Acrobatic Wildlife

These maneuvers took several days to perfect with many failed attempts. After the first couple of successful feedings, we applied non-stick cooking spray to the post and feeder lid. That slid things to a stop for a while, until the oil was gone. Funny thing is we’ve had this up a few weeks and not one bird but no snow yet either.

Great pics . . . I don't mind when the squirrels help clean up the seeds the messy birds accidentally on purposefully toss to the ground . . . but I hate seeing the buggers on top of the bird feeder as they can clean it out in less than a day.

We need to figure out something to go around the support post to keep them from climbing it. I was thinking of a scap piece of 6 inch conduit split to place around it.

I wrapped my post in two or three feet of sheet aluminum flashing . . . that worked pretty well . . . until the little buggers figured out how to do a flying leap from a nearby branch on to the top . . . and since this tree is a weeping cherry we planted in memory of my wife's father there is no easy way of removing any branches without making the tree look like some deranged arborist hacked it.

I just tap my squirrels with a BB gun. They've got their winter coats on - so it's just alittle reminder to bug off! I did accidently get one in the ear once and it spun around a bit leaving some blood on the deck and expired. The BB must have passed thru his little brain. My wife was having a play date with other mom's and kids at the time..... Mama was not very pleased with me that day........

They sell pepper coated seeds that the birds still eat - but repels the squirrels. I've never tried it.

I like when the squirrels are on the feeders and not paying attention and a big old hawk snatches them in a flash. I've seen this twice.