Super Squirrel

Some years ago I was pestered with squirrels getting on the birds feeding table and demolishing the feed as well as chewing the wood surrounds. I cured the later by putting a metal strip, but the food was still taken.

As "Baldrick", the actor in that wonderful series on the TV, 'Blackadder' used to say " I have a CUNNING PLAN". I made a metal cowling, like those hats that Eastern people wear when planting rice and fitted it below the feeders. It was a success right from the start. The pest would climb up, but under the hood, they were unable to see the food and eventually left things alone. They still climbed, but were thwarted at each attempt.

This lasted for some seven years, yes, seven years, until a few weeks ago. I was at the kitchen window and saw one sitting on the top of the feeder looking at me. I think he waved to me.. on second thoughts it might have been a finger!!

I cut a load of prickly Hawthorne and draped it over the table. A little later he appeared and looked at it. You could see his brain working. He went down and then appeared in front of me on the window ledge. He bunched himself up and flew through the air onto the thorns, without any pause and he was on the nuts again.

I chased him off but later in the day he was back on the window ledge but instead of jumping off as before, he climbed up the post and reached out to a tiny piece of leaf jutting out beyond the disc. He jumped and held on with one paw, then pulled himself up to the top like a gymnast on the parallel bars. I gave up and left him to it...... BUT,.... I am now thinking of another "Cunning" plan, and will let you know as soon as possible with any result.