...do I need to do anything?
We've lived here for decades - very old house, rural area but not next-door to a farm or similar property likely to attract rats - and we've never seen a rat in all those years. We feed the birds daily and the table is very busy. We've seen a mouse or two at the bird table over the years, but as they've stayed outside it's not bothered us.
This morning, having braved the ice and snow to clear the table of snow, break the ice and put out some food and water, I watched from indoors to admire the usual rush of visitors. Except, under the bird table, came a large rat. I couldn't believe my eyes at first, and gave them a few blinks and a rub, and cleared the window of condensation - but no, there really was a rat. I watched as it made several trips back and forth, through some foliage and into the bottom of an old stone wall.
I've got mixed feelings. It's nature. I believe in living alongside nature peacefully, enjoying it, helping it or at least leaving it alone if at all possible. We live in the countryside, rats are to be expected. They say you're unknowingly never far from rats wherever you live, city, town or country. I'm guessing if there is one rat, there is more? Have they been here all along and we just haven't seen them, or have we got a newly arrived problem? Is it just the weather conditions forcing them to find food and they'll just disappear again? What, if anything, should we do? The obvious worry is it becoming a big infestation outside and the possibility of them coming inside.
NC - rat shame!