FishinBC's Blog

The midnight bandit…
Jun 22, 2007 | 11:27 AM PST
Tags: racoons , squirrels , Bird Feeder , Strawberries

 

We have been battling the bushy tailed beasties over my birdfeeders and flower pots over the last year, recently to the point of building and installing a feeding trough on the deck just for them.  Yes, they can be a frustration, but they are very entertaining and give the dogs and the cat some fun as well.  It seemed that since the trough went up we had settled into a regular routine.  I fill the trough in the morning and sit with my cup of tea and watch and as a wave of squirrels starts rolling toward my deck across the tree tops.  Though some are terribly mean and refuse to share with their fellows (which warrants a visit from a border collie), most share nicely and they have been good about leaving my pots and birdfeeders alone.  Until two days ago…

 

I went out to the deck to slop the trough and low and behold my full “last night” birdfeeders were emptied and my hanging strawberry had been stripped of ripe fruit.  Grrrr.  I figured I had a rogue and that Rob and I would need to teach this rake some manners.  The regular crew came for breakfast and I didn’t think anymore about it.  

 

The next morning I got up earlier than normal and walked through the kitchen looking out the door to the deck without turning on a light.  There on the railing was a masked bandit helping himself to great paw-fulls of bird seed.  He then proceeded to the birdbath to wash his breakfast before eating it.  The rogue had been caught in the act.  Rob sat watching in utter fascination at this new creature come to HIS deck.  Setting Rob on squirrels is one thing, having him tangle with a 30lb raccoon just doesn’t seem like a good idea, so needless to say Rob was not given the chance to try herding coons. By the time I got my camera, the thief had shimmied down the post of the deck and went on his way. 

 

Okay, things are getting crazy now that I am feeding the entire wild population of critters in our little neck of the woods.  The squirrel trough is now emptied at dark and the birdfeeders are brought into the house for the night.  Hopefully, this will cause the bandit to go elsewhere for his midnight snack raids.  Oh gosh, I hope he doesn’t decide to go fishing in my pond!!!