The Battle for DixxeLand...May 15, 2007
Ive been so busy with helping Mom around the yard, working at W-M, and being the General of a War. All that added up makes for a time consuming day! Ok, I know you are asking...now what the heck is she talking about...Dixxe is just a wee bit short of a full deck...LoL.
IM talking about THIS ...
Squirrel Proof Feeder?
And This:
Well so far we have taken 6 POW's and they have been released harmlessly to a place far away in another corner of the Big Woods. Recall the cage I had? Well I took that one back and got a larger one.... we set it, baited it with their favorite Black Sunflower Seed and we waited...
the bait
GOT ONE
The first battle we caught one of the enemy off guard in the middle of a downpour so he got to spend the night on our porch while he waited for the Re-location Team to do their job!
the little Merc doing a great job
mom showing her release skills
They came out very early even on MOTHERS day and did the deed of driving said varmint to places far far away. He was a happy camper!
Then came number 2 then 3, 4, 5, and this morning #6! The trap is ready to catch #7 as I type.
General FurrBall is busy trying to fight back but so far its
Dixxeland-6 General Furr Ball- O
We are showing these guys who the boss is~ for a change- maybe?
We may win the battle but we are definately losing the war!!
We have taken it long enough...OH I just heard the Slamming trap door on #7 , and I think I hear Mom laughing GOT ANOTHER ONE....gotta run!
(that summer we relocated 27 fuzz balls before they started the "nest building season", we never relocate a nursing female....each year we move at least 10 of them to an area near water-we make sure they are going to a better place with lots of trees, and untouched land.... and we get some relief and our birds get to eat the seed for a change)
While I know that squirrels are actually rodents, we miss the little guys. Before we went on vacation this summer, we had (for many years) dozens and dozens who visited our feeder in the back yard. They were accompanied by several dozen blue jays. However, this past summer, over 90% of the squirrel and blue jay population in our area of the mountains was decimated by the West Nile Virus - carried by mosquitos up from the valley. We have seen zero squirrels in our back yard, and when I actually saw one cross the road at the lower end of town, I rejoiced that there were any left. We no longer hear their chittering, and no longer hear the squawking of the blue jays. We have several large oak trees on our property, and this year we noticed for the first time that since there are no squirrels, all the acorns have fallen to the ground and on our house and cars. There's a carpet of acorns - something I've never ever seen before. I don't know if the squirrel and jay populations will regrow themselves - I hope so - since they've been such an integral part of the living-in-the-mountains experience.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Dixxe. Had me chuckling here. Just love that pose at the end. Looks like he's ready for anything lol
ReplyDeleteMany the war is fought against these little ones. I however, have raised 3 young ones and find them to be friendly, bright non-agressive creatures. I'm always sad/glad to see them transition into the wild world.
ReplyDeleteCute post. Loved the last picture. Such devils they are.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you are winning the war! My squirrel proof feeders are working ...for now.
ReplyDeleteLove this funny and educational post!
What a great entry. Yes, I enjoyed it too. War, indeed. No squirrels here, but we have possums and skunks. :)
ReplyDeleteCindy...I sure hope your population does increase, here we still have many, more and more every yr but our Jays are less for sure.
ReplyDeleteGranny, one yr a nest fell to the ground during a storm had 3 young ones in it! We put the nest up on a limb out of reach of the dogs and Mommy squirrel came and rescued her babes to a new nest!
YES Maggie, we will never win the war, they are always outsmarting us!! I think you can keep the skunks Ill keep fighting the great squirrel war--
What a riot! They really kept you busy!
ReplyDeletelol, I'm surprised they haven't shown up again. I usually only have a couple around and enjoy them very much. Great pictures.
ReplyDeleteOld Crow--we have hundreds of them...I can normally count 15 in the back yard and 10 in the front---We dont keep feeders in the front, and We have learned they have a territory staked out and they defend it from each other!
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