Squirrels: Foe or friend?
Well then... Here we are - a new blog, (for me anyway)... I look forward to working with Kathryn as well as the rest of the eBirdseed team...
To reach me, you can simply email me at: CapeCodAlan @ eBirdseed.com
That said and done, on to the blogging!
It has become quite fashionable to hate squirrels. They are deemed the “Thieves of Thistle”, “Usurpers of Suet”, and the “Shoplifters of Sunflower Seeds”, (to offer but just a few printable titles). And yes, there are several different ways to keep squirrels away from the bird feeders, but more on that in a sec’.
But first understand this – the wife and I love the birds and the squirrels! (How can you not love the face below?)
Ok, that being said, this is how Suz and I happily coexist with squirrels...
- We keep branches and whatnot away from the house. To fail to do that is to ask for invasion not just from squirrels, but also mice, bats, and raccoons.
- We’ve set up a dedicated squirrel feeder. Squirrels are far less likely to try to steal from a protected bird feeder (or flipper) once they know they’ve got an open trough. (Don’t get me wrong... We still use “squirrel-proof” devices, but offering a free “squirrel buffet” to boot reduces the usual birdfeeder/squirrel hassle to zip.) In the three years we’ve been using both systems we’ve yet to have one incident of “rodent larceny”. promo code is blogorama
- Squirrels can be great fun! Just hang a dried ear of corn 18” off the ground using a rope/bungee arrangement slung over a tree limb, and let the entertainment begin!
- And finally, (and sadly), squirrels act as great alarm systems for the birds... Hawks, foxes, dogs, cats, and coyotes will send squirrels scattering.
Alan
Comments
Squirrels are great, very intellegent and perfect look outs for the birds.
Posted by: Diana J. Healey | October 6, 2006 8:13 PM
Liked your article, I too have a love/hate relationship with the furry bandits called squirrels. I do have a dedicated feeder for them and I put cayanne pepper in my others and that helps to keep them on the straight and narrow and the birds don't notice.
Posted by: Retamarie | October 6, 2006 9:08 PM
I Love squirrels! BUT they are now eating into my roof and moving in to my house!!!I love to feed them and anyone else who drops by, but they as detructive as they are cute! I don't know what to do.
Posted by: Sally Brockenbrough | October 6, 2006 9:52 PM
Dear Alan,
I agree with you, squirrels are friends. We feed them also. We have a separate dish for them and have a whirling rig that holds four ears of corn they enjoy and so do we. We get many laughs watching them as they are real clowns. We used to have a lot of problems with them raiding the feeders until we got smart and learned how to put up guards.
Now we have only one squirrel that occasionally makes it to the feeders and when he does, he is more than welcome for his death defying feat is breath taking. We have a tree limb about nine feet above and four feet to the side of a cluster of feeders on a pole. This particular squirrel is very recognizable as he is a very light color. He sits on that branch and studies the feeders for hours sometimes. He will go away for a while and then come back and study it some more. Sometimes he looks almost ready to jump but doesn't. Just watching him concentrate is fascinating.
I have never seen a wild animal do something like this. He will go days and weeks without coming and then suddenly, there he is and the next thing we know, he is on a feeder, stuffing his face with both paws. He has made it again. The birds don't seem to mind - I've counted as many as 23 of them feeding at that one station along with the squirrel. Like your Blog.
Jan in VA
Posted by: Jan | October 7, 2006 7:38 AM