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Unwanted Garden Visitors| Member | Message |
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Posted: Mar/02/2008 8:30 AM PST
I enjoy feeding the Birds, Chipmonks, and Squirrels that come into my yard.Trying to keep the furry ones from eating the bird food is a challenge. The Chipmonks aren't active now, but the squirrels visit daily. So I use squirrel challenging feeders which work very well. I put out raw shelled peanuts and sunflower seeds for the squirrels. (Blue Jays and Crows love peanuts in the shell.)I had problems with the squirrels in my suet feeders but I replaced them with feeders with narrow grids and that has solved that problem. I do have a deer problem but that is confined so far to my vegetable garden. Since Friday one of my Suet Feeders up and disappeared.It was removed from a branch on a tree outside my Dining Room Window. I think I may be feeding a Racoon. There is no evidence of the feeder anywhere in the yard. An effort was made to take it elsewhere. A Squirrel would open and eat it where it hit the ground. I am going to rule out Two Legged thieves because it was a suet feeder. I have added wire ties to all conections now. Any thoughts? |
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Posted: Mar/02/2008 8:45 AM PST
I don't think a squirrel could cart it off. I once filled a peanut butter lid with PB and the squirrel came and tried to steal it but he couldn't. He did pig out on it though! Our other pesty garden critter discussions are in the Controlling Pests and Diseases forum, so let's move this there. I'll be happy to do the honors. 
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Posted: Mar/02/2008 9:07 AM PST
Please, If you can do that. |
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Posted: Mar/02/2008 3:24 PM PST
Thank you for moving the thread. |
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Posted: Mar/04/2008 12:49 PM PST
I think you are right when you said Racoon. They also like to steal the orange halfs that we put out for the Orioles in the summer. |
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Posted: Mar/09/2008 6:10 AM PST
The suet feeder has returned. It was on the other side of the tree from the dining room window in plain sight. I saw it plain as day yesterday. After I had searched the entire yard it appeared after a week. Either it was covered with leaves or I just missed it. It could have been a squirrel if these were true. It was still closed, but it is easy to snap shut. The other explanation is my neighbor brought it back after finding it in her yard or a self serving racoon returned it for a refil. I refilled it and rehung it on the tree, reiforcing it with a wire tie. |
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Posted: Mar/09/2008 6:43 AM PST
I like the thought that the racoon wants a refill, sounds like the varmints I've been trying not to feed 'round here this winter!
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Posted: Apr/12/2008 6:56 AM PST
The squirrels have decided to return to focusing on the suet feeders. They emtied one on thursday by ballancing on a lower branch and eating the suet through the bottom. The other feeder they managed to open. It was 70 yesterday but it is going to drop for a few days. There won't be many more days where suet will work outside. I put my last 2 blocks in and wire tied the baskets. I should get to home depot and pick up some hot suet and freeze it before they take it off the shelves. |
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Posted: Apr/12/2008 7:42 AM PST
Between the starlings, the bluejays, and the squirrels, I've gone through a cake in less than two weeks. I think one more cake and that's it for the season. I still have a warbler coming and I think he's a winter bird. |
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