Fighting a losing battle
Okay, I saw this entry come through my Bloglines the other day: The Bird Feeder and the Tragedy of the Commons. And I knew exactly what Dave Pollard is going through, as I am fighting my own losing battle with the squirrels.
Okay, so I live in an apartment that has a small wooden patio or balcony. Out there, I have set-up five different bird feeders (including the hummingbird feeder). As you can see, it started as a fairly simple set-up that the birds seem to enjoy.
Not only did the birds enjoy it, but Lisa and I really enjoyed sitting there and watching the birds (particularly when new ones would show up). The hummingbirds seem to be Lisa's favourite, while I kind of like these brown headed nuthatches (as they always seem so busy and in such a rush).
My problem is these guys. It didn't take too long before the squirrels started to show up. So, I went out on the web to see what I could find to help me with this problem. It isn't that I don't want to feed the squirrels, its just that they scare away the birds and eat all of their seed.
In my efforts to try and solve this problem I have added the "Squirrel Away" to the seed, which works for a little while, but not too long. I have changed how I built the feeders to try and make getting to the seed more difficult for the squirrels, which again worked for a bit, but they've since figured me out. I've also installed a feeder for squirrels and left squirrel food out there, which they will eat when there is more than one of them there or when all the seed it gone. I have been looking for one of those squirrel baffles, but have had no luck in locating a store that sells them.
I won't say that I have given up completed, because that would mean these rodents with cute, fluffy tails have won. But they have been doing quite well on the battlefield thus far against me... as the score is squirrels 3, Michael 0.
Okay, so I live in an apartment that has a small wooden patio or balcony. Out there, I have set-up five different bird feeders (including the hummingbird feeder). As you can see, it started as a fairly simple set-up that the birds seem to enjoy.
Not only did the birds enjoy it, but Lisa and I really enjoyed sitting there and watching the birds (particularly when new ones would show up). The hummingbirds seem to be Lisa's favourite, while I kind of like these brown headed nuthatches (as they always seem so busy and in such a rush).
My problem is these guys. It didn't take too long before the squirrels started to show up. So, I went out on the web to see what I could find to help me with this problem. It isn't that I don't want to feed the squirrels, its just that they scare away the birds and eat all of their seed.
In my efforts to try and solve this problem I have added the "Squirrel Away" to the seed, which works for a little while, but not too long. I have changed how I built the feeders to try and make getting to the seed more difficult for the squirrels, which again worked for a bit, but they've since figured me out. I've also installed a feeder for squirrels and left squirrel food out there, which they will eat when there is more than one of them there or when all the seed it gone. I have been looking for one of those squirrel baffles, but have had no luck in locating a store that sells them.
I won't say that I have given up completed, because that would mean these rodents with cute, fluffy tails have won. But they have been doing quite well on the battlefield thus far against me... as the score is squirrels 3, Michael 0.
posted by MKB | 10:16 AM
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