Bird Watching: I think I know where all my birds have gone., 1 by plantladylin

plantladylin wrote:
Hi taxicat, Welcome to Dave's Garden!

Aaah ... Squirrels, I've heard them referred to as "Tree Rats" among other not so nice names. I gave up trying to deter them long ago, it's almost impossible! Those furry critters can be pesky and really do a number on plastic feeders, even the types that have plastic inserts. I have one of those cylindrical metal feeders that had the plastic insert and somehow they were able to crack and break that insert. Now I fill it with peanuts and they empty it quickly! Although we have a lot of birds year round, it seems like the squirrels multiplied tenfold this year. It's fun to watch the babies play and chase each other round and round the trees! At night when the squirrels are all tucked into their nests and sleeping, the raccoons and possums raid the feeders for what's left. A couple of weeks ago a noise woke me during the night and I looked out the front window and a possum was swinging around on one of the feeders! I have a couple of old rusty iron type birdbath's that I use as feeders and every single morning I find them turned over in the backyard! Some of the possums and raccoons are pretty big critters.

We've had a lot of hawks around the past two years. I witnessed a hawk taking doves twice this year, they are swift and silent. I got photo's last year of a hawk eating it's prey on the ground in my backyard. I got within 6' of that bird before it flew off to a tree with what was left of it's lunch! This spring I got pic's of a hawk perched in a tree with dinner in it's talons. It was a juvenile and just sat there watching me for a long time. It's sad to witness that scene, but all a part of nature. The hawks are beautiful birds and must eat too.

I have a lot of feeders in my yard, mostly inexpensive wooden ones from Wal-Mart. The wooden feeders will last @ four years, but with the weather down here they will eventually rot away. I need to buy new ones before long. Here's a photo I took a few days ago of a squirrel on one of the feeders: