For the Birds

Ever since I installed an expensive squirrel proof bird feeder we’ve been treated to a steady stream of all kinds of birds. It seems they are all pushing and shoving and arguing about who’s turn it is to sit on the metal perches and thus have access to the tasty, coveted black oilseeds in the feeder.Earlier this spring, before the frost had come out of the ground, a curmudgeonly black bear decided to put a stop to our bird show.

I imagine after the bear woke up and when it discovered there wasn’t any tasty willow shoots because of the late spring it decided black oilseed would be an ok substitute. But, frustrated to the max because the squirrel proof bird feeder was making it difficult to get at the seeds the bear just took its paw and smashed it too the ground. The top fell off the feeder and out spilled the seeds.

I managed to resurrect the feeder by taping up the holes in the plastic with red tuck tape, bend the aluminum pole back up and precariously attach the feeder back onto it.

Three days later, enraged no doubt by my determination it came back and resmashed it to the ground. This time there was no resurrecting it.

After thinking about what to do, because I’m unwilling to give up on having a bird feeder, I bought a metal rod, the sort used to fetchingly display pots in the kitchen, at a garage sale, cost $1.50. At home I attached it to the top of the shed wall, high above my head and I hoped out of reach of the black bear. I used yet more tuck tape to patch up the new holes in the plastic. I ingeniously tied some string onto the feeder in such away so that I could hang it from the metal rod.

So far It is working. The bear hasn’t discovered it. The squirrels can’t reach it and the birds still love it.