Before moving
into this condo, I lived in a house. I fed the birds...and the squirrels. It
became war! One year I had to deal with "robo" squirrel. It was
bigger than your average squirrel, and able to hang upside down over the tray and
eat all it wanted without touching the perch (which would have closed the door
to the seeds). I went to war with a water gun. Squirrel won. Grrrrr!
The first
winter here at the condo, I had other things to think about, so did not feed
the birds. The second winter, last year, I fed them from feeders hanging off my
deck railing...15 ft. or so off the ground. Because the feeders were hanging up
high and from metal rods, the squirrels seemed to be discouraged.
This year, I
want to be able to watch the birds from my basement family room where I spend
most of my time. My plant hangers are now bird feeder hangers...seed, suet,
thistle. And the seed feeder has become the place for the squirrels to camp out
while gorging themselves at my expense. This is war!
My oldest
granddaughter made the seed feeder for me when she was in high school, so I
really want to use it. Each section has the name of one of my grandchildren and
her name is on top. If I can't find a solution to the squirrel problem, I'll
have to replace it with the weight sensitive perch type feeder.
POSSIBLE
SOLUTIONS
1) A hot
sauce/water/dish washing liquid combination to spray on the feeder and seeds.
Don't use chili powder...it clogs the sprayer. Guess how I know that? My
squirrels apparently love hot sauce. I suspect a squirrel wrote the recipe. And
furthermore, squirrels must have written all the information that stated birds
were not bothered by the hot stuff, too. It’s cold today and not one bird has
visited the feeder. Haven’t seen any squirrels yet, either, but that doesn’t
mean anything…yet.
2) Wrap the
poles with duct tape...sticky side out. I did that late yesterday afternoon so
it's too early to tell if that will deter them.
Here is a
poem I wrote about my encounter with Robo-Squirrel:
Grey Marauder / Damn Squirrel
This poem has two titles. Depending on your gentility or sensitivity you can choose the one you like.
I will use GM/DS.
Velvety
pointed ears
adorable
face
fluffy tail
hugging his back.
Please
don’t remind me it’s a rodent.
Hanging from
the clothesline,
latest in
bird feeders
guaranteed
to close under the weight
of a
squirrel or two mourning doves.
Works
perfectly.
Then GM/DS showed up.
Born with long hind legs he learned
to drape over the edge of the feeder
help himself to seeds
without dropping the door.
Apparition of insanity,
I would fling myself out the door
Screaming clapping my hands
attempting to frighten the GM/DS.
He ignored me.
Not sure about the neighbors.
Problem-solving Inspiration
suggested I needed
artillery this was war.
Weapon of choice
a brightly colored water gun
two quart capacity
with pump-priming action.
Laying in wait, my heart pounded.
There he was.
I slithered
through the patio door
took aim
FIRED.
Shoulda seen that soggy sucker go.
Never touched the ground ‘til
he reached the other side of the woods.
But,
his need to raid the feeder
was greater than his fear
of a blast of cold water.
Cost me a bloody fortune in bird seed.
I faced this winter with dread.
How big is he now how many
has he taught over the summer?
I wait and wait and
wait.
Water gun, cheap plastic, seizes up
requires my hysterical attention.
He never comes.
The street quiet.
Did my neighbors
trap this critter
send him to
someone else’s town
just to be rid of
the screaming, flapping,
water shooting
antics of the
crazy lady next
door?
Damn squirrel.
Beverly
R. Titus
12/24/06
