Backyard Friends (and the squirrel battle)

See what happens when you have an digital camera, some time, and some bird feeders in your backyard?

Ever since we added the bird feeders, we've had a lot of wildlife activity.  One thing for sure, squirrels are pretty darn smart.  I've tried to stop them from getting on the hanging bird feeder using a number of different methods.  My inventions of new obstacles work, for about a half-day, before they've figured a new way to get around them. 

My last modification was changing a 16" tray to a larger 24" inch tray.  This definitely worked.  Unlike the 16" tray, the squirrels cannot span the radius and end up slipping off when reaching for the feed.  The first picture in this series is a look at the new 24" design.   

Unfortunately, a neighboring tree and swing-set provide a launching pad for the squirrel.  They perform a death-defying leap (about 6-8 ft.) to the little landing pad where the birds eat.  The video on the left has two resolutions.  If you pick the .AVI and don't have cable modem, be prepared to wait.  The one on the right is low-res video.  You can see it by clicking on the pictures below.  They must be really hungry to perform this act.

VIDEO

Hi-Resolution (6.1 MB .AVI click here)
Lo-Resolution (1.2 MB RealVideo click here)

VIDEO

Lo-Resolution RealVideo (440 KB)
 

                           
PICTURES

Squirrel hitting the Jackpot

This guy makes a six foot lateral jump onto the feeder since he can't come down from the top anymore. I'll have to augment my 24" circular tray with something that prevents him from leaping from a neighboring tree.

Surveying the Bird Feeder

This is one of three squirrels that eat the bird seed. This one is the most athletic. No matter where I position the feeder or create obstacles, this guy somehow gets to the bird feeder.

American Goldfinch

At first, I thought this was an Oriole. But after a bit of searching on the net, it is my novice opinion that this bird is an American Goldfinch.

Infrequent Cardinal

This guy doesn't hang around long but he is a regular. I'm not sure where his nest is but he only feeds a couple times a day and is a really quick eater.

Squirrel chowing down seed on the deck

No this isn't a Sodom and Gomorrah story where one squirrel looked back. This is one of two feeders that I let the squirrels eat from without giving them a hard time.

Okay, squirrel mano a squirrelo. Bring it on!

Besides being my best squirrel picture, this is a picture of my backyard nemesis. He is taunting me because he's able to get through my many defenses and onto the hanging bird feeder in the tree.

House Finch

Carpodacus mexicanus

Hey, everyone knows that this is a Carpodacus mexicanus. :) It has a chirp call like that of a young House Sparrow and is widespread in the northeastern United States.

Master BlueJay

This guy is king of all our bird feeders. He scares most of the other birds away. Until my sister-in-law told me that Blue Jays are territorial and bullies, I thought they were kinda cool. This one challenges the squirrels if he is really hungry.

Swamp Sparrows or Chipping Sparrows

I know its a sparrow. Just not sure which kind. ENature.com says they are normally seen in singles. Here are two at the foot of a feeder on our deck.

Another Blue Jay Shot.

This guy is pretty talented. He swoops down to the feeder, picks up a sunflower seed, and comes back to this very narrow rod iron perch. With the seed trapped between his two feet, he pecks at the sunflower seed to crack it open and eats the seed. He uses this tactic when the squirrels are out and about.

GooseHead

No this isn't in my backyard and it's not a beer label. It happens to be at Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster.

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