I see this a lot:
And this:
But the latest batch of squirrels refuses to take “no” for answer. A couple of them have figured out that they don’t have to worry about baffles. They can launch themselves from the ground and grab the bottom of a hanging feeder and then shimmy up to the larger food stash in the hopper feeder. I’ve raised the pole several times but it doesn’t matter.
The squirrels have obviously hired a personal trainer because they just keep jumping higher and higher. Meanwhile I now a need a ladder to refill the feeder. Charming.
Meanwhile a second gang has started jumping from the roof onto the hopper feeder. I knew it would be a problem when I set up that feeding station in the fall, but I really wanted the feeders positioned where I would have the best view for photo ops and bird counts.
My husband even devised a chicken wire border on the roof to deter the squirrels. It slowed them down for awhile, but most of them have figured out a way around it. We’re back to square one.
There is an upside, however. The roof jumpers only hit the feeder about once in every four attempts. That means I regularly have large rodents flying past the window as they crash to the ground.
I’m enjoying it more than I probably should.