Battling Squirrels

Calling Truce on my Patio...

Squirrel-proof feeders, baffles, poles and all the other accoutrements of squirrel battle are great. But nothing beats getting to know those backyard bandits. I confess I've grown to love squirrels. There, I've said it. And I'm not sorry! Alfred J Squirls, Bolde Waddles and Herbert Fierce-Ears are three charming squirrels who visit my deck. Although they are typical Grey Squirrels, they are very different in personality and looks. Squirls has a ragged tail, no matter what the season, but a dashing man-about-town manner. He's something of a rake. Waddles is the only square squirrel I've ever seen - fat to the point of cubeness. She is quite bold and will come nearly to my feet looking for handouts. Herbert Fierce-Ears has amazingly long, pointed ears with slight tufts, a reddish undercoat and the look of a squirrel with nothing to lose.

All three love peanuts. It's fun to see them try to outsmart each other and compete with the scrub jays who are each trying to cache as many as they can before the others get them. Their calls, tail waggling and foot-stomping signals are intriguing and entertaining. Mind you, I didn't start putting out food specifically for them. I was forced into it after Alfred chewed up my tube and tray feeders trying to get at the black-oil sunflower seeds in them.

Waddles was especially aggressive to the birds and would charge them - stirring them into a panic flight. After doing battle with baffles, changing the position of the feeders and yelling a lot, I finally added a tray that holds nuts, striped sunflower and black-oil sunflower just for them. A small table fountain nearby gives them a handy and healthy water source - and keeps them out of the birdbath. I guess you could say I not only lost the squirrel wars, I abjectly surrendered. Oh well, let peace reign!

-- Marina Tidwell

Reprinted with permission by Birding Business magazine, www.birdingbusiness.com.

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Posted at Monday, February 18, 2008 11:19 AM
In Squirrel Stories Category | Permalink

Comments
(Total 8)

i gave in too-long ago-they sit and look at me and "eat"-well, they are one of God's creations also-thank you for the story---------------

Posted by Mac on Thursday, March 6, 2008 09:36 AM

I have approximately 9 squirrels living on my back acres. They have many trees in which to make their homes. I have both grey and red squirrels and they have learned to co-habitat quit well. I must tell you that there is no such thing as a squirrel proof anything and I have both the squirrels and the receipts of purchases I have made to prove it
I have learned not to waste my time or my money because these little hardy rodents will beat me every time.......We have been keeping them well fed all year round for 5 years now with no regrets

Posted by mjd253@charter.net on Thursday, March 6, 2008 01:52 PM

I never had to give in- I actually put up squirrel feeders the same time I put up bird feeders. My squirrels have decided, however, that they enjoy a "buffet", raiding every feeder in the yard! I just love them! Thanks for taking care of the furry little creatures in your area!

Posted by Bonnie on Thursday, March 6, 2008 01:56 PM

Do all of you squirrel lovers realize they are just tree "rats"? The same as the dirty, slimey, disease carrying ones in NYC - these just live in the branches and have fuzzier tails. I hate them with a passion! Cute picture contests are absurd. Eliminate the food stealing disease carriers!

Posted by Gerrie on Friday, March 7, 2008 08:32 AM

I have 9 squirrel feeders, 4 mealworm feeders, 3 flat feeders, 7 tube feeders, and up to 5 hummingbird feeders on my wooded 1/2 acre backyard. I've enjoyed feeding all the critters for a very long time. I'm having trouble now with the neighbor's cats that try to eat my birds. Any suggestions?

Posted by Sharon on Saturday, March 8, 2008 10:07 AM

To Sharon,
I too had cat problems. I asked the neighbor to keep her cats inside but it fell on deaf ears so I pruned some branches from a thorny shrub and laid them under the feeders and under shrubs where the cats hid. It doesn't bother the birds and the cats seem to have gotten the message.

Posted by Pam on Saturday, March 8, 2008 10:33 AM

When we moved to our 16 acres, mostly woods, I expected squirrels, but saw none. I hoped they were somewhere on the property. I always thought they were so cute.

Well, I love birds so I put a birdbath and feeder on the back second story deck and would enjoy watching the birds. And then it happened. First a few squirrels showed up, then more, then more. They ate all the bird seed, they chewed up any feeder that wasn't metal. They outwitted the "squirrel proof feeders". They figured out where my seed was stored and started pulling the lid off. They'd sit inside and eat as much as they could get before I came outside. Then they chewed the container open. I finally got a large metal garbage can. They couldn't get in, so instead they go on top and urinate on the lid. Next they went to the other end of my deck and chewed holes in the cover over the lounger. On some days they jump on the window screens and hang there, tearing the screens up. In addition to the damage, they would occasionally go up a drain pipe and get stuck. We'd have to rescue them, not easy when they are trying to get away from you by going even higher in the pipe.

end part 1

Posted by Lilly on Saturday, March 8, 2008 01:57 PM

We realized we had a problem. There were so many aquirrels, we would count 9 at a time running and fighting on the deck.

CAUTION: If you are squeemish, read no further.

As I mentioned, we live in the country. Well at certain times of the year there is squirrel hunting season. My husband and son decided to participate. In one season they got over 50 squirrels that came to the back deck. They didn't hunt anywhere else, just off the deck. Lest you think it was a waste, they also did have a few squirrel BBQ's. And the proverbial "tastes like chicken" is true.

In any case, my problem lessened. I also think that since we were overpopulated here, we did a service by humanely thinning the population. We still have squirrels on the property & I still have a few squirrels that come around. That's fine I have no problem with that, but if you're supporting over 50 of them it's ridiculous.

Posted by Lilly on Saturday, March 8, 2008 01:58 PM