More Birds in our Garden

Just had to put on some of the latest photos of the birds in our garden. This little American Goldfinch seems to get yellower by the day.

The  females, as usual, are duller than the males, but still very pretty. Note my new feeder, with metal top and openings, but it still has to be taken in every night or it is dragged down and emptied by the raccoons.

The doves are Mourning Doves, because of their sad call. They like to eat the seed that falls to the ground below the feeder.

The bird with the blue head has just arrived in our garden this week. It is a Common Grackle! Jeff thinks the name sounds like a Scottish gardening implement or something – certainly Scottish.

HELP – What do we do now?

It was a wild night last night and when we got up we noticed that the top had blown off our bird feeder – or so we thought! On closer inspection we found that the yellow plastic was chewed through and even the plastic tube filled with seed had huge holes in it. We replaced the top but when we next looked out it was back on the ground and our little friend, the red squirrel, was sitting chewing on a sunflower seed.

He then decided it was time for another and showed us just how agile he is!

This way, then twist round, then…….

ease yourself in……….

and slide down…………………………….

Now that wasn’t too difficult.

I’m really quite a clever chap……..now for some more!

We will definitely have to organise a better system for next winter so that the bird feeders are squirrel free. I have been reading about special squirrel feeders that they have to learn to open – that should be fun!

Cheeky Squirrels!

At first we were amused when we spotted a red squirrel feeding in our bird box. But then he didn’t want to go and completely emptied the box of sunflower seeds.

Jeff tried to chase him away, but he would have none of it. Obviously this stash of seed was his own personal store.

He sneaked in from every angle, through the shrubs, under the deck – he knew the hiding places.

Not content with eating all the sunflower seeds, he then attacked the seed bell!

And the woodpeckers nut bar! We hadn’t seen any birds for over a week and then we watched him chasing the Blue Jays away!

The final straw was when he decided to gnaw the slot at the bottom of the box, so that he could go inside to eat everything.  He would sit in there for hours at a time or run in there if we tried to chase him.

Then he brought a friend or mate!!!

I tried to deter him with a net, but he was too clever for that!

I was beaten, but I did want to see all the little birds back. So I have moved the red box to a tree next to the garage and he has been in it all afternoon. The birds have returned to the feeders.