Dear Sir...

photo courtesy of RSPB

Dear Mr Magpie

Over the months my husband and I have watched with interest how you, Mr Magpie, overcame the hurdle of getting food from the feeding station in our garden. I didn’t actually think you would achieve success in getting nuts or meal-worm from a swinging container, but conquer it you did. We are impressed, Mr Magpie.

I confess we laughed at first, seeing you frantically flapping your wings in order to keep upright while lifting a single nut before flying off to enjoy the taste. What I didn’t know was that you would be copied. Mr Jay, no less, the prettier member of the Crow Family. I spent some time watching you and he in action and am wondering if you, Mr Magpie, are about to give more lessons.

We saw Mr Blackbird eyeing the feeders as they tried to regain a stationary position. He had a sort of longing about him which eventually turned into a look of determination. Or was it desperation? Yes, he tried, and failed a few times, but eventually got the hang of it. Mrs Blackbird looks on and I wonder how long it will take her to copy her mate, I mean someone has to teach the children, don’t they? What with the new babies of Mr and Mrs Bullfinch, there is much to see and methinks much to achieve.

I wonder, Mr Magpie, if you have a minute could you think of a way to get rid of Mr Squirrel and his growing family? I promise treats galore if you could oblige me on this major small matter. My main grievance is caused by me reducing the amount of sunflower seed in one of the expensive feeders. Not only did Mr S manage to remove the metal perch (or whatever material it was) but he also chewed the plastic container in such a way that prevents replacement of said perch. Needless to say I am LIVID. Of course, it’s my fault for not filling the whole container. I should learn from this. I took some pictures, of course, in order to confirm this. I will attach them to this communication so you can see for yourself the sort of bad behaviour we have to put up with. 

Oh dear, Mr Magpie. Did you see the attack on the woodpigeon? It looked as if the bird had a wound between wing and chest but whichever predator got him killed him. Such a shame. Such a pity it wasn’t the squirrel!

I must go now, Mr M. I have wasted much time writing this and the birds are waiting for food. Thank goodness you treat the feeders like they should be treated. Your antics as you feed on the wing, so to speak, are truly entertaining.

Yours, in admiration

Maybe this is the answer ... maybe not...

A recent speaker at the WI gave me all sorts of hints about dealing with squirrels although his real interest was birds. Over a cup of tea I mentioned my frustration over the four-legged friends creatures that eat all the birds food so Chris ... that’s Chris Edwards from the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) ... gave me a few ideas and some leaflets.

Apparently the best way to fool squirrels is to hang a feeder from fishing line because it’s too thin for them to get a grip. Well, that would mean rethinking the whole problem from scratch, like where would I hang the fishing line bearing in mind that squirrels can leap to great heights. I suppose it would be okay if (a) there was an isolated branch about a mile high on which to attach the line, (b) we had a tall enough ladder to reach the branch, or (c) I had an aptitude for climbing.

I found Chris’ second suggestion more appealing. Actually is was an idea thought up by my cleaning lady, which I dismissed as – er – rubbish since she knows nothing about birds or squirrels (apologies to Paola). Surprise, surprise, Chris came up with the same piece of information. Chilli Powder! In fact, one of the suggestions in the literature said the same thing. Chilli Powder! Apparently birds don’t mind the hot stuff but squirrels can’t stand it.

Today I bought my first jar of chilli powder. I didn’t realise there was more than one grade of heat, so I searched the supermarket shelf until I spotted one marked HOT. I couldn’t wait to try it out on the wildlife!

There are four feeders on the feeding station. One contains dried meal worm, one holds peanuts, and the other two are filled with peeled sunflower seed. I decided just to add chilli powder to one and leave the other as it was. I didn’t want to deprive the birds altogether if they didn’t like the hot stuff. So far, so good! The chaffinches aim for the chilli-free feeder, the bullfinches don’t mind it, and the goldfinches and greenfinches seem to love it. The squirrel, though, heads for the chilli-free feeder. After watching him for a while to be certain, I sneaked out and switched the feeders. It is obvious that he prefers chilli-free seed. Of course, the slightly reddened seeds gave the game away but secretly I hoped he was colour-blind.

After a couple of days I noticed that the birds definitely preferred chilli-free seed. Goldfinches and Greenfinches would have a few then transfer to the feeder the didn't contain the hot stuff. However, it's something new and they may just need time to get used to it. 

Decision: continue the watching brief until certain that the experiment is a success. If so then I'll fill all the feeders with hot chilli and you’ll probably hear me cackling as I do it. On the other hand, you might just hear a few sobs.

Looking after birds, and a bit about the squirrel.

picture borrowed from the Internet

I am over the moon and flushed with success.

For years I bought bird food that contained thistle seeds (Niger) in a futile attempt to lure goldfinches to the feeders. However, since feeding birds with sunflower seeds the goldfinches have visited daily. It started with one bird, then two, then three, then five. To my mind, that’s great, ‘cause I love that little bird.

Wondering now if the number will increase. 

The feed once bought suddenly changed to include a particular seed that the birds didn’t like. Don’t laugh, this is true! Every day I would discover that all but that particular seed had been eaten and every day I would have to clear the ‘rubbish’ seed off the feeding table. Well, I don’t like work that much so I changed their daily ration to sunflower seeds and peanuts. Honestly, by the way they flock in you’d think I was giving them champagne and caviar.

I read a birding article on the iPad and learned that goldfinches have changed their habits and are now eating more sunflower seed than thistle. I couldn’t have bettered the changeover time. Now I read that greenfinches migrate to Spain in winter ... so where did mine come from.

We still see the bullfinch family (Mom, Dad and kids) and the nuthatch, and chaffinches, and a couple of greenfinches. The latter is a surprise because I heard the greenfinch was almost extinct. Apparently there was a spreading disease that killed off greenfinches in large numbers. I reckon I’m on a mission to save all birds, don’t you?

Every morning I put out bread, peanuts, and suet for the birds that can’t get to the feeders. Joe does his bit for wild life by cutting the crusts off sandwiches and throwing out apple peel. He did it because he swore he heard the squirrel say ‘what’s for afters’. And that’s in addition to the manky pears I throw out during winter months. 

Whilst on the subject of squirrels, here's a picture I took of the damage they can do. Not content with breaking every bird feeder he could lay his paws and teeth on he had a go at one of our mini trees. It's right by the patio yet I never saw him at it. It will be interesting to see if he manages to get through the whole thing. 

Defeating the Squirrel? Impossble!

Squirrels are ingenious creatures. Sometimes I underestimate their resourcefulness. My lot have discovered that if they wrap their tails around the tree branch that holds the bird feeders they can swing down like monkeys. In an upside down position they can help themselves to various seeds and the suet that my robins love so much.

I have two 'squirrel-proof' feeders that are ‘guaranteed’ to defeat the little monsters, one that a squirrel can get in just by looking at it, and one with a huge dome that was supposed to be the answer to my prayers.... except the squirrels started to chew the edge in an endeavour to eat it all away, thus enabling them (eventually) to get at the birdseed. Sheet determination on their part would make them keep gnawing through the extremely hard plastic ... and it wouldn’t have taken long to achieve their aim!

But hallelujah, my friend in America tells me that she has a Yankee Squirrel Flipper; an ingenious gadget whereby if the dear little animal puts one paw on the feeder he is flipped off. She sent a photo of the action and I thought yes, that’s for me, or rather him ...  I can’t think why but I always think of squirrels as male creatures!

On hearing the news that a squirrel flipper might solve the problem I checked

on-line and discovered that squirrel flippers are available here in the UK. At a price! £100, £194, or £233 ... and I’m not kidding. What the inventor failed to recognise was that squirrels are great at lifting lids. Those rods the lid slides on just help the squirrel get in the top of the feeder, which means they can scoop out quite a lot of food before the level sinks too low. I know, I have one, that's the one where the squirrel takes one look and Voilà, he's in! Oh well, back to the drawing board!

Bits and Bobs

Parking the car was no problem this morning. There was a distinct lack of vehicles so I guess the intense heat was keeping everyone away. As always I needed to use the lift to get out of the car park and was joined by an elderly lady in a wheelchair and her daughter.

           

‘Lovely Day’ said the daughter, ‘but I am NOT moaning.’

She was on her own then, because everyone else was complaining about the heat. I could see what she meant, since we’re a nation of moaners. We grumble if it’s cold, we whinge if it’s wet, and, yes, we whine if it’s hot. There’s no pleasing some folk, me included.

The lift arrived at the ground floor and together we made our way out. The old lady spoke for the first time. I've got that skirt,' she told me, alluding to the one I was wearing (see pic for design).

She went on to tell me that she didn’t like it.  
Hmm ... mine or hers?

Quick as a flash I told her I had a matching top and I didn’t like that either.

‘Oh, I like the top, it’s the skirt I can’t stand.’

Note to self: wear a coat in future!

The old dear wasn’t being nasty, but her remarks had her daughter and me in stitches. When we parted company, the daughter said how much she’d enjoyed meeting me. Our brief and somewhat unusual conversation must have lifted our spirits because I felt the same way.

  

The fox has started leaving presents again. The other day I found a knitted toy, some kind of multicoloured animal, together with a ripped plastic bag in which some kind neighbour had inserted an opened tin of food. Obviously it was something they didn’t like so threw the whole lot out for the refuse men to collect. Anyway, foxy must have caught a whiff because he dragged the bag into our garden and left it there.

He was probably put off by having to get through the plastic bag, or perhaps he had a yen to play with the toy, or maybe he was disturbed in the process. I found it when I went out to feed the birds. Donning rubber gloves (well, you never know, do you?) I gathered it all together. Unfortunately, in the process the contents of the tin fell onto the grass. Oh *** it, I thought, I’ll leave it there and see what happens and then I went away to put the bag and tin in the rubbish bin where it belonged. Heehee HhEEI don’t know which house it came from otherwise I would have handed it back. Checking the wild patch the next day I noticed that all the food had gone.

Should I count that as doing my good deed for the day?

Last evening I witnessed an exciting punch-up between a magpie and a squirrel. The bird was attacking the squirrel who was eating all the nuts. When I say attacking, I mean ATTACKING. He flew into the air and dive-bombed the squirrel several times, but each time the little rodent simply flicked his tail at the bird and went on eating. I wasn’t sure whose side I was on...lol. Naturally I tried to get pictures but this is all I could manage.

Finally, I thought you might like to see what else I found in the wild patch today. 

Aren’t they lovely?

Have a nice day, folks.

NOTE FOR THE DAY is at the top of the sidebar