came picking up litter from around the bus stop, Mc Donald's rubbish etc, there was even a rubbish bin a couple of steps away.So I can't see the council doing it any more.

Irene Squirrels are a pest too.
They cause damage and disruption, and full of fleas.

People of North East India eat rats, they consider them as a delicious delicate food.

‘ Blessed are the meek : for they...

Not for us to think we are superior A, S, A, as all of them and even the pigeon are looking to be very clean and look a lot cleaner as are some folks seen going around town. Also they can survive where we couldn't and would still be around when we would have been long gone.

This food will have been being put down for some time with them settled in and breeding, Dennis seeing at least ten to eleven and there'll be a lot more not being seen, it is good grub too with the condition of their coats. There has been bad infestations before with rats even living on the islands and swimming over to feed where folks were putting down food, supposedly for birds and ducks with bread going green and rancid in the water with that much being thrown in. Feeding was actually banned and the areas roped off with signage asking folks not to put down food whilst baiting with rat poison around the lake and on the islands was in progress. I'm sure permanent signs asking folks not to feed were put up too?
Services have been being run down over the years and maybe the pest control service has bitten the dust, and as said volunteer litter pickers and rubbish removers are to be seen up and about, so maybe we'll be seeing volunteer 'Ratters' armed with clubs and Terriers going around the lake.

Is our phobia about rats natural . Or do we learn from childhood to hate them ? Or is it , as Irene points out , they simply lack the cute factor . Yet so do spiders , and I quite like spiders .

No one seems bothered by gerbils , hamsters or guinea pigs and scientific studies have shown that rats carry no more pathogens than other mammals . We're horrified at the thought of culling badgers but rats get no ethical consideration at all .

I think the fear stems from the notion we think they're everywhere and eager to invade our space more than other animals.

That said , I have known people keep rats as pets . I remember a woman at work taking one to the vets . Do vets have this hate for the animal ? I would imagine not .

I must admit I dislike them as much as anyone else but I do recognise the irrationality .

Seen plenty of rats when walking up to Tesco. My son had three pet rats and they were like cats always trying to nuzzle up to you and loved being tickled

They are all gods creatures and a rat cannot help being a rat and doing ratty things, it is just nature being nature.

So live and let live.

A friend of ours has a little Jack Russell. He's getting on in years now but he'd make them scatter. You should have seen him shake 'em.

Poet, we have a couple of resident spiders in our house, George and Georgina! I would never hurt them....they kill flies and so earn their keep! I could never hurt a spider or a daddy-long-legs. I love squirrels but was just pointing out how they aren't dissimilar to rats. I wouldn't want mice or rats in my house but they don't bother me if they are in the park. There are worse things in Wigan Park, and anywhere for that matter, than innocent animals trying to feed themselves and their families.

Worse things in Wigan Park is young people taking drugs.