Outwitting, but Nuts About Squirrels News Item#3

Sixteen months ago I decided I’d like to begin feeding birds, and my daughter bought me a feeder for Christmas.
Simple, right? Wrong.
I hung the feeder on my patio, where my cats and I could enjoy it, after filling it with sunflower seeds — because I’d heard that various birds like them.
No birds came to the feeder for months, so, last spring, I took down the feeder, washed it and started over.
This time sparrows found it, each day arguing over the seeds until the food was gone.
Squirrels, too, discovered it, realizing they could jump to the feeder from the fence. They hung onto the screened covering and worked their little mouths into the feeding ports, even though the feeder was "squirrel-proof."
When that activity wasn’t enough fun, they would leap onto the feeder as quickly as possible and make it twirl, scattering seeds all over the patio.
Black hulls lay everywhere — particularly messy after a rain.
I went to Wild Birds Unlimited to consult the experts, initially mentioning only the mess on my patio.
They recommended a no-mess seed, a wonderful fix for the patio disaster.
Yet the new seed drew more sparrows than before — and more squirrels.
I never saw any pretty birds.
In less than a day, the squirrels and sparrows could finish off a whole feeder of seed — and in less than two weeks, a 20-pound bag!
Back to the store I went to share my new problem.
I ended up buying a new feeder that is truly squirrel-proof: When the squirrels jump on it, the ports close.
I also switched to safflower seeds, which sparrows and squirrels don’t like.
I’d been missing out on the prettier birds, I learned, because those birds were wary of the aggressive sparrows that visited frequently.
Figuring that my problems were solved with my new feeder and new seeds, I waited patiently.
Unfortunately, no one told my sparrows and squirrels that they dislike safflower seeds.
They needed only a day to adjust, then returned in full force, going through a full feeder in 24 hours.
Granted, the seed is less expensive, but my patio is a mess again — albeit a white mess instead of a black one.
Still, I want to feed the birds.
Now I have a new problem: The squirrels have caught onto the port closings. So, instead of climbing onto the feeder, they ascend the nearby stucco wall and reach out to twirl the feeder, making the seeds spray like a sprinkler.
I think I have the smartest squirrels in Ohio.
Recently, I revisited Wild Birds Unlimited for more safflower seeds.
What about the squirrels? I asked.
The woman helping me suggested I buy shelled peanuts for them.
Rewarding the squirrels for poor behavior doesn’t seem right somehow, but she assured me she has the same issue.
She uses safflower seeds and a squirrel-proof feeder, and gives the squirrels 1 cup of peanuts a day.
Problem solved.
In the past few weeks, I have enjoyed visits from prettier birds — including a male and female cardinal, purple finches and chickadees on my feeder; and doves that eat seeds from the patio.
I still see sparrows, but they come much less frequently. (I think they have found "better" seed elsewhere.)
Surprisingly, the squirrels are behaving well, appreciating their daily peanuts and disregarding the bird feeder.
With the warmer weather, however, I have safflower plants sprouting in flowerpots below.
What’s more, sweeping the hulls and fallen seeds off the patio will probably be a daily ritual.
But I want to feed the birds, so I’ve decided it’s worth the trouble.

Outwitting, but Nuts About Squirrels News Item#2

My wife Sally is facing one of the major challenges of her life. It all began when the weather started warming and I hauled our backyard bird feeders out of the shed in anticipation of the approach of another summer.
On one side of the standoff you have Sally, a spunky, 85-pound native of New York State who is fighting mad. On the other side you have a squirrel that weighs in at two, maybe two-and-a-half pounds tops, and possesses the appetite of a Bengal tiger.
Six times within two hours after I filled the bird feeders, the pesky squirrel struck, quickly draining them of their contents.
Soon, Sally forgot all about her household chores to sit in front of the dining room window and angrily observe the comings and goings of the super-hungry creature.
She even named the animal.
"Here comes that %$#& squirrel again," she said each time it brazenly hippety-hopped across the backyard to wreak havoc on our bird feeders.
Actually, I think %$#& the Squirrel is kind of a cute little guy. Or gal. But I’d never tell Sally that.
Early on, Sally tried to frighten away the squirrel by ripping open the back door and shouting "Scat!" and "Scram!" Later, her patience dwindling, she resorted to ripping open the back door and screaming "Get the hell out of here!"
Despite the threats, the squirrel continued to devour our birdseed like it was the house specialty at the most fashionable restaurant in town.
At one point – in an effort to add a dash of humor to the proceedings – I said "Why don’t we just post little signs in the yard that warn ‘No Squirrels Allowed.’" Sally didn’t even smile at the suggestion.
Then she hit on the idea of filling the feeders with edibles squirrels hate, so I motored on down to the nearest store that sells birdseed.
"What have you got that squirrels won’t eat?" I asked the clerk.
He offered several suggestions and I bought a bag of each.
When I got home, I refilled the by-then-empty bird feeders with the new seeds, and 10 minutes later Sally’s least-favorite squirrel came bounding gaily across the lawn and promptly gobbled every bit of it up in a matter of seconds.
Now, a month after it began, the confrontation between my wife and the squirrel continues. But there are indications Sally might be getting the upper hand in the battle.
Last week, in what may have been her final attempt to discourage the bushy-tailed intruder, Sally purchased two so-called "squirrel-proof" bird feeders and they seem to be doing the trick.
Not once in the past five days have the seeds in those feeders been ravaged by %$#& the Squirrel.
Unfortunately, birds don’t care for them, either. But we’ll deal with that problem at a later date.

Outwitting, Outsmarting but Nuts About Squirrels

How to Feed the Birds and Not the Squirrels
Squirrels are regulars at many backyard birdfeeders. Their antics may be cute, but they scare away birds, can consume huge quantities of expensive bird seed, and will often make off with entire seed balls or suet cakes. These furry rodents are smart, too. Given time, they will eventually gain access to virtually any desired target. The trick is to keep them guessing!

Here are some ways to foil these pesky marauders.Locate your feeders away from trees so squirrels can’t drop down from above. A large inverted cone mounted on top of the feeder will also deflect squirrels that are trying to jump onto the top of the feeder.
If your feeder is pole-mounted, you’ll need to keep the squirrels from climbing the pole or jumping onto the feeder from the ground. A cone-shaped baffle mounted beneath the feeder will usually do the trick. You can also try running the pole through the center of a Slinky toy. Secure one end of the Slinky to the top of the pole and let the other end hang down. When squirrels try to climb, their own weight will stretch the coil and keep them on the ground.
Try mixing ground hot pepper with the birdseed. Capsaicin, the spicy part of hot peppers, makes birdseed too spicy for mammals to handle, yet is completely tasteless to birds. In fact, it's an excellent source of Vitamin C.
Try using a specially designed, squirrel-proof feeder.
Squirrels love sunflower seeds—but not safflower seeds. Try making the switch.
If you can't beat 'em, feed 'em. Distract the squirrels by providing their own feeding area with dried corncobs.
Trapping is the surest way to remove problem critters. Live traps are very effective for trapping a particularly pesky squirrel or chipmunk. However, don't expect to control a whole population with trapping. There are always more where they came from. Some states also have regulations about trapping and relocating animals.