Contest Number Three!
Welcome to contest number three! Be forewarned that this one might just take some work and/or guile on your part. Here we go...
First things first... What might you win???
How about a mealworm feeder?!?
Not so shabby! So how does the contest work?
In previous posts, the wife and I have mentioned that we enjoy our squirrels. On several occasions I've even mentioned them in detail. So here's your task... In a particular paragraph in a particular post, I referred to squirrels as, "Thieves of Thistle”, “Usurpers of Suet”, and one other four-word alliterative phrase. The first step (and the only step you need to take) in winning this contest is to find that exact last alliterative phrase and add it as a comment into this post. (Your entry can be with or without quotes, but typos aren't acceptable!) We expect more than one correct answer, so the second, (and final step) involves a random draw here at eBirdseed.com of all the correct answers to determine the final winner.
Every entrant should read the following very carefully... For obvious reasons, we're not going to post the text of correct or incorrect comments/entries. That way everyone has to do his or her own legwork. The standard rules apply:
See you by the feeders and good luck,
CapeCodAlan
First things first... What might you win???
How about a mealworm feeder?!?
Not so shabby! So how does the contest work?
In previous posts, the wife and I have mentioned that we enjoy our squirrels. On several occasions I've even mentioned them in detail. So here's your task... In a particular paragraph in a particular post, I referred to squirrels as, "Thieves of Thistle”, “Usurpers of Suet”, and one other four-word alliterative phrase. The first step (and the only step you need to take) in winning this contest is to find that exact last alliterative phrase and add it as a comment into this post. (Your entry can be with or without quotes, but typos aren't acceptable!) We expect more than one correct answer, so the second, (and final step) involves a random draw here at eBirdseed.com of all the correct answers to determine the final winner.
Every entrant should read the following very carefully... For obvious reasons, we're not going to post the text of correct or incorrect comments/entries. That way everyone has to do his or her own legwork. The standard rules apply:
- Only rated “G” comments/entries are allowed.
- Multiple entries are allowed, but each entry must be in its own individual comment and only the latest comment will be considered as the entrant's formal entry.
- Entries made by eBirdseed employees and/or their families are void.
- All decisions made by the judges at eBirdseed.com are final.
- The contest starts as soon as this post goes live. (That is, if you’re reading this, the contest has begun!)
- This contest ends precisely at 11:59 PM EST, June 30th, 2007.
- As always, eBirdseed will pay for the shipping* of the winning prize to anywhere in the continental U.S.
See you by the feeders and good luck,
CapeCodAlan
Comments
You aren't kidding that those squirrels are "answer removed". Until I purchased a squirrel proof feeder, I almost went broke buying sunflower seeds and replacing chewed up bird feeders. Now they just sit below and wait for the birds to drop them some! Of course, we still get a kick out of watching them TRY to get sunflower seeds out of it - but they've been busted!!!
Posted by: Teresa | June 15, 2007 10:04 PM
Enough though the squirrels are "answer removed" I love to watch them play in the yard. We have 2 young ones and they chase, leap straight up in the air and do tumbling acts. Not to mention peeling the bark off the trees and chewing chunks off wood of the sun deck.
Gotta lov'em.
Posted by: Nancy | June 16, 2007 5:17 AM
I love watching squirrels. I put whole pumpkin out in the fall just to watch them scoop the seeds out. Watching squirrel antics is a fun past time.
Posted by: Joni | June 16, 2007 7:46 AM
Squirrels are excellent "answer removed".
Posted by: Joni | June 16, 2007 8:05 AM
I totally agree that squirrels are the “answer removed”. I love to watch squirrels romp around in the yard, jump, leap, and cavort.
Posted by: Joni | June 16, 2007 8:23 AM
Squirrels are not just "answer removed", they have also eaten through a bag for niger thistle, and pulled up some of my plant variety markers (grrr). This week, we found three ripe tomato.....skins, they ate the fruit and left an empty shell on the bush.
For our own entertainment, we have a "squirrel whirler", which resembles a long man's tie or propeller blade, with a nail at the skinny end for an ear of corn. The wider end counterbalances the weight and it is set on a bolt which is attached to a bracket on one of our big oaks. They like to leap on and go for a spin.
Laura
Posted by: Laura Sakos | June 16, 2007 3:13 PM
Yes my squirrels are "answer removed" too!!! I just told my husband we NEED to purchase some squirrel PROOF feeders! I'm bad....I let the little guys eat for awhile.
Posted by: Kimberley | June 16, 2007 5:36 PM
Other than being excellent "answer removed", squirrels are fun to watch socialize with other critters. Yesterday I looked at the feeders, a squirrel was eating along side three Mallard Ducks and a couple of cardinals. The Cardinals were at the sunflower feeder and the ducks and squirrel were ground feeding.
Posted by: Joni | June 19, 2007 10:45 PM
The “Thieves of Thistle”, “Usurpers of Suet”, and the "answer removed" May have helped themselves to one of my four bluebird eggs.
This morning there were four eggs. Late after noon only three and the remaining three had egg yolk on them.
We also have a wandering cat but this happened in the day.
Do cowbirds rob nest? I thought I saw a cowbird come out of the next today. My eyesight is not good and I could be wrong. That is why I checked the nest twice today.
What should I do to help protect the remaining three eggs?
CapeCodAlan responds:
Hi Joni,
It could have been a cowbird, or a squirrel, or a crow, or...
The sad fact is that it's a hard world for little things... About the best you can do is keep the feeders full, throw a handful of the seed on the ground for the squirrels (we have a separate feeder just for the squirrels), and keep your eyes open (or closed depending on your value system) on the bird's nest.
For what it's worth, the wife and I feed the same amount to the squirrels as we do to the birds...
Alan
Posted by: Joni | June 20, 2007 9:13 PM
Those $%@#$!@ squirrles got into every new bird feeder ive bought wich is 2. Should i just give in and get them their own feeder or buy a squirrel proof one?
Posted by: Tura | June 28, 2007 1:25 AM
Hi Tura,
Tough question...
Me? I like squirrels. The wife and I give them their own feeder, (and use squirrel shields on the bird feeders) and that's that. But that takes extra feed. On the other hand, squirrel-proof feeders aren't cheap either...
The bottom line for me is that I enjoy the antics of squirrels... I take great pains to keep them out of our attic... I don't let them molest the birds. And for me (perhaps most importantly and tragically), squirrels make great "targets" for predators... Cats, dogs, fox, and coyotes will almost always try to eat the squirrels first before the birds...
Anyway... I think you can find a way to feed the birds only if that's what you want... This company (amongst others) sells those types of feeders...
My only suggestion is that you think about what you really want for your backyard environment...
If you finally decide that you REALLY don't want squirrels around, just reply to this comment, and I'll go into the details of how to make that happen.
CapeCodAlan
Posted by: CapeCodAlan | June 28, 2007 2:17 AM