ASSISTING OUR WILD LIFE… 1/30/06

What a delight it is to sit by our lakeside window having breakfast, looking out and watching the small birds fly to our feeder. There are all types of birds that are out of their minds spending the winter in the north and rather than in Miami Beach. Nuthatches and chickadees are some of my favorites. We also have black, gray and red squirrels that are driving me up the walls.

Last fall I upgraded our feeder to a “Squirrel Proof’ brand thinking this would stop them from depleatin the feeder in 30 seconds. There are numerous design engineers out there (2) that have gotten big bucks configuring a bullet-proof feeder.
Many of you know a squirrel’s brain is a lot smaller then that of a MIT grad’s brain. So why can’t someone come up with a design that keeps the squirrels at bay?

Not only that, late last fall I was coming home one night, I will not say from where, and I heard a loud nose in the front side of the cabin, where our bird feeder is stationed. Thinking it was squirrels again at the feeder I walked (stumbled) alongside the cabin to shoe then away, great thinking? Then in the dark I saw a large pair of eyes looking back at me… a black bear! He or she was just as shocked as I was and we both headed in opposite directions, I to inside the cabin and the bear up a tree. Before bed I thanked the stars that I didn't go dancing with the bear into the wood.

Next morning I witnessed the bear’s late night forage. Our new feeder was in many parts and the feeder’s metal post looked like a corkscrew. To solve your own squirrel problems I have a bear for rent...…