The Bushy-Tailed Pests

By mid-October, most of the birds that were hanging around the backyard had left for warmer regions, so we took down all the feeders hanging from the trees and stored them in the shed. But because there are some birds that stick around through the winter, we decided to hang one bird feeder and one peanut feeder from poles that we attached to our deck. This way, we could enjoy some feathery visits from our kitchen window, and our winged friends could find something to eat during the harshest days of winter.

Cool idea, right? And it really is, except for these bushy-tailed pests that have moved in and taken over:



What frustrates me the most is that I can hear the chickadees and the blue jays and the cardinals chirping in the trees nearby, so I know they want to stop by our feeders for a snack. But can they? Nooooo. Because the bushy-tailed pests literally wrap themselves around whatever food is available.



Obviously I have to come up with some type of solution to this problem so that we can enjoy a visit from some of the birds in the area searching for food, which can be scarce this time of year. It�s been a battle of wits since the summer with the squirrels where bird feeders are concerned. And so far they�ve won every time. I have to admit that I admire their tenacity and their ingenuity; no matter what type of squirrel deterrent we conjure up, they manage to overcome it.

Pesky critters.

And their attempt to make me feel sorry for them by saying �please don�t be mean to us; all we want is some food because we�re so hungry� isn�t working. I mean, look at the size of these things. If you ask me, they should be jogging on a treadmill, not wrapping themselves around a peanut feeder.



Darn those squirrels... ARGH!!