Battle #1: Birds and Squirrels by Day A Look Back
“There he goes!” From his studio window, Cliff observed a squirrel stealing birdseed from our new feeder. Again.
I rushed outside into the lanai, and saw the squirrel scarfing down the contraband, the feeder swinging back and forth from its weight. A squirrel had invaded a bird feeder intended for the avian life in our preserve.
Apparently, the rodent climbed up the pole and jumped up to the roof and started chomping on the food. “That little rascal!” I complained. By now, ole squirrel had scampered up the oak tree nearby. I noticed some seeds left on the ground, which he would probably come back to nibble on later.
Watch how the birds flock to the feeder for a meal or a snack. Oh, happy day!
However, an enemy had invaded, so Cliff, ever the problem-solver, was rigging up a solution to thwart more squirrel theft, stringing up Slinky toys to prevent them from scaling the pole.
So, a Slinky toy in hand, my husband went to work, attempting to foil the scoundrel. Gathering tools, he sat in the lanai, figuring out a way to secure the Slinkies to the birdhouse pole.
He means business!
After a short reprieve, we were foiled again! The squirrel climbed up the Slinky “trap” and hopped off to the birdhouse rooftop, slick as a trapeze artist, and went at it, even though Cliff had subsequently attached a second (and a third) Slinky to the pole!
Eventually, a squirrel “baffle” worked. The baffle, a shiny, cone-shaped plastic affair, mounted on the pool, deterred the squirrels. . . . at long last.
(Adapted from the post “The Tale of the Squirrel and the Bird-feeder.“)
Battle #2: Birdseed and Deer at Night An Update
It’s fairly easy to spot squirrels cheating at the bird-feeder. Why? It happens in broad daylight.
However, a few months ago, we discovered the birdseed supply was disappearing faster than we thought possible. Hungry birds alone don’t explain why the birdseed was disappearing inches at a time. Sometimes overnight.
The administrator of the security camera footage, my husband, discovered other backyard bandits: deer!
Film on the security camera revealed a buck approaching the bird feeder and using its horns to tease birdseed from the feeder.
The Solution?
With a kitchen sieve from the Dollar Store, Cliff fashioned a bird-feeder impervious to deer. So far . . . at least!
Habitat Loss
When our neighborhood was built more than 25 years ago, the development caused loss of habitat for wildlife. Squirrels, raccoons, and deer lost their natural ecosystem, forcing them into smaller, disconnected spaces. In fact, urban sprawl threatens biodiversity in the plant and animal kingdom everywhere on our planet.
According to the (MAHB) Millennium Alliance for Humanity and the Biosphere, there are human causes for this habitat loss.
Obviously, we can’t push back the hands of time and restore our community to its pristine condition. Still, we appreciate that the builders preserved mature trees and gave consideration to wetlands and wooded areas around the homes during the construction.
* * *
Daytime View with the Motion Detector
Your Turn
Have you had a battle with man or nature in your environment? Wild-life, plant life, developers and new construction? How have you coped?
Can you identify the bird at the bird-feeder in the last video with the sieve?
Interesting! Too bad about the squirrels. But I felt very angry about our cat who brought a small bird, (very small) to our deck to show her pride yesterday. (I guess.) I was NOT happy about that either! The cat ate most of it and I tossed the rest to the ground (I didn’t hang around to see whether anything else happened. Nature! Thanks for sharing your issues! Of course, I scolded the cat ….
I can relate, Melodie. In our former house a close neighbor had cats. When I saw feathers on our patio, I could piece together what happened. (We don’t have cats: I’m allergic to cat dander,) Of course, you scolded the cat!
Are you talking about the one where Cliff says, “Hey, my new bird feeder is working?” I couldn’t identify the bird. I have not seen one like it before.
My brother put a hummingbird feeder out. But in the morning, he would discover the feeder on the ground with the feeder empty. He thought that raccoons probably got to because the pole was bent. (He didn’t think a squirrel had the weight to do that.) After fixing the pole, he had to take it in the house every night to prevent the raccoons (or whoever) from getting to it.
I think your brother was probably right about a raccoon getting the hummingbird nectar. It’s sweet. . . and so appealing.
On another note, I have to cover my begonias on the patio with cheesecloth; otherwise, deer would chomp on the blossoms. It comes down to this: Us vs. nature, Thanks, L. Marie! 😀
Animals are so clever, aren’t they? I’d probably just let the squirrels and deer have the seed. We used to have a bird feeder on our kitchen window, but the scattered seed started to attract mice who got into our house, so we got rid of it.
I do feel sad for the animals we’ve displaced. I haven’t seen deer in our yard in a long time, but I certainly see them around. Our older child has seen bears in their yard.
Ugh–mice? I haven’t seen any of those yet. Maybe snakes in the preserve behind us take care of the mice. Bears in the yard is scary though! If action in movies is to be believed, bear spray in cans might be a deterrent. Thanks, Merril! 😀
You’re welcome, Marian!
I don’t think we have any mice now. I would think the kitty boys would let us know.
They think the bears are pretty cool. It’s only an occasional thing.
If they don’t pose a threat, I would agree they’re “pretty cool”!
😊
I was beside myself with frustration at the squirrels stealing from our bird feeders. Like you and Cliff, we tried EVERYTHING. I finally set up a squirrel feeding and watering station of their own—waaaaaay away from the bird feeding/watering station. If I don’t take care of it FIRST thing in the morning, squirrel thieves return to the bird station and steal. But when I feed them and change their water FIRST thing in the morning, they stay away from the bird station.
I hope you heard the chuckle when I read about the separate squirrel feeding station–ha!
It seems you’ve hit upon a routine that works. So, you’ve become a concierge for squirrel and birds–a nice addition to your resume, Laurie! 😀
Hi Marian, this is such an entertaining post. I enjoyed reading about the invasions of the s as turrets and deer and your enterprising way of trying to solve the problem. We get owls from our local bird sanctuary which kill the baby birds sometimes and we also get rats from the park which we have to deal with.
Usually it’s Cliff who dreamsm up inventive ways to outwit our “bandits.” I think I read about using a slinky as a deterrent though.
Owls and rats sound like really insidious pests. Thanks for adding to the story here, Robbie! 😀
Interesting that you had deer coming to the birdfeeder. I had a pesky squirrel as well. Used to chase it away but it always came back. You’re lucky there’s a handyman close by!
Your back yard is lovely.
Yes, I realize it helps to have two people trying to outwit our backyard bandits. Thanks for the compliment about our back yard, Elfrieda.
Know that I continue to pray that you will get situated in the best way possible, which includes property concerns. as well ((( )))
We have deer, wild turkeys, fox, bear, and cougar come visit. We replaced the solid “stockade” fence around the main 1/4 acre lot where our house is this summer, with post and rail. The deer now stay away from the rose garden because it is harder to get into the front yard. But everyone wanders the balance of the property. I send veggie scraps out for the critters, to the further reaches of our compound. And set out watering stations for them.
Ginger, it sounds as though you have a large property and a lot of wildlife to consider. I can also tell that you are kind to the animals. (By the way, I envy your rose garden!)
Thanks again for chiming in today. 😀
I loved your story, photos, and videos. When I saw what your husband did with the slinky, my first thought was “squirrel ladder.” I thought you were serious about the gator in the introductory photo. We do have a gator in our backyard, which happens to be a large pond surrounded by homes. During mating season, they migrate to other ponds within the community. One of ours made his way between our house and our neighbor’s to cross the street, aiming for the pond over there. Unfortunately for him, our neighbor’s house across the street got in the way. He knocked on the front door, demanding passage to his prospective mate, and only met resistance. A neighborhood licensed gator trapper caught the poor guy, wrestled him into the back of a truck, and hauled him to a sanctuary where he’ll find plenty of females to choose from. Happy ending.
Patty, so good to hear from you. Yes, my gator photo was just a teaser. Like you, we’d have to call a ranger to rein in a real gator in NE Florida.
Also, I remember that you live in Florida too, but farther south, which would explain the threat of live alligators. What a story; thanks for telling it so vividly here! 😀
Those squirrels are persistent! The squirrels here stay in the parks, as do the rabbits. We don’t have bird feeders but sit and watch the birds eat the palm tree seeds in the abandoned orange/lemon grove across from us. It is entertaining.
Thanks for giving us a glimpse into gardens and lawns in Spain. It sounds as though rabbits and squirrel in your neck of the woods are very mannerly. And entertaining!
I appreciate your adding to the conversation here, Darlene. 😀
And here I was expecting a gator sighting! We have the same problem with squirrels on the birdfeeders. We’re going to try the squirrel baffle. The deer don’t bother with the birdfeeders, but in the spring they eat my hostas and hydrangeas. I can’t get too angry. We did steal their habitat.
I was being tricky with gator, I know.
That was my conclusion too, Liz: We did steal their habitat.
About flowers. Right now my begonias are really putting on a display. I know that if I didn’t cover the blooms with cheesecloth every night, the deer would have a midnight feast with them.
Thanks, Liz! 😀
You’re welcome, Marian!
This all sounds familiar. Squirrels are problem solvers and find a way against most deterrents. If Cliff has finally won, then kudos to him. There are so many YouTube videos out there, detailing attempts to outsmart these critters, only to see them get to their prizes through guile and athleticism. We’ve dealt with squirrels, deer, raccoons, and yellowjackets, but the primary culprit have been gophers. I’ve spent a ridiculous amount of time and money trying to stop them via numerous methods (some I’m embarrassed to admit) and finally surrendered. Now they dig away (we have 3/4 of an acre for them to play in), and I periodically run over their prodigious mounds with my riding mower. They’ve won. 😊
You nailed it with two words, guile and athleticism.
I can imagine your glee when you ride over gopher mounds with your mower, Pete. Thanks for sharing your unique story from California (I think)! 😀
Our deer raided the birdfeeders in broad daylight, along with the squirrels.
I guess squirrels and deer are more brazen in Iowa. (Tee Hee!)
(I’m glad you can get my notifications. Alas, I still don’t get yours.)
I was going to write “Didn’t you have squirrel problems with the bird feeder in the past” as I remembered your story and then I saw this was an adapted version. All those backyard bandits keep both of you creative! 🙂
Yes, they do keep us on our toes.
Yes, I did think about omitting the “daylight” portion published earlier. But then I liked the contrast–day/night. Also, someone who didn’t read the previous blog post would get a better grasp of my followup story. As always, thanks for tuning in, Liesbet. 😀
I’ve had many battles with the squirrels at the feeder and in the gardens, and raccoons in my strawberry plant. My “squirrel proof” feeder lasted 2 days. It ate right through the it! I have a small metal one I can hardly reach, hanging in the middle of my back porch. If they’re determined, they can get to it, but they seem content to eat what I drop…because it’s over my head and I have to dribble food on it with a measuring cup every morning! lol
Jenn, I agree, these bandits ARE determined.
Kudos to you for dribbling food on the feeder with a measuring cup every morning! lol That’s amazing! 😀
Those are beautiful bird songs you have in your backyard Marian, coming from all directions. I could listen to that all day! And I loved how the motion detector picked up an early dawn buck in the dark pushing the feeder with his horns; what a cool thing to catch! What I love most of all is that you and Cliff are settling back down to the normalcy of life after all the hospital stuff. With a slinky in hand, we can see he’s feeling good. 😄
Thanks for the compliment–including the one about Cliff. Actually, he is feeling stronger but not as robust as the photos suggest. The daytime photos were filmed earlier as was the video. If you think of the blog posts as published out of order, you’ll get the true picture.
As always, thanks for being such a supportive reader, Melanie!
Animals are so clever. And good for Cliff finally succeeding! We had a huge problem with underground critters in one of our homes where we built a huge assorted garden. The slugs and the moles were it’s worst enemies. 😍
I don’t know about slugs, but I do know moles can decimate a lawn by eating grass by its roots. Right now we have to treat our lawn because something is disturbing the grass again. Probably at night.
Thanks for checking in again, Debby! 😀
The ploy worked, Marian. We don’t have alligators either, and I’m not sure I would want them in my yard. We took a kayak ride on the Banana River in FL, and they were in people’s yards. We had hummingbirds, but they seem to have gone south for the winter now that the temps are dropping below 110 degrees. We had a stray kitty yesterday, who was starved and thirsty, and probably pregnant. We fed and loved her for a while, then put her the front door. She languished there until we checked up on her again and brought her in. She ate and drank some more. We loved her for a little longer. Once the sun wasn’t beating on the front door, we put her out again. She hasn’t shown up today.
Marsha, so good to hear from you twice today. Thanks for adding to the conversation here with hummingbirds and your kindness to a kitty. I hope she found her way home! 😀
She must have. We haven’t seen her today, but she got fed twice by us yeaterday, and she was hungry!
😀