Dave and I have recently marveled at how quickly the peanuts disappear in our "squirrel-proof" peanut feeder, and now you can see why. Turns out, it's not squirrel-proof at all -- at least not to a young, smallish squirrel.
As you can see, I've already had to wire on the lid because otherwise the squirrels will unscrew it.
Here's the escape:
You don't suppose it will ever get stuck in there, do you? I'm not sure how I would solve that problem.
We're reconsidering all our bird feeders -- both their placement and their structure. I'm putting out fewer suet balls, even though the birds love them, because they bring rodents, and I took one feeder down entirely because it got mobbed by pigeons. The others get mobbed by pigeons too, but they're built in such a way that the smaller birds also enjoy them.
I spent yesterday chilling at home. It felt so good, after such a busy week, to lie on the couch and do nothing. I got all my pictures organized and archived and I started a new book, "Dream Lovers," a biography of Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee written about 30 years ago by their son. I have no idea what possessed me to buy this book. I read about it somewhere -- probably around the time Dee died in February 2025 -- and it sounded interesting. I have a soft spot for big, colorful '50s and '60s melodramas, like "Imitation of Life" and "Peyton Place," and of course Dee and Troy Donahue in "A Summer Place." Maybe this will inspire me to watch "A Summer Place" again. I haven't seen it since we lived in New Jersey many moons ago. Probably not the best use of my time, but hey, I'm retired now!
I remember seeing Peyton Place, who knows how many years ago and I had the book too, but it's vanished now. The Dream Lovers book sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteThose squirrels are agile little so-and-so's aren't they?
There could come a time when a growing young squirrel can only just get in....fill its belly....and not be able to get out!
ReplyDeleteExactly! I worry about that!
DeleteWho but yourself is the judge of what is the best use of your time? Sometimes it is best to just do nothing, especially after a busy time like you‘ve had just now.
ReplyDeleteA squirrel will do ANYthing for a peanut, it seems!
You'll put on heavy gloves to protect your hands, cut the wire and unscrew the feeder lid. The squirrel will take off. It sounded like you and your brother's family had a great visit!
ReplyDeleteSquirrels must be much skinnier than they look to squeeze in between those wires - good to spot and photograph the evidence.
ReplyDeleteRSPB are now saying to stop feeding during summer but I'm carrying on with sunflower hearts and niger seed - getting goldfinches all the time on those.
My mother used to watch Peyton Place. It was on after 8.30 so we were 'in bed'. But there was always the glass of water I needed from the kitchen. If I stayed at the sink, and remained quiet, it would be forgotten I was there. As mild as it was, I did learn some 'adult' things.
ReplyDeleteBird feeders sure sound complicated.
What’s a “good use” of your time anyway? The squirrel photos are hilarious, if you‘re not the owner of the squirrel-proof feeder. We had a collection of feeders in rural Connecticut and finally managed to keep squirrels off with excellent squirrel baffles and placement in an open area far away from trees (and we learned how far squirrels could jump from tree to feeder). Given your garden, I don’t think you can win. And I sure hope the squirrel doesn’t eventually get stuck!
ReplyDeleteSquirrels rule the world! Especially skinny ones ;) think it is called ' survival of the fittest'
ReplyDeleteWe now only feed the birds hulled sunflower seeds, our neighbour puts out mixed seeds, they is very few bits dropped and we now never get rouge seeds growing underneath. Squirrels are very clever, we have had numerous feeds promising to keep them out, they have always found a way in.
ReplyDeleteSquirrels are so determined, but that young one may well get stuck one day, and you'll have to don your heavy duty gloves to release him!
ReplyDelete