...suppose we should feel great about the fact that we've held the squirrels at bay from these two particular feeders for almost two years now. They both hold blackoil sunflower seeds and are advertised to be 'squirrel proof'...yeah, right!
Two years ago we finally hung them in (what we thought until yesterday) was the perfect place. I suppose I should have figured what that plume of a tail flashing was going inevitably to mean... I suppose I should have known what their chewing on the supporting ropes wrapped around the trees would mean...
A double feeder (seed and suet) has been safe for over two years now. I suppose I should have known when Kevin yelled, "Get off there, you little $h!+!!" that the feeders could again be in danger from this year's new crop of squirrels. (The rope stretched on this one enough that s/he could just jump straight up to catch the suet basket. ...not any more...) *heh*
We've said for years that we're training Olympiad Squirrels...I should have known... *winces*
Today s/he gnawed through the rope, in the middle, right above the hanger. Fortunately the ten foot drop didn't destroy the feeder or the squirrel baffle. So now we're looking for a rope-like substance that they won't be able to chew through...
It's not like we don't have special feeder stations for the squirrels...
*goes out to check the ropes and ports on the remaining feeders*
*feels great to have the energy to do that*
Today's photo is one of Kevin's from this past winter.
Hope your weekend was enjoyable!
We wish you, "Happy Billiards' Day!"
Make nice!
3 comments:
And billiards it will be!
Mary's brother had a years-long battle with squirrels. One day, looking out of his kitchen window as a squirrel traversed his newest (and as usual, ineffective) contraption to easily get to the feed, he hung his head down and sighed, "Look at them, they mock me."
Two years is a pretty good record against overwhelming odds. Pesky little devils, and CUTE (to the interested outsider that is, perhaps not to those who suffer their predations, and now, property damage).
I can't think of a rope material that a squirrel could not chew through. Perhaps a chain, or something else metallic. I wouldn't be that surprised, however, to see a squirrel with a hacksaw when all that bounty is at stake.
See you later.
S.
Happy Billiards Day!
Perhaps a steel cable, like the stuff they use for bicycle locks? At least then the squirrels would need bolt cutters.....
The new modem arrived and is working, at least for now.
I was thinking I would enjoy 15 days free of hospital visits myself. It's been at least 1 months since that happened.
Hey, sleeves and nancyturtle!
We've been through the feeling mocked phase. After ten years, it's moved on to a respected competition. The fact that we had a couple years is just terrific; if we find the right cable soon, we might just have a reason to restart the clock. *grins bigly*
We continue to run about a dozen feeders in back. Most are accessible to the squirrels, so we're mystified as to why they have to unbaffle the feeders we so carefully baffle...*shrugs*
Now we're running another eight in our front yard, six of which have been successfully baffled since we put them up this spring. *knocks on wood*
nancyturtle, the small mesh ones are working just fine; two of them are here and one is at Mom's. All three are squirrel-protected so far...*crosses fingers*
*shudders at thoughts of squirrels and raccoons with hacksaws and bolt cutters*
*breathes deeply and relaxes*
Glad the new modem is working, nancyturtle! Sorry we couldn't push any of this rain back in your direction...
...break an arm this afternoon, S!
Mostly, keep makin' nice *smiles*
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