Outdoor Ontario
Birding Reports => Backyard Birding => Topic started by: Howieh on May 03, 2012, 10:22:40 PM
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Ok, I've decided to upgrade my archaic feeder setup in hopes of 1) attracting a bigger variety of birds and 2) providing MUCH less easy pickings for my local squirrels. I don't want to spend a fortune (I do, however, intend to buy the baffle that is not included) but I don't want to get something that my raccoons will find easy to raid. I was thinking of this:
http://cayneshousewares.com/product.php ... 813&page=1 (http://cayneshousewares.com/product.php?productid=9802&cat=813&page=1)
The salesman I spoke to seemed pretty honest; he said it's pretty squirrel proof with the baffle but the raccoons CAN push it over if it's not securely planted. Any other ideas and advice will be much appreciated.
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After 30 years of battling with squirrels I honestly think they will figure this one out. The question I have is how high is the food tray off the ground? It sounds like the post height when speared into the ground is 6-7 feet but it looks like the food tray is a couple feet below this. The only ones that have truly worked for me are the squirrel busters. But even these they torment. They are riddled with teeth marks and someone has pulled the bird perches off. The raccoons have on occasion managed to knock it off its line. I have a traditional feeder about 7 1/2 feet above the ground on a post with a stovepipe baffle about 2 feet long suspended on the post.This has worked for years and I would be happy to send pictures if you are interested in the setup. Goodluck!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWU0bfo-bSY (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWU0bfo-bSY)
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My battle with squirrels ended with this fine Canadian-made product:
http://www.forthebirdsnatureshop.ca/squ ... rd-feeder/ (http://www.forthebirdsnatureshop.ca/squirrel-proof-birdfeeders/squirrel-buster-classic-bird-feeder/)
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The two most important factors I've found are:
1) Location - something the squirrels can't leap to from trees, buildings, overhead wires or the ground.
2) Pole Mount with baffle - 6" metal dryer or heating duct is an ideal baffle, but there are more attractive options sold for the purpose.
If you can't get a leap-proof location, you will need a "squirrel proof" feeder design.
BB
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Pat ,
I purchased the squirrel proof feeder pictured . It worked fine with the black squirrels, not so with the lone red squirrel which wrapped itself around the lower perches and extended over to feed from a feeder port that had no weight on it . It also chewed the plastic port clean off leaving a gaping hole . After I removed the damaged feeder it then attacked the niger feeder and ruined 2 of the ports . The red also manages to work around a baffle above a suspended feeder - which I also slicked down with edible grease . The next try will be a glue board pasted around the edge of the baffle rim .
The stove pipe idea also sounds good to try, as does the weight sensitive bar type.
Perhaps feeding only during the winter months is best .
Jim
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Thanks for all the replies. I think I'll go with the pole and the baffle and if that fails miserably I'll just scrap the regular feeders altogether 'cause my hummers finally showed up today! :)
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I'd pretty well given up on replacing my feeder but we were at the Superstore (Dufferin & Steeles) last week and I noticed the Shepherd Hooks? (feeder poles to us birders!) on sale for next to nothing so I picked up an 84" single hook pole for three bucks and hung my el-cheapo gazebo feeder on it. Of course the chickadees were the first to come, followed closely by the squirrels which actually took a few minutes to realize they could climb the thing. A bit of vaseline solved that problem but big furry guy was so upset at being embarrassed by me that he actually took a flying leap at the hummingbird feeder - missed it, ha,ha!
By the end of the day I had a pair of house finches, several goldfinches, chipping sparrows, cardinals, a rb nuthatch and every house sparrow in the neighbourhood visiting the feeder and a pair of mourning doves and a few robins feeding on the ground, and they're EATING ME OUT OF HOUSE AND HOME!!! I fill it about half full and it takes the crowd, especially when the sparrows are around, about an hour to empty it! I guess most of you with feeder(s) are used to this kind of thing but the Love Goddess thinks I should give them 'smaller portions' - we'll see what happens when I run out of birdseed! :)