During the winter I sometimes share my posts about wildlife gardening from the past summer to the Nature Notes blog party and I wonder if I should not feel guilty since the theme of the meme is looking out into your natural world and reporting back...but in the winter here there is not that much different to report on from week to week.
"I saw some rabbits.", "I saw some rabbits.", "I saw some rabbits."
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Well today is different. I saw rabbits AND squirrels thick as thieves beneath my new 'wildlife feeder' along with some Chick-a-dees at the feeder and a chattering red squirrel on the fence.
Practically like Snow White's enchanted forest.
Look closely high right and see the old wooden feeder that I have stopped using and left abandoned, hanging in a most gruesome manner.
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It was so cute.
But look more closely.
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The squirrels have been eating their way through it to get to the seed and now it does not sit properly.
Enough.
I got rid of the green feeder (that should never have been sold in stores because of its poor design but for some reason is everywhere) and am retiring this wooden one.
Just the hard core, spring-released, squirrel-resistant metal for me from now on.
Wish me luck.
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Sharing with Nature Notes & Rurality Blog Hop
Wow....rabbits are awful cute but not when they start eating your plants. If you start having a problem I would recommend a product called "Liquid Fence for Deer and Rabbits". I use it and it works like a charm. We don't have a squirrel problem, but a couple of years ago we had one that came to the feeders. The little bugger ate through the heavy plastic trash can where we kept the sunflower seeds. Now we use a galvanized can.
ReplyDeleteThanks Christy I'll remember the name of that stuff for sure.
DeleteI have a basement full of feeders that should never have been sold unless people live in a bubble and only have birds.. I hope your new feeder works out well ..Michelle
ReplyDeleteNow I understand why I got that big green one for $1 at a garage sale!
DeleteYeah, good luck with that squirrel-proof feeder. Those guys are scary smart when it comes to free food handouts! Seeing rabbits and squirrels would make me happy, but I don't garden any more, and that definitely presents a different outlook.
ReplyDeleteGlad you could stop by and the squirrels and rabbits here Sallie. You are right those squirrels can be tricky creatures.
DeleteThose darn squirrels. It is a shame they ruined your pretty feeder. I found most feeders are not squirrel resistant. I hope your new feeder does work.
ReplyDeleteEileen, I think you are right and I will likely find this is an improvement but not an absolute deterrent. I've seen squirrels jumping off of it,but not sure if they have got food or just been caught trying.
DeleteWow! Those squirrels are feisty ~ Good for you ~ great photos, though ^_^
ReplyDeleteThere has been more snow here than in recent years, perhaps they were hungrier than they had ever been before? Thanks for the compliments.
DeletePoor feeder. Squirrels just never give up. I have a one foot square wood feeder in the front with the wire mesh bottom. It is under a domed cover and I shortened the hanger to make it more difficult for the large birds to use. I used a feeder in the back yard for awhile, but all the birds feeding at it interfered with the nesting boxes, so it was removed. Now I put seed on the flat back deck railing, about a nine inch trail from where it meets the house. That works well for us, because most of the time the birds are feeding off the plant seeds and insects in the gardens. I do have rabbits, and am happy about that. With so much plant diversity, we see little damage, and I've never had the vegetables we grow on the patio damaged, except by the mockingbirds with their love for tomatoes. I think your wall of red sunflowers against the white fence will be spectacular.
ReplyDeleteI hope my rabbits are like your rabbits; perhaps they will keep feeding on the spilled birdseed and leave the plants alone? I'll be sure to share pics of the sunflowers should they make it.
DeleteAck! Squirrels are nasty little rodents and we are overrun with them. I bought a Squirrel Buster from Amazon.com and it worked great until the bear punctured a hole in the main part of the feeder. Too bad because that gave the squirrels a tiny hole to chew on which led to a really BIG hole. Without bears, they work great and the squirrels don't even try to get feed out of them. Too bad about your pretty wood feeder.
ReplyDelete~Lynne @ a "new" Jersey Girl, hopping by from Rurality Blog Hop
Hopefully they will stay away, if so it was worth the extra cost since they otherwise scare away the birds.
DeleteDon't worry about not posting shots you took today. I just want to see what you want me to see in your world. I post a lot of past shots, but then I can usually get away with it because I live in the southern hemisphere :) It's strange what animals will do to get a free bite to eat!
ReplyDeleteBetty, glad to hear it now I won't have to feel guilty ;)
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