Good Birds... Bad Squirrels

My daughter, Emily, has become a bird enthusiast. She checks out dozens of bird books from the library; researches about birds in the area; and learns how to build her own bird-friendly backyard. Currently we have five bird feeders and one homemade water feeder in the backyard. She checks the water and seed level every day after she comes home from school. (More about her 'job' in a future post.)

One particular bird feeder, the blue one she made and painted herself, was always empty of seeds everyday when she checks it. She was so excited to see the birds eating her seeds.

But one Saturday when we were at home we saw not a bird but a squirrel eating from her blue bird feeder. This squirrel climbs down the tree, hangs onto the feeder, tips it so the seeds all fall to the ground and then digs in the feeder to catch whatever remaining seeds are left in it. Then he jumps to the ground to eat all the seeds he had dropped. 

When we saw this, we yelled from the kitchen through the window to try to scare it away. It just stopped what it was doing and waited until we stopped yelling at it.

Then it started to continue his stealing of the bird seed!

 They are scavengers!! I am so not going to be sad when I see one flattened on the street when I drive by now.