Victory Over The Squirrels

Today, April 8, 2011, I am celebrating a small victory in life. I have, at least temporarily, defeated the squirrel(s). For weeks the pesky little rodents have been “stealing” our bird seed. It doesn’t seem to matter what manner of feeder I put up, they find a way to defeat it. Finally after replacing multiple springs on the allegedly “squirrel proof” feeders that don’t work, I tried a new tactic. I ran a thin wire between trees, thinking that squirrels cannot leap vertically more than 4 feet. I hung a very inexpensive plastic feeder from the wire. Aha! I’ve got them foiled, I thought.

Alas, it was not to be. Somehow they were getting to the feeder and either getting the seed or just dumping the whole feeder on the ground.  How could it be.  Could they be tightroping down that thin wire.  Patience finally paid off.  Despite the fact that I had clearedmost of the nearby trees and shrubs so they could not leap across to the feeder, they were still getting it.  Then, I spied one of thieves sitting on a branch of the base tree to which I had affixed the wire.  I could hardly wait to see him or her walk the tightrope to the feeder.  But, that was not to be.  After musing for a few moments, the squirrel climbed up the tree.  I’ve finally foiled him, I thought.  But, no.  Summoning a great courage the little thief  leaped about 15 feet down and out from the tree, landing perfecting on the birdfeeder.  I could only admire such a daring leap down the hypotenuse of the triangle formed by the tree, the wire and his line of approach.

Now, that I knew his mode of operation, I began to think how I might foil his thievery.  The answer was simple.  I took a litre coke bottle and drilled a hole in the cap and the bottom and slid it down the wire to position it over the bird feeder.  So, the next time the squirrel tried to dive for the bird feeder he would have to first land on the coke bottle which would spin on the wire spilling the squirrel to the ground.

It’s been over a week now, and no more stolen bird seed.  So, today I declare victory, at least temporarily.