Living With Wild Life

Did you know these are territorial little bastards?



We've been seeing quite a few hummingbirds in the neighborhood, so I put up a feeder for them. It's like watching a WWI dogfight- one bird will fly in for a drink with another one in hot pursuit to chase it away. To the Victor goes the Nectar.

I have had another bird feeder out all summer, and like Bou, cannot keep the squirrels out of it. I have it hanging from a shepherd's crook, and damn if those little tree rats can't climb it. I have tried cayenne pepper in the seeds. I have tried PAM and Vaseline on the pole. Nothing works. Open for suggestions here!

It's not that I hate squirrels per se. But there is so damn much for them to eat OTHER than my bird seed, it pisses me off. And then there's the Iowans.

Do you people in Iowa not have squirrels? Saturday, Old Sarge and I were coming home on Rt. 2, which, if you have never had the pleasure, is like driving between a rock and a wet place. Sandstone cliffs on one side and the river on the other. So if some moron with Iowa plates STOPS, mind you not slows down or swerves, but frikkin' STOPS right in the middle of the highway to let a squirrel get across....in all the years I have known Old Sarge, I never knew an Air Force guy to know such colorful language! He had nowhere to go and almost rear-ended this idiot. Now who here thinks it's a great idea to jeopardize at least four humans for one squirrel?

Next time, Mr. Iowa Plates:

1) Just hit the damn thing- we have plenty OR

2) Stay home. You know what I.O.W.A. stands for, right?