I'm sure you have 'em too!! The acrobat of the suburban garden, the furry, tail balancing, glittery-eyed grey squirrel. Wire walking, cunning, quick as lightning, eat and chew on everything. If you watch closely you can almost see them thinking, smart little devils that they are! "Let's spend a few minutes getting the hang of this bird feeder; how about lifting the lid off the compost bin for a meal; bread for the birds, no way, it's my lunch and I plan to gobble it all."
"Squirrel-proof" is an unknown phrase in squirrel language.
Took these pics yesterday morning as the sun came up with the promise of a perfect day. Our run of pre-Spring hot days is over, we're now expecting several rainy days with cool temperatures.
This oak tree hangs over our deck and its lower branches have still to discard a few remaining dead leaves prior to new green ones bursting forth. The little broken branch always seems to have a squirrel perched on it munching an acorn or a hickory nut. In the early morning sun he almost looks like a red squirrel, which we don't have here. The surrounding trees are old and huge with dozens of squirrel nests visible high in the branches..............we just know they will be around for ever!
Who visits your garden these days? Do you enjoy watching wildlife?
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Morning Mary, oddly enough the squirrels have not invaded us because up to now we have not put out birdseed. That has changed now. We have decided the birds are more worthy than worrying about bears. We shall see....
ReplyDeleteThank you for your newsy comment. We have decided to make a quick trip to Fl. to see Beth before she passes. It is breaking our hearts.
See you when we return.
Hugs and love...Jeanne
They are funny little creatures, they are fun to watch play and run, just not so fun when they bother your flowers
ReplyDeleteI love squirrels. For the longest time we didn't have any on our street. Now we do. They don't seem to bother my garden...so that's good.
ReplyDeleteI don't think we have any grey squirrels. Ours are brown and some black. They are very cute out there in your garden, but I think you are wishing they would not help themselves to the bird food.
ReplyDeleteHave a good day.
Nancy
Heidi is home
I agree - no such thing as squirrel proof :-) We love them and have 2 in particular that we call Sammy and Stewart - they are always together and wait on the kitchen deck for a peanut butter sandwich :-) We have lots of birds and rabbits and squirrels that stop by each day. Love it!
ReplyDeleteMy son in Atlanta was having real problems with the pesky little squirrels eating food from the bird feeder next to his home office window ... he found something (I am going to have to ask him exactly what it is) to keep them away from the food - a guard of some type. He told me it works !!!
ReplyDeleteSquirrel proof...what's that? You don't know how much money I've spent on squirrel-proof bird feeders...they always find a way to the seed.
ReplyDeleteI'm so mean, I once mixed a half bottle of Tabasco with the bird seed...the squirrels loved it! My wildlife preference would be birds - just wish the squirrels would go next door!
We have a gazillion squirrels, just in our yard alone! Blame it on all of my walnut trees. My dog goes wild for them, although I don't know what he would do with one if he caught it!!
ReplyDeleteCute pictures Mary!
xoxo
Jane
Many, many squirrels frequent my garden year 'round. They are so very obnoxious. I just bought a new "squirrel proof" feeder and it took less than a day for them to drain it of all the sunflower seeds. Poor birds just watch!
ReplyDeleteJanet
Mary, you have the squirrels around her summed up appropriately! I do enjoy watching them though. I love to see them play, but the poor birds scatter when one flies through the air and skids sideways into the feeder. :)
ReplyDeleteLynn
I haven't had a lot of visitors that I've noticed yet, but I'm sure it'll be any day now. I remember seeing black squirrels in a park somewhere in northern Michigan years ago. Funny looking little things!
ReplyDeleteSuch pretty pictures!!
ReplyDeleteMary, as you know we are fortunate enough to have red squirrels in this area but I have yet to see one in the village here. BUT!!! I have to tell you that Tommy Tortoise woke up from her winter hibernation this morning and we are so excited to see her again - summer is indeed on its way. She's a bit muddy after her months sleeping in a pile of leaves under the walnut tree, and rather dozy but we are so very pleased to see her again. Nature is wonderful.
ReplyDeletelove Alison
Squirrels run rampid in my yard. I watch them as I sit here at my computer. They are such naughty little guys, eating all the squirrel proof bird seed.
ReplyDeleteI love squirrels-they are the wildlife commedians:) We enjoy watching the squirrels play and scurry about the back yard.
ReplyDeleteHi My North Carolina Friend! We have squirrels....boy do we have squirrels! I used to buy them their own food. They would eat that up and then eat the bird's food! So we actually found an honest to goodness SQUIRREL PROOF feeder. Not squirrell resistant....but SQUIRRELL PROOF! And it really works. We have a store in town - a franchise - you might have one too that sells these wonderful feeders. If not they are on line. This feeder is guaranteed. And if something distroys it....it is replaced for free....life time warrentee. Here is the link:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.shopwbu.com/product/part_number=2720/567.0.25206.25760.0.0.0
Hugs,
Penny
p.s. stay warm this weekend!
I just love squirrels. When I lived in Pennsylvania, the local ones used to come right up to my front entrance french doors and peer in, looking to be fed. Yes, I used to feed them nuts. They have such pretty faces and of course, lovely tails.
ReplyDeleteMaureen
I love watching squirrels! I love the movement of their little bodies when they scamper across the grass, so graceful and whimsical. I know they can be ornery, but they sure are cute! ~Lori
ReplyDeleteSquirrels can crack you up with laughter! Yes, they compete with our birds to see who can empty the feeders the fastest! Mary, not only do we have the squirrels, but deer too!
ReplyDeleteAlas, no squirrels in my yard! But I had a rather spectacular (but temporary) tenant in my NOLA back yard last spring... I did a double take when I saw it perched on the edge of my fish pond - it looked like a BIG purple chicken!
ReplyDeleteRichard didn't believe me until he saw him several times as well. He went to the Audubon 'Bird Finder' web site and we discovered that our pond had attracted the attention of a 'Purple Gallinule' from the nearby bayous of south Louisiana. He stayed with us for quite a few weeks.
I'm putting up a bird feeder this year and a hummingbird feeder. These have been absent from my garden for too long!
All the best!
I sure do enjoy watching the wildlife. We have squirrels and lots of birds in the trees. And at night when we are all asleep, skunks, possums, and racoons scurry about the neighborhood. I saw a Great Horned Owl sitting in the oaks very early one morning. Love your post.
ReplyDeleteLaura
Yes, we have them - an American import I'm not so keen on! All my birdfeeders are caged and at this time of year I have constant surges of high blood pressure as I catch sight of them eating the buds on my magnolia tree!!!! They are classed as vermin in UK and do huge amounts of damage to young trees as well as stealing eggs of nesting birds. Not my favourite form of wildlife I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteTHe bane of Edward's existence.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen any squirrels near our house, just birds. Tons of snails though.
ReplyDeleteThe squirrels provide Maxie with some exercise! He loves chasing them. We have chipmunks which are the bain of my existence! They cause quite a bit of damage. We have lots of birds wich we enjoy watching and also and occassional rabbit.
ReplyDeleteManuela
Love the new header!! Very pretty!
ReplyDelete