Red Squirrel: Killing with kindness?

Red Squirrel -- January 15, 2006
Photo by Bruce Yolton

Bruce writes:

I'm a little concerned about the Red Squirrel. Someone had left a large amount of bird seed and a large number of nuts below his tree. This only made him need to defend his territory against the gray squirrels in the neighborhood. It's not a pet. I don't think it needs to be fed.

The bird feed had attracted a large number of birds, who in turn most likely attracted the Red-tailed Hawk. It would be unpleasant, if the outcome of all this "helpful" feeding, would be that the Red Squirrel got eaten by a raptor!