Marge's Real Estate Blog: The Draper Report

It's for the birds, not the squirrels!  Setting this bird feeder up several years ago started a running battle with the squirrels that inhabit the trees surrounding our property in the Menlo Oaks area of Menlo Park.  They hung from the tree branches, so I moved the post and trimmed the offending branches.  For a while that seemed to solve the problem.  Then the squirrels started shinnying up the metal pole.  I was amazed!  So off to Birders Garden in San Carlos for a solution.  I found the funnel-shaped thing for the pole.

The squirrels were relentless!  

Even the funnel-shaped thing didn't stop them.  One morning I looked out the window at the feeder hoping to watch some of the finches and other birds enjoying the seeds.  What I saw instead was a squirrel pushing the funnel thing up the pole and stretching until it looked like he was hanging on by his toes in order to reach the feeder to shake it until the seeds hit the dirt!  Think Elmer Fudd when he saw the 'wascally wabbit' in his carrot patch!  I think there was smoke pouring from my ears.

I went to the pantry.  Instead of getting a double-barrel shotgun, I got the jar of petroleum jelly I had purchased for this very problem.  I applied a liberal amount to the pole.  Several days later I was able to witness a very gratifying sight.  A squirrel shinnying up the pole and then slooowwlly sliding down the pole.  He/she had to try it several more times until he realized he was beaten.  I haven't reapplied the jelly for about a year.  I think the information is being passed down the generations.

So now there are many birds at the feeder and the squirrels are making do with whatever falls to the ground.  The feeder is truly for the birds and not the squirrels!  

For real estate information that's not for the birds or squirrels, visit www.MargeDraper.com.