Thieving Squirrels

I was hoping to enjoy a teeny bit of snow and bird watching early this morning, but it was too warm and snow rarely graces North Carolina with her presence, and the squirrels have stolen my bird feeder, again.  Yes, the little bastards literally stole it.  Chirp, chirp, chirp?  Nope.

The "burglary" happened a couple of months ago and I've been too cheap to spend money on another bird feeder because this latest theft is the second in what appears to be a desire for absolute neighborhood domination.  Poseidon found a feeder that is guaranteedto be "squirrel proof" but I'm skeptical.  I'm skeptical because it has a price tag of almost $90, but mostly because the manufacturers of this guaranteed squirrel proof bird feeder haven't met the sly kleptomaniacal rodents with fluffy tails bunking in my backyard.

I have blogged about these bugger squirrels in the past.  They don't give up, and I have to respect that, I truly do.  It may take them weeks or months to filch the bird feeder, but they will.  They will attack it, poke it, pull at it, and chew at it until it cracks open like a pinata full of sunflower goodies.  I've personally witnessed them involved in acrobatic feats that would stun the most avid viewer of the Animal Planet channel, just to break open that feeder.

I miss watching the cardinals, the blue birds, the finches, and even the woodpecker who used to pop in for a snack.  I miss them and their beauty and grace and the rave reviews they gave my seed in the "Uptown Birdy Times" but I'm not ready to spend $90 on another feeder (I also think I'm still too young to become a birdwatcher, but having lived in urburbia for many years, I forgot what they look like so they are a bit like a circus freak show to me...I can't help but watch).  Anyway, until such time I decide to shell out the bucks, I will have to enjoy squirrel watching instead of birdwatching and allow the score to stand for now:  squirrels - 2, birds - zip.

Damn, I wish it would snow...

--Fortuitous Observer