GIVING UP!

I am at my wits end with the squirrels in my garden. I spend good money buying bird seed – FOR THE BIRDS – and squirrels scoff the lot. Well, no more. I get too worked up over it so I have decided to save my money and spend it on something else. What that something else is will no doubt come to me as time goes by.

Last year I bought a new bird table and loved it. The roof on the old one was partially wrecked by the squirrel but the table itself was still in use. The other day I noticed that the roof had virtually disappeared. The panels were lying on the ground, well gnawed by said squirrel. That same day I noticed the gnawing was taking place on the new bird table. That did it! Either I kill the squirrels or I stop using the bird tables.

I still have a lot of bird seed and nuts waiting to be doled out so, rather than throw it away, I have decided to sprinkle it on a bed of weeds at the back of the garden and when disposed of I will stop feeding them altogether. I’m afraid my sanity needs to be considered more than the birds.

Nothing works. Many things have been tried by experts – and failed. There is nothing one can do about the squirrels. I feel sad for me and the birds, though. Thank goodness there is plenty of natural food around for my feathered friends -  I just hope they get on okay when winter arrives. 

IS THE FIGHT OVER?

(borrowed from the Internet)

I write this post at the risk of upsetting squirrel fans, in particular my good friend Ron who adores them. 

I have written before, many times, about the squirrels and the problems they cause. However, where I live it only applies to those that scoff all the bird food. I have tried various ways to stop them getting at all the delicious seed and nuts, (thus preventing birds from feeding) to no avail.

It’s not just the stealing of food that bothers me, it’s the fact that as well as having to fork out for bird food, I must also replace feeders on a regular basis. There’s only so much money in the bank so I continually search for solutions to the problem.

(cow bell brought home from Austria)

I have tried banging on the window to scare the pests away. I have tried screaming, ringing a cow bell, clapping hands, slamming doors, to no avail. As soon as I stop the squirrel or squirrels jump once more into action.

A week ago, as I was preparing to sort the refuse bin ready for collection, I spotted a squirrel jumping onto the birds feeding station. I happened to have a black plastic bag in my hand which I waved in his direction. Oooh he didn’t like that; scarpered as fast as he could. Oooh, I thought, better keep a black bag handy for future scares. It worked. I only had to wave the bag and the squirrel scooted - couldn’t get away quick enough – but if I went out without the bag he stayed put.

I left the bag in a permanent position by the door in readiness for another

squirrel visitor.

Just the other day I gave it serious thought. Why not tie the bag to the station, a bit like flying a flag. Well, reaching the top would have been a problem, me being quite small in stature and not agile enough to stand on steps. So this is what I did, I tied it to the middle section of the pole which is how the squirrels get up there. I reckoned he wouldn’t be able to get a grip on a pliable bag that kept shifting in the wind. 

Three days later, still no squirrel. Correction: I saw him, or rather ‘them’, but only on the bird table upon which I put seed for bigger birds. Okay, so he still got fed… but it stopped him from damaging the expensive feeders which was my aim. I patted my own back for hitting on a solution but deep down I wondered if a committee of squirrels was at work trying to solve their problem.

I was right not to get too complacent since in the approaching dusk I saw the squirrel leap and successfully land on one of the feeders where he proceeded to scoff the seed, that is until I shot out, screaming and ranting and threatening him with his life. He didn’t hang about, mainly because in my hand was another black bag.

Oh well, back to the drawing board I went, but for short term measures I kept the black bag right by the patio window because one shake was all it took to send squirrel into a dramatic fleeing performance. The only problem was having to be on watch all the time although squirrel saw to it that I didn't have to wait long before finding another way round the problem. He did no more than unhook two of the robust squirrel-proof feeders and smashed them on the ground. 

new fence, new bird table

While all this was going on I had had a new fence erected in the garden (see picture above) which pushed me into purchasing a new bird table (see picture above). It was cheap and pretty so it was off with the old and on with the new. Let's see how long it takes the squirrels to wreck it like he did the first one I had. 

Cats sulk quietly in their beds

They do not draw attention to their unhappiness

by huffing loudly and banging doors