It's for the birds...

[Lynne]

I have discovered a very cheap and easy solution to the squirrel vs bird feeder battle. Remember the old toy called a Slinky? They still sell them at the dollar store. It is a metal coil that bounces. Well, you slide it over the pole and tie or open the end to secure it at the top. The Slinky hangs like a big spring around the pole. When the squirrels try to climb they can’t get traction. It works amazingly well.

Here it is.

 

[Donna K.]

I have discovered a very cheap and easy solution to the squirrel vs bird feeder battle. Remember the old toy called a Slinky? They still sell them at the dollar store. It is a metal coil that bounces. Well, you slide it over the pole and tie or open the end to secure it at the top. The Slinky hangs like a big spring around the pole. When the squirrels try to climb they can’t get traction. It works amazingly well.

I would have never thought of that in a hundred years! I'm going to try that next winter. I tried giving that squirrel his own feeder. I tried spreading dried corn (his favorite) ALL over the woods. I tried telling him that I COULD return with my rifle and how well I liked Squirrel stew (which I do, but haven't hunted in years). He just smile's.

 

[garnetsilver]

I would have never thought of that in a hundred years! I'm going to try that next winter. I tried giving that squirrel his own feeder. I tried spreading dried corn (his favorite) ALL over the woods. I tried telling him that I COULD return with my rifle and how well I liked Squirrel stew (which I do, but haven't hunted in years). He just smile's.

 

[Debi]

I would have never thought of that in a hundred years! I'm going to try that next winter. I tried giving that squirrel his own feeder. I tried spreading dried corn (his favorite) ALL over the woods. I tried telling him that I COULD return with my rifle and how well I liked Squirrel stew (which I do, but haven't hunted in years). He just smile's.

LOL I have done the same! And now Lynne gives us the answer!

 

[Paulm]

I have bird feeders all over the yard, and humming bird feeders all around the porch. I have two ponds that have become an entire ecosystem of there own with fish, lizards, frogs, dragon-flies, I love nature and try to model my surroundings to accommodate as much as possible.

 

[Duke]

View attachment 18850
Here it is.

My Dad came up with a similar solution, he spread a coating of thick aircraft maintenance grease over the entire length of the pole. It was like watching a cartoon, the squirrels leaping onto the pole, then sliding down slowly, clawing all the way down. The funniest part was watching the squirrels rolling around and scooting across the grass trying to get the grease off them.

A friend took a more proactive approach, using his son's paint ball gun to shoot the squirrels. It had enough power to knock them down if he hit them, and left them very distinctive colors. I saw both a purple and green squirrel at his place, so he was hitting some of them.

 

[Debi]

My mother used to live trap them and move them to the local cemetery where they couldn't "bother" anybody. This worked until the board of directors noticed they had a huge squirrel problem.

 

[Lynne]

My mother used to live trap them and move them to the local cemetery where they couldn't "bother" anybody. This worked until the board of directors noticed they had a huge squirrel problem.

That’s hysterical !

 

[Wind in Trees]

One of my greatest joys on this earth is the humble bird bath.
The sheer pleasure the bird's exhibit at having it at their disposal delights me like a child. And it's rarely ever a chore to scrub clean and replace the water for them, as it's so rewarding.
My back is hardly turned after refreshing the water and some bird is about to jump in.
Over this last Summer just gone, a python was using the nearby tree to wait at night for visitor's to bird bath. Smart snake. So beautiful.
I was lucky enough one night to spot a sugar glider drinking from the bird bath. It was an intensely long hot dry summer so it was an important water source to many.

 

[Debi]

One of my greatest joys on this earth is the humble bird bath.
The sheer pleasure the bird's exhibit at having it at their disposal delights me like a child. And it's rarely ever a chore to scrub clean and replace the water for them, as it's so rewarding.
My back is hardly turned after refreshing the water and some bird is about to jump in.
Over this last Summer just gone, a python was using the nearby tree to wait at night for visitor's to bird bath. Smart snake. So beautiful.
I was lucky enough one night to spot a sugar glider drinking from the bird bath. It was an intensely long hot dry summer so it was an important water source to many.

You know, I had forgotten how much fun it is to watch that! Gonna add a bird bath out back. Thanks, Trees!