Squirrel-Proof??? Says Who?!

Howdy Everybody!  It’s THURSDAY already….!

I’ve GOT to tell you about our so-called squirrel-proof bird feeders in the back yard.  Just to the left of the big tree you see a dark green blob – well that’s one of our two squirrel-proof feeders.  It sits atop a metal pole that’s about five feet tall with a hook on top.  I think our squirrels have become smarter the longer we’ve had the feeders because at first, they were content to eat whatever the birds knocked out of the feeders when they visited to eat.  Once ina while a squirrel would try to climb the pole but they couldn’t. 

In the last couple of years though I swear our squirrels have been working out at the squirrel gym or something…..they’re bigger – stronger – more muscles in their arms and legs….maybe they’re into weightlifting at the squirrel gym?   They’ve figured out all kinds of ways to get at the feeders.  They leap over to the top of the feeder from that big tree (sometimes they miss and fly right over which makes me giggle but don’t tell them I said that) – or they briefly touch the top and slide off the slanted roof.  They have learned HOW to climb the pole now – all legs wrapped around and they scooch up just like people do when they’re climbing a rope.   It’s hilarious. 

But the funniest thing is when the metal pole is wet – from rain or heavy dew.   It’s too slippery to climb……but they try – and they get about a foot or two off the ground with their scooching technique then can’t go further so they slide slooooooooooooooooooowly down to the ground and try again ……… and again …………. and again ……….. and again ……… and – well you get the picture!  And I bet you can see why Mom and I sit and watch them out the living room window and laugh (YES cats can laugh!!!!).  

These are BIG squirrels – thanks to my Mom’s sunflower seeds and the squirrel gym they look FIT.  Would I dare try to scare them off from the feeders?  Heck no!   Do I sit and watch and keep my mouth shut from INSIDE the house only and not outside?  You betcha. 

So much for squirrel-proof feeders………but it’s 100 times more interesting and fun to watch than ANYTHING on TV…… trust me!

Sammy the Squirrel Watcher

The BEAR Facts!

Bird/squirrel/deer/ AND bear (?) feeders???

Howdy folks and happy SUNNY (here anyway) Saturday!  Finally, a day without clouds and rain.  Whew!  It’s about time.

SO – here’s the excitement I want to share today.  Yesterday when Mom and Dad were out in the yard cleaning up after all the rain, they discovered that all three bird feeders (you can see one dark green one in this picture hanging there) were bent down to the ground.  The poles that hold the feeders are big fat metal things so they are very hard to bend….and the feeders were laying in the dirt.  Not only that, but the bit metal hangars that attach the feeders to the poles were MISSING!  Dad eventually found one in the woods but the other one is just plain gone.  We see all kinds of creatures around the feeders – the smarty pants squirrels figured out long ago how to get around the “squirrel proof” part of the feeders by shinnying up the poles and wrapping their toes around the metal hook and hanging down over the sloped top of the feeder to grab sunflower seeds (little devils)…..and we have seen groundhogs snuffling around in the dirt looking for the spillage (!)…..deer are a regular visitor too and they don’t have the strength to bend those metal poles down to the ground.

So what was it?  We think BEARS.  Yep – black bears have been seen in our neighborhood for a while and in other neighborhoods out here in the country too.  In fact, there was a picture in the local paper that Mom showed me of a baby bear crawling in someone’s outdoor hammock in their yard!! 

I guess during the several days of rain we had a bear or bunch of ’em came and helped themselves.  Sunflower seeds for everyone!   Mom and Dad are going to leave the feeders down for several days to discourage any UNWANTED creatures from visiting.  Bears can be very dangerous………and I’ve heard they don’t mind munching on an occasional cat !!!!! 

So those are the BEAR facts………scary huh?! 

Sammy, One Spoiled Cat (on the lookout for bears)