Squirrel Wars

It's almost that time of year again. I know that many people feed birds all year round. I feed between September and April. So I am about to dust off what was left of the bird feeders from last year and buy some new ones.

Last year the Squirrel won. I hung my feeders on wire from a pergola only to see the little grey **** thing pull the wire up with both paws like a human pulling up a rope.

This year I want it to be different. What contraptions are you using and what do you feel the best buys are in squirrel beating feeders. Also can anyone explain to me the benefits to the birds of feeding them all year round. My husband tells me it's not good for them :confused:

 

Hi Marion. I used to live in an area of Canada where the grey squirrel is rampant. They are so clever that we got to the point where we just gave up so I can't help you there.

I think that technically your husband is correct. In the warmer months there is plenty of natural food for the birds and getting dependent on human sources can be very 'de-birdising' :confused: for them. If you move away, or even go on holiday, and they are dependent on you as a food source, which suddenly dries up, as opposed to natural supply, it can be too traumatic. I know the RSPB is dead against feeding them when they have young.

However, my own sister feeds them all year on the grounds that they get to know her and she gets to know them. I guess you ladies are just more tender hearted than the guys.

I'd better say 'Thank goodness for that', because the boss is watching my reply. :D

 

As regards getting rid of the "scudgies", air rifle? as long as it's safe.

 

Thank you for all the good information. I think I will keep with the September feeding start for the birds and leave them to their own devices in during late spring and summer. It would be too much for poor hubby if I needed to ask someone to come in and feed them when we were away :eek:

I am just learning to spot the different birds and it is great fun. I really enjoy it.

I am off to research a good feeder and start my battle of the "scudgies" what a wonderful word. I couldn't shoot one. They may be total pests but they are furry I know soft hearted! I will let you know how I get on.

 

I thought the RSPB were now saying to feed them all year round. Garden feeding has benefitted quite a few species and if the food supply suddenly dries up it can stress them. You need to feed them proper food. Never bread. I always provide peanuts, black sunflowers and a big fat ball ( these must have the netting bag taken off) - mine is placed in a sort of wire basket. We do have grey sqirrels so all my feeders are metal. Plastic feeders were just destroyed but the present ones have been OK.
A lot of birds have lost traditional food sources. House sparrows numbers have plunged. Not in my garden though - we had 3 sets of them breeding this summer. Unlike neighbouring gardens the garden is always full of birds. If I provide good nutritous food that is suitable for chicks then it will ease the pressure on the parent birds. Certainly we have had many successful broods and they seem to be doing a lot of hunting in the shrubs apart from hanging off the feeders. Now if I could find a reliable source of meal worms I could even make life easier for the robins. I am always for making life easy for them if i can. Years ago we had a kingfisher in the stream. Now I could not feed him but i noticed that while he was perched on the bank looking for fish he was getting stalked from behind by a cat. So i knocked a series of branches in the bank so they overhung the stream...and he used them.

 

Here you go Geoff a reliable source at a reasonable price

LINK

[ 30. August 2007, 11:23 AM: Message edited by: Daisees ]

 

Hmmm "safe" air rifle - bit of an oxymoron there, methinks.

 

Take your point about the "Safety" of air-rifles. What I meant was there should be no danger of the pellets going outside the property. No shooting upwards etc. Personally, I don't think any weapon is dangerous, as such, but the person behind the trigger can be. Just an opinion