MY ON-GOING SQUIRREL WARS!!

 WHEN I TOOK THIS PICTURE TODAY I DIDN'T NOTICE THE DARK-EYED JUNCO ON THE LEFT UNTIL I EDITED THE PHOTO LATER...AND THAT'S A MALE CARDINAL ON THE RIGHT

For the second morning in a row, it was a short Jeep ride into Bayfield and back.  A walk around the cemetery roads and we were soon home again.  At least it wasn't windy today for a change and that was a plus.

 ALL BUNDLED UP AN AN EARLY DECEMBER WALK ON BAYFIELD'S SOUTH PIER

 NOT A STITCH OF SNOW ON THE GROUND

 DID YOU SEE THE LITTLE MONKEY FACE?

After quite a few months with no Squirrel problems at the birdfeeders, the long truce has come to an abrupt end and the pesky Squirrel wars are back on again.  I have counted as many as six black squirrels in our front yard at one time last week and there are two main factors why they are there.  Me and the weather.  I like to help the little guys through the cold snowy months so I put corn and some birdseed out for them on the ground.  Of course with all the new technologies out nowadays, squirrels are able to readily communicate with each other faster and word soon spreads about all the free corn treats at Al's place.  That is all okay with me if they would just stick to the corn and birdseed on the ground and not clamber up on the birdfeeders.  This situation of course is a good example of a love/hate relationship.  I love to help the little black furry critters out and watch them playfully chase each other around all over the place.  However, I hate the little buggers when they inconsiderately go to absolutely great lengths to get onto our two birdfeeders and vacuum all the seeds up.  When the weather brought colder air and snow a couple weeks ago it also brought in the first signs of the coming battle.  The Squirrels, sensing winter approaching attacked first with an all-out assault on the feeders.  Our standing bird station had not had a squirrel on it in about a year and a half after I had finally built myself a formidable squirrel-proof fortress.  Well, that is until last week when I saw a big fat squirrel sitting right on top of the bird station gluttony helping himself to massive amounts of birdseed.  Other than an overhead para-drop from a C130 Hercules aircraft I could not figure out how he/she got onto the feeder.  So, after chasing him (I think Hims cause more trouble than Hers) off the feeder and with diligence on my part watching closely from the sunroom window, I waited for him to make his next move and show me how he did it.  And I didn't have to wait long.  Years ago we had planted a small pine tree about ten feet from where the feeder now sits.  Well, that pine tree did what pine trees do.  It grew.  And not only did it grow tall but if offered the perfect springboard for....well you know who.  Squirrely would go flying part way up the twelve-foot tree, zip out one of the branches, and absolutely fling himself through the air to land on top of the bird station.  Aha I thought, I'll fix that guy so out I go with my clippers and trimmed those branches way back.  Problem solved.  Well until the next day when I watch Squirrly go flying up the tree and past the trimmed branches right to the top.  As his weight bends the top of the tree in the direction of the bird station, (of course) Squirrly, in one smooth fluid motion absolutely rockets himself through the air like a Space-X mission and does a four-point landing on the feeder.  I go roaring out of the house with arms flinging and off the feeder he goes.  Less than two minutes later I'm back to the tree with my saw in hand.  No, I didn't cut the whole tree down but I loped the top half off.  I did apologize to the tree of course and I'm hoping it will continue to grow as a fine pine shrub now.  That was Friday and to date, there have been no flying black furry vacuum cleaners on the bird station.  Of course, it's only a matter of time until they figure something else out!!

FOUR OUT OF FIVE SQUIRRELS ARE VISIBLE HERE

 THESE ARE THE CRITTERS I AM DEALING WITH

THIS IS THE PINE TREE I CUT

 THE SQUIRREL WAS JUMPING FROM THAT LIGHTER COLORED PINE RIGHT OF CENTER TO THE TOP OF THE FEEDER

 RASCALLY LITTLE DEVILS

If you remember from the last paragraph, I said we have two bird feeders and yes, the hanging bird feeder has been under heavy attack as well since the colder weather has arrived.  I had this feeder suspended about five feet from a branch on a thin rope outside right in front of our sunroom's computer desk.    Sitting at the computer I am eye to eye level with that feeder.  Makes it really nice for watching the birds up close.  So one day last week I glance up and there's a squirrel wrapped right around the feeder just gorging himself.  He had shinnied down that cord and despite a plastic garbage can lid I had fitted over the feeder to keep it dry from rain Squirrely managed to circumvent that and in the twinkling of an eye twist and contort himself into something that would make even a pretzel blush.  Okay, away I go out to the carport and come back with my twelve-foot step ladder.  Up I go, untie the cord, and lower the bird feeder to the ground.  Into my shed I went and scrounged around until I found a small roll of wire that was so thin I could hardly see it.  Up the ladder again I go and attach that wire to the branch and re-hung the feeder.  Problem solved, right?  Wrong!!  Wasn't long and I see Squirrly go racing past the window, up the tree, out along the branch, and then just like riding an escalator he very leisurely descends down the invisible thin wire to the feeder all the time looking at me with a big sneer on his face.  It was then I realized I had forgotten to put the garbage can lid back on so out I go in a big huff again and re-attach the lid, but not before I shortened the feeder's hanging attachment.  I'm hoping by having the feeder and lid closer together maybe Squirrely won't be able to twist himself all up and grab onto the feeder in the process of sliding off the garbage can lid like before.  So, that is where the situation stands right now at this moment.  December 5th, 2021 at 7:08 p.m.  There is no point in wishing me good luck with this squirrel problem because when it comes to bird feeders, squirrels, and humans all the luck involved is definitely on the squirrel's side:((

 LAST WEEK'S SHENANIGANS

MISSED IT:))

NAILED IT:((

I SHOULDN'T GET MAD AT THESE LITTLE GUYS BUT I DO

TODAY'S SHENANIGANS COMING DOWN THE INVISIBLE WIRE

 SO THIS IS WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY AT

At the time of posting this tonight, it is snowing so I expect we will wake up to a white landscape in the morning.  'Oh-Oh' the wind has picked up and we just got a freezing rain warning:((

 WHO, ME??

GROANER'S CORNER:((  A police officer pulls over this guy who's been weaving in and out of the lanes. He goes up to the guy's window and says, "Sir, I need you to blow into this breathalyzer tube."  The man says, "Sorry, officer, I can't do that. I am an asthmatic. If I do that, I'll have a really bad asthma attack."  "Okay, fine. I need you to come down to the station to give a blood sample."  I can't do that either. I am a hemophiliac. If I do that, I'll bleed to death."  "Well, then, we need a urine sample."  "I'm sorry, officer, I can't do that either. I am also a diabetic. If I do that, I'll get really low blood sugar."  "All right, then I need you to come out here and walk this white line."  "I can't do that, officer."  "Why not?"  "Because I'm drunk."

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To maintain an open mind is extremely difficult but it is the only way to search for ultimate knowledge.

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