Birdfeeder Battles

(I just found this unpublished note from September 2016.  I'm hitting "Publish" now...)

I recently acquired some bird feeders. Before investing too much I waited to see if the birds would come. They did.

So I bought a more durable feeder and some more expensive seed that would attract colourful birds and songbirds.

Enter The Squirrel.

I spent a good portion of yesterday morning warring with The Squirrel.

He hung down from the branch and are my sunflower seeds.

I went out and yelled at him.

He left.

I went inside.

The Squirrel hung down from the same branch eating seeds from the same feeder.

I went out and yelled at him.

He left.

I went inside.

The next time I looked out the window, the feeder had its top removed and The Squirrel was shamelessly eating seeds directly out of the now-wide opening.

I went out, took the feeder down, and brought it inside. I would win this battle.

A few minutes later? The Squirrel was hanging on the other feeder (which was also now topless), shamelessly eating sunflower seeds.

More yelling.

I took that feeder down as well.

I had to figure something out.

After a trip to Home Depot, I had some 'S' hooks. I attempted to rig my feeders so that they were hanging from the tree branches, with enough lead that The Squirrel could not reach it.

I was too short.

One ladder later, I was still too short.

I needed reinforcements.

Moments later I had my youngest up in the tree, much higher than I'd want him to go any other day. He put the pieces of twine over the branches for me. I suspended two feeders with 'S' hooks and went back inside to watch.

The Squirrel attempted re-entry with no success.

I decided to count that as a win for me.

~

Later that morning I went to the backyard to check on my garden. I stopped short when I saw my second Dollar Store feeder on THE GROUND, The Squirrel flaunting his mid-morning snack in my face. I chased him away and surveyed the damage. One crack, but the feeder was salvageable. The seeds, on the other hand, were not. Many of the sunflower seeds were split open already. My bird friends would not appreciate those being scooped back into the feeder.

I fixed the feeder with some twine, hung it from another 'S'-hooked rope and retreated to a rear-facing window to stealthily watch.

The Squirrel scampered around to no avail. He could not reach it.

~

A day later, The Squirrel is still munching on his felled loot, but has not reached the feeders again.

BONUS: This morning I saw a bright goldfinch feeding in the front. We have a cardinal couple that is enjoying our seeds as well. Now that The Squirrel has been bested (at least for now) we're finally able to sit back and enjoy our bird-friends!