After a few days with little-to-no success with the crow-oriented Backyard Bag Feeder Project design with the crows, I figured I’d make new squirrels-only Feeder mat with peanuts instead of bread. I cut a new piece of foam, made a few hidden compartments (and a few somewhat obvious compartments), put a little bread in the side (you know, just in case a crow would decide to check things out) and filled all of the other compartments with peanuts. Since I’ve done this project time and time again with the squirrels, I really didn’t think I was going to have a problem getting them to come around…

Well, last year about this time, I had a similar project going for weeks until I got even one squirrel interested enough to come into the frame of the shot (I had the cameras set up as minimalistically as possible so the movement wouldn’t disturb them, so I couldn’t move the shot), let alone tear into the Feeder to get the nuts out. The main reason for the lack of squirrels last year was mainly the nest that was… let’s just say “taken down” (”torn down” would be more like it) by order of the local code enforcer. Yeah, that’s a wonderful thing to find out once you’ve finally saved up enough money to get a lens long enough to watch the squirrel’s nest, isn’t it…?

That was last year though -

this year, the yard is filled with squirrels’ nests, so that means it’s filled with squirrels! (I can’t help but think the November-December vertical feeder project helped with that a little :)), …sooo no problem getting squirrels to come this time! - Although it took a little longer for them to come around, they came, they sniffed and they ripped into the Feeder mat - the first one into the Feeder was interesting to watch, because it just stood there, kind of half-interested… and then it tore into it! And now that I have the mic feeding in from the outside (it’s actually sitting inside the mat!), I have awesome sounds of the squirrels near, on and ripping in to the bag!

 

 For Squirrel Eyes Only!, 3-12-07 [5:36m]: Play Now | Play in Popup