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#16
09-03-2008, 09:04 AM
posted to uk.rec.gardening
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Squirrel-proof bird feeders
"Martin Pentreath" wrote in message ... I am now thouroughly fed up with the squirrels in my garden stealing nuts from the bird feeder. I've tried various locations, including suspending it from a 15' length of wire strung horizontally from one wall to another. This morning they've finally learnt how to shimmy along the wire. I've just looked at various gimicky contraptions online, but they all seem to have weaknesses. The yanks have an electric one which spins when the little blighters get onto it and throws them off at a tangent - the problem seems to be that in spinning it also sprays seeds all over the place so that they can just eat from the ground. I think simple must be better, so I'm more attracted to the type that have an outer cage with holes too small for squirrels to get in, eg http://url2it.com/egf Anyone got any comments on this type? Failing this I'm considering putting 240v through the bloody thing. Cheers! Martin Theres this one: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SQUIRREL-PROOF...QQcmdZViewItem |
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#17
09-03-2008, 12:23 PM
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Quote:
I have three peanut feeders around my wood and loads of squirrels. I thought this would be a problem but they never touch them. One solution might be to plant around a hundred mature oak trees about the garden, this seems to keep them occupied. A thousand sweet chestnut would certainly help. Sorry, thats probably not much help. At home in the garden they destroy my feeders, they actually eat them. Just surprised that they leave them alone in the wood. Good luck Colin
__________________
http://millwoodnature.com/ |
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#18
09-03-2008, 02:03 PM
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Squirrel-proof bird feeders
Trevor wrote:
And, dare I say it, the use of an air-gun from a corner of a bedroom window really get the adrenalin pumping. A squirrel shot instantly dead is later excellent on the table & no longer a menace! Yeh I was going to say my dad recommends what he calls a 'Lead Breakfast'! "A Lead Breakfast" ! LOL! Instead of the muesli the squirrel was expecting? Eddy. |
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#19
09-03-2008, 03:45 PM
posted to uk.rec.gardening
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Woodland plants 2, a big pink one to ID
On 9/3/08 11:39, in article , "oaks"
wrote: Hi thanks for your help so far. This next one should be quite easy for you. I don't think it is native and you probably grow these in your gardens. There are several of these shrubs, well spaced but quite close to a row of houses, whose gardens back onto the wood. Can anyone tell me what it is? http://tinyurl.com/24gcqr best regards Colin Looks like Ribes sanguineum - aka flowering currant, though it's not a fruit! It seems to vary quite a bit in colour in the wild and is originally a native of USA. -- Sacha http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk South Devon 'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.' |
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#20
09-03-2008, 10:54 PM
posted to uk.rec.gardening
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Woodland plants 2, a big pink one to ID
In message , Sacha
writes On 9/3/08 11:39, in article , "oaks" wrote: Hi thanks for your help so far. This next one should be quite easy for you. I don't think it is native and you probably grow these in your gardens. There are several of these shrubs, well spaced but quite close to a row of houses, whose gardens back onto the wood. Can anyone tell me what it is? http://tinyurl.com/24gcqr best regards Colin Looks like Ribes sanguineum - aka flowering currant, though it's not a fruit! It seems to vary quite a bit in colour in the wild and is originally a native of USA. It is a flowering currant, we have one growing on the roadside outside our entrance. They do produce berries but I have never been tempted to try one. -- Robert |
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#22
10-03-2008, 09:08 AM
posted to uk.rec.gardening
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Squirrel-proof bird feeders
"Eddy" wrote in message ... Trevor wrote: And, dare I say it, the use of an air-gun from a corner of a bedroom window really get the adrenalin pumping. A squirrel shot instantly dead is later excellent on the table & no longer a menace! Yeh I was going to say my dad recommends what he calls a 'Lead Breakfast'! "A Lead Breakfast" ! LOL! Instead of the muesli the squirrel was expecting? An even simpler way of stopping squirrels helping themselves to 'muesli' would be to cease tempting them into the garden by putting food out in the first place. |
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#23
10-03-2008, 09:37 AM
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Squirrel-proof bird feeders
In message , Eddy
writes Hi, Martin. We've had the same experience as you and been through a number of permutations before finding "the answer" . . . which is as follows. Buy one of those feeders which consists of a cylinder within a circular barred cage (the bars are far enough apart for the birds to get inside). Buy two metres of strong chain from a hardware store to suspend the feeder from the branch of a tree. If the feeder is at least 3' above the ground the birds will be safe from cats. I wouldn't like to bet on that. One local cat has had a try for ours at 5' off the ground - it looked a bit surprised as it landed in the edge of a thorny juniper bush afterwards so may not try it again. In four years of this arrangement we have never had a squirrel climb the tree, find the appropriate branch, dare to shimmy down the vertical chain, then endeavour to reach through the cage to get at the nuts. Once, however, we observed a very game squirrel leap from the trunk of the tree to the feeder, a distance of about four feet! When he hit the feeder he and it swung wildly for a minute or so, and then he tried to get at the nuts . . . but couldn't and so dropped the grass below and sloped off! The anti squirrel solution I found effective was to mount the bird feeder (steel mesh peanut type) on the top of an 8' 15mm copper pipe hammered into the ground (the thread underneath some bird feeders is the same as plumbers compression joints). Not even squirrels can climb up 6' of polished metal pipe. Has to be well clear of trees though. Minor weakness it that it doesn't really sway about enough so sparrows can learn to land and feed on it. The bonus is so can woodpeckers. Cheers, -- Martin Brown -- Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com |
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#24
10-03-2008, 11:31 AM
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Squirrel-proof bird feeders
BAC wrote:
An even simpler way of stopping squirrels helping themselves to 'muesli' would be to cease tempting them into the garden by putting food out in the first place. But the poor little birdies need it badly at this time of year, BAC, don't they? However, once the cold season is out of the way and there is no food aplenty in the countryside around here we stop the peanuts, fatballs, and seeds. Eddy. |
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#25
10-03-2008, 01:37 PM
posted to uk.rec.gardening
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Squirrel-proof bird feeders
"Eddy" wrote in message ... BAC wrote: An even simpler way of stopping squirrels helping themselves to 'muesli' would be to cease tempting them into the garden by putting food out in the first place. But the poor little birdies need it badly at this time of year, BAC, don't they? I suspect a lot of people who put out bird food do so primarily because they enjoy watching the birds which it attracts into their gardens. Trouble is, the poor little squirrels, rats, mice, etc., are just as hungry as the poor little birdies, so it's hardly surprising when they, too, turn up for the hand-outs. The furry scavengers aren't in a position to know the food has been 'reserved' for their feathered counterparts. However, once the cold season is out of the way and there is no food aplenty in the countryside around here we stop the peanuts, fatballs, and seeds. Well done. |
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#26
10-03-2008, 05:32 PM
posted to uk.rec.gardening
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Squirrel-proof bird feeders
On 10/3/08 11:31, in article , "Eddy"
wrote: BAC wrote: An even simpler way of stopping squirrels helping themselves to 'muesli' would be to cease tempting them into the garden by putting food out in the first place. But the poor little birdies need it badly at this time of year, BAC, don't they? However, once the cold season is out of the way and there is no food aplenty in the countryside around here we stop the peanuts, fatballs, and seeds. Eddy. The RSPB recommend you feed all the year round. The birds will take what they want but they'll 'remember' your garden and continue to visit it. During the summer, feeding them encourages them in to eat the nasties you don't want. Put a bird feeder near something with e.g. Green or blackfly and the birds will find the insects as well as the seeds. We never stop feeding the birds and they work with the biological controls in keeping down unwanted predators in the greenhouses all year round. -- Sacha http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk South Devon 'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.' |
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#27
10-03-2008, 06:01 PM
posted to uk.rec.gardening
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Squirrel-proof bird feeders
On Mar 10, 5:32 pm, Sacha wrote:
On 10/3/08 11:31, in article , "Eddy" wrote: BAC wrote: An even simpler way of stopping squirrels helping themselves to 'muesli' would be to cease tempting them into the garden by putting food out in the first place. But the poor little birdies need it badly at this time of year, BAC, don't they? However, once the cold season is out of the way and there is no food aplenty in the countryside around here we stop the peanuts, fatballs, and seeds. Eddy. The RSPB recommend you feed all the year round. The birds will take what they want but they'll 'remember' your garden and continue to visit it. During the summer, feeding them encourages them in to eat the nasties you don't want. Put a bird feeder near something with e.g. Green or blackfly and the birds will find the insects as well as the seeds. We never stop feeding the birds and they work with the biological controls in keeping down unwanted predators in the greenhouses all year round. -- Sachahttp://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk South Devon 'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.' That's a good tip and one I shall use Sacha, how are you faring in the storms? We are being buffeted at the moment, it's not nice. Judith |
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#28
10-03-2008, 06:19 PM
posted to uk.rec.gardening
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Squirrel-proof bird feeders
On 10/3/08 18:01, in article
, "Judith in France" wrote: On Mar 10, 5:32 pm, Sacha wrote: On 10/3/08 11:31, in article , "Eddy" wrote: BAC wrote: An even simpler way of stopping squirrels helping themselves to 'muesli' would be to cease tempting them into the garden by putting food out in the first place. But the poor little birdies need it badly at this time of year, BAC, don't they? However, once the cold season is out of the way and there is no food aplenty in the countryside around here we stop the peanuts, fatballs, and seeds. Eddy. The RSPB recommend you feed all the year round. The birds will take what they want but they'll 'remember' your garden and continue to visit it. During the summer, feeding them encourages them in to eat the nasties you don't want. Put a bird feeder near something with e.g. Green or blackfly and the birds will find the insects as well as the seeds. We never stop feeding the birds and they work with the biological controls in keeping down unwanted predators in the greenhouses all year round. -- Sachahttp://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk South Devon 'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.' That's a good tip and one I shall use Sacha, how are you faring in the storms? We are being buffeted at the moment, it's not nice. Judith It's very nasty and it's getting worse but we're nowhere near as bad as people near the sea. High tides and high winds are a bad combination. I've been going round securing windows and stuffing towels around the sills of the ones that are in the path of the storm! I'm also drawing all the curtains to give an illusion of calm and cosiness and Ray has a log fire roaring up the chimney - these are all compensations for a truly vicious day. The beginnings of this storm woke me at 4am today and it's ebbed and flowed all day - we even had a brief glimmer of sunshine from time to time. But overall, I must say it's a real brute! -- Sacha http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk South Devon 'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.' |
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#29
10-03-2008, 06:58 PM
posted to uk.rec.gardening
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Squirrel-proof bird feeders
On Mar 10, 6:19 pm, Sacha wrote:
On 10/3/08 18:01, in article , "Judith in France" wrote: On Mar 10, 5:32 pm, Sacha wrote: On 10/3/08 11:31, in article , "Eddy" wrote: BAC wrote: An even simpler way of stopping squirrels helping themselves to 'muesli' would be to cease tempting them into the garden by putting food out in the first place. But the poor little birdies need it badly at this time of year, BAC, don't they? However, once the cold season is out of the way and there is no food aplenty in the countryside around here we stop the peanuts, fatballs, and seeds. Eddy. The RSPB recommend you feed all the year round. The birds will take what they want but they'll 'remember' your garden and continue to visit it. During the summer, feeding them encourages them in to eat the nasties you don't want. Put a bird feeder near something with e.g. Green or blackfly and the birds will find the insects as well as the seeds. We never stop feeding the birds and they work with the biological controls in keeping down unwanted predators in the greenhouses all year round. -- Sachahttp://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk South Devon 'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.' That's a good tip and one I shall use Sacha, how are you faring in the storms? We are being buffeted at the moment, it's not nice. Judith It's very nasty and it's getting worse but we're nowhere near as bad as people near the sea. High tides and high winds are a bad combination. I've been going round securing windows and stuffing towels around the sills of the ones that are in the path of the storm! I'm also drawing all the curtains to give an illusion of calm and cosiness and Ray has a log fire roaring up the chimney - these are all compensations for a truly vicious day. The beginnings of this storm woke me at 4am today and it's ebbed and flowed all day - we even had a brief glimmer of sunshine from time to time. But overall, I must say it's a real brute! -- Sachahttp://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk South Devon 'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.' At least you are all safe and hopefully the greenhouses are still intact. You paint a picture of a comfortable, warm home. BTW You sent me your new email addy some time ago, I lost it!!!! Judith |
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#30
10-03-2008, 09:15 PM
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Squirrel-proof bird feeders
BAC wrote:
However, once the cold season is out of the way and there is no food aplenty in the countryside around here we stop the peanuts, fatballs, and seeds. Well done. Thanks. I have to admit though, that the expense of bird food is part of the reason for stopping the feeding once ice & cold are gone. To give you an example of what it is like round here, in this part of Shropshire where there are lots of woods: I put out three fat balls last night and this evening they have been completely consumed. I put them inside a seed-feeder too, so none breaks off and falls to the ground, i.e. I make them work for it! But in 3 in 24 hours! As for the seed-feeder, it's a tall one, and it is emptied within 12 hours! I do charity, but not excessively! :-) Eddy. |
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