Darn Squirrels in suet
jomuir
11 years ago
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Dante1709
11 years agoclaireplymouth z6b coastal MA
11 years agoRelated Discussions
darn squirrels again!
Comments (15)I live in an area where buying a pellet gun or setting traps I'd be up my ears in dead squirrels within a week with more left to kill. Oddly, i live IN the city and not a rural area. The thing is I live in a place bordering one of the largest green areas for a few miles. The squirrel population is extraordinary. At almost any point during the day you see huge families cutting back/forth. Very few seem to actually live near my garden, but this squirrel community is so expansive they seem to be able to scour huge amounts of territory without fighting for the territory. I don't know if squirrels tribe up or anything, but around here I'd have to control my garden instead of the squirrels. The squirrels are firmly in charge here. hehe... I haven't had an issue with them being huge pests in 3 years here...until this year. This year they have developed a really huge appetite for tomatoes. Rather than losing a handful every flush I'm getting plants stripped bare as far as they can reach. Oh well......See MoreDarn squirrels digging divots in my mulch!
Comments (6)This is mean but I sprinkle cayenne pepper when I plant bulbs they do not dig. The lawn people they work for me they break it they buy it. Once they have to pay me they no longer break, cut, damage anything in my garden. I wish I could give those same rules to the deer and groundhogs. I stomped my feet at the deer the other day and she stomped her feet back at me and kept eating. Hit her with a rock she left and came back with her friends....See MoreSuet for the birds...by I.M.Squirrel
Comments (9)Hi all, I built a Suet log and started making suet mixtures in December 06, and it's been going strong since! The Suet Log attracts such a wide variety of birds, I cannot believe how successfully it works. I have Eastern Bluebirds that visit daily, since peanut butter suet is a favorite of theirs. They are beautiful to watch. The Suet log is made with Red pine (Pinus resinosa) log, bark, and perches. It has a natural rustic look. But you can use any wood! Bark and perches help the birds feed at the log. They can cling to the bark or perch and eat the suet. Many people hang their log from a tree branch or hanger, but my log is pole-mounted about six feet up with a squirrel/raccoon baffle. I drilled a hole about 3-4 inches deep straight up the bottom of the log, so that it slides over the pole. It is a very secure installation. Highly recommended! I drilled holes for the suet and glued perches underneath some of the holes, and branches around the top of the log, kind of like an "umbrella" effect. The birds absolutely love to hang out on the perches and branches. Sometimes I will have 4 or 5 species eating or hanging out. Even the finches, who do not eat the suet at all, like to hang out on the branches. The only drawback is that over time, the perches and branches DO break or come loose, and some maintenance is necessary. But the basic log itself, has remained solid and intact through 4 seasons in all weather, and the birds really don't care if a perch is broken! The Suet mixture I make with rendered suet ("Simply Suet" from Wild Birds Unlimited), crunchy peanut butter, corn meal, ww flour, ground up oats, and crushed peanuts/other nuts as basic ingredients, approx 1/2 fat, 1/2 dried ingredients. I've also added currants (these are small raisins that don't need to be chopped), leftover dried cat food, ground up dried & baked eggshells, etc. They love it all! Here are photos of the feeding station, and the finished suet mixture. Also some pretty visitors that come to the log! My feeding station - includes the Suet log, 2 small Black oil sunflower feeders, and couple water features: This is what the suet mixture looks like when finished: The small flock of Bluebirds, who are regular visitors:...See MoreStarling resistant suet feeders
Comments (12)Lucky for me starlings are only an occasional problem in my yard. Hordes fly in, stay a week or so and vanish. When they come I use a recycled recycled plastic upside-down feeder like this: (from Suet Bird Feeders) I am loving the recycled plastic over wood, it's so easy to clean and you can even use bleach against mold. Don't think I haven't done a load of bird feeders in my dishwasher. BUT it's not perfectly starling proof - one starling will always figure it out. As an alternative I have a ground table feeder for starlings like this one: from Ground Table Bird Feeders. I use super cheap chicken feed cracked corn (was about $6 for a 50lb bag) and a super cheap millet/milo seed blend ($6 a 25lb bah) that I buy at a local feed store. The ground feeder is a lot easier for the starlings to use, plus they seem to prefer the corn food, so it at least keeps them busy and out of my other bird feeders to a great extent. They don't go through my pricey seed as fast. I've found offering starlings and grackle sort of birds alternative food works pretty well since they are going to be there no matter what I do. Jays also like the ground table....See Morejomuir
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