Squirrel Free Birding

Squirrel Free Birding http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com Feeder reviews and tips on keeping squirrels out of your bird feeders. Fri, 07 Nov 2008 20:03:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 en Twirl-a-Squirrel Baffle http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-baffles/twirl-a-squirrel-baffle.html http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-baffles/twirl-a-squirrel-baffle.html#comments Tue, 17 Jun 2008 20:03:42 +0000 susb8383 http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/?p=93

Another version of the dome squirrel baffle is the Twirl-a-Squirrel. This dome squirrel baffle is also similar to a squirrel-proof bird feeder in that it has a battery-operated mechanism; when the squirrel puts his weight on the baffle, it spins, dumping the squirrel off.

I’m not usually a big fan of anything battery-operated. It’s a fun novelty at first, but over time the batteries wear down and have to be recharged or replaced. And some batteries do not work well in cold weather.

But this would make an entertaining show, and one good thing about it is it works with any squirrel feeder. So it’s the same as buying an expensive Droll Yankee Flipper, but for cheap.

Here’s where you can get it online: Duncraft ]]> http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-baffles/twirl-a-squirrel-baffle.html/feed Dome Squirrel Baffle http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-baffles/dome-squirrel-baffle.html http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-baffles/dome-squirrel-baffle.html#comments Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:56:36 +0000 susb8383 http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/?p=92

I have not personally used the dome squirrel baffle because none of our bird feeders are hanging feeders, but I have heard that if the diameter isn’t big enough, a very acrobatic squirrel will be able to get around it.

The Bird Shed makes a fairly big dome squirrel baffle (19″ diameter) which can be either hung or pole-mounted. ]]> http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-baffles/dome-squirrel-baffle.html/feed Squirrel-Proofing with a Stove Pipe Part II http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proofing-tips/squirrel-proofing-with-a-stove-pipe-part-ii.html http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proofing-tips/squirrel-proofing-with-a-stove-pipe-part-ii.html#comments Fri, 08 Feb 2008 03:36:28 +0000 susb8383 http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proofing-tips/squirrel-proofing-with-a-stove-pipe-part-ii.html If you don’t want to get as fancy as hanging it on a pole, you could just put your pole through it and let the stove pipe rest on the ground.

The squirrels will eventually figure out that they can get inside it and crawl up the pole. To prevent this, make sure the bottom of the stove pipe is covered with snow in the winter, or dirt/gravel in the summer. ]]> http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proofing-tips/squirrel-proofing-with-a-stove-pipe-part-ii.html/feed Suet Select http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/suet-select.html http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/suet-select.html#comments Wed, 06 Feb 2008 04:05:25 +0000 susb8383 http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/suet-select.html Suet Select Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder

Another variation of the cage squirrel-proof bird feeder is the Suet Select. It uses the same general principle as the other cage bird feeders; put the bird food in the center of the feeder and surround it with a metal cage. Make sure the food is far enough away so that the squirrels can’t reach through to it.

The Suet Select is one of these, but what’s unique about it, as the name implies, is that it is a suet feeder. The cakes of suet appeal to many variations of birds including woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees.

Unlike many smaller suet feeders, this one holds two cakes.

I like this type of squirrel-proof bird feeder (cage feeder) because there are no moving parts, no motorized mechanisms to fail or batteries to charge. It keeps squirrels out of your bird feeders simply by placing the food out of reach.

Here’s where you can find it online: The Bird Shed

Incidentally, here’s a great recipe for vegetarian suet. ]]> http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/suet-select.html/feed Vegetarian Bird Suet Recipe http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proofing-tips/vegetarian-bird-suet-recipe.html http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proofing-tips/vegetarian-bird-suet-recipe.html#comments Thu, 31 Jan 2008 02:39:48 +0000 susb8383 http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proofing-tips/vegetarian-bird-suet-recipe.html
The suet cakes you purchase in the supermarket are made with animal fat as a base. If you’re a vegetarian like me, you may have looked for vegetarian suet, only to be disappointed.

Well, fortunately making your own bird suet is extremely easy and quick. The birds really seem to go for this recipe.

I usually make a half-recipe.

1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup shortening
2 cups quick cook oats
2 cups cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar

1. Melt the peanut butter and shortening over low heat (they melt very quickly).

2. Add remaining ingredients (I do this while still on the heat)

3.Spoon into molds (I saved the square plastic molds that the store-bought suet comes in, but you can be creative with just about anything. A half-recipe makes enough to fill two molds from store-bought suet.)

4. You can either let it cook at room temperature or put them in the refrigerator. ]]> http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proofing-tips/vegetarian-bird-suet-recipe.html/feed Squirrel Be Gone II http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/squirrel-be-gone-ii.html http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/squirrel-be-gone-ii.html#comments Tue, 22 Jan 2008 02:52:09 +0000 susb8383 http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/squirrel-be-gone-ii.html Squirrel-Be-Gone II Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder

Squirrel-Be-Gone II Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder

You’ll find a review of the Squirrel Be Gone squirrel-proof bird feeder on this website, which wasn’t very favorable. However, the Squirrel Be Gone II is nothing like it.

This feeder looks very much like the Absolute squirrel-proof bird feeder. It too has a trap door that closes off access to the bird seed which is activated by the squirrels weight.

This bird feeder, however, is a little more stylish. It looks like a little house. It even has a chimney!

This feeder has a removable roof for easy cleaning, and has the capacity for a whopping 12 pounds of seeds, and can either be pole-mounted or hung.

The all-metal design means that it can’t be chewed through by frustrated squirrels. You can get it in either green with a copper roof or red with a steel roof (which resembles a classic red barn).

Here’s where you can find it online: Yardiac ]]> http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/squirrel-be-gone-ii.html/feed Fortress Triple Tube Feeder http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/fortress-triple-tube-feeder.html http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/fortress-triple-tube-feeder.html#comments Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:49:21 +0000 susb8383 http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/fortress-triple-tube-feeder.html

The Fortress Triple Tube squirrel-proof bird feeder looks mighty impressive to the eye. It is another variation of the tube feeder inside a metal cage. The difference between this and other feeders is that there are three tubes which make up the feeder. You can fill one it with three different kinds of seeds to attract different types of birds.

It is very similar to the Opus Top Flight feeder. However, they have made one improvement over the Top Flight feeder: the lid locks in place. This prevents the squirrel from removing the lid to get to the seed. (And speaking from experience, this is exactly what happens with bird feeder that don’t have locking lids).

All-in-all, it is a pretty good squirrel-proof bird feeder.

It does have this negative points, though.

Firstly, all tube feeders tend to have a problem with inclement weather. The seeds at the bottom of the tube tend to get wet from the moisture that gets in at the seed port. This causes the bottom layer of seeds to clump, preventing the dry seeds above them to fall down.

Secondly, this feeder has a seed dish under the tube to catch fallen seeds, the same as the Opus Top Flight. All the squirrel has to do is hang upsidedown on the cage and eat seeds out of the dish (which, believe me, he’ll do).

So, this type of feeder tends to not be 100% squirrel-proof. Still, the metal cage is chew-proof, and it does fairly well.

Here’s where you can find it online: Yardiac

If you are specifically looking for a triple-tube feeder, you might also want to consider the Opus Copper triple-tube bird feeder. It has the extra feature of a built-in squirrel baffle, so it is impossible for the squirrel to hang upside down to eat from the tray. ]]> http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/fortress-triple-tube-feeder.html/feed Tips on Pole-Mounted Bird Feeders http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proofing-tips/tips-on-pole-mounted-bird-feeders.html http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proofing-tips/tips-on-pole-mounted-bird-feeders.html#comments Sat, 22 Dec 2007 05:28:21 +0000 susb8383 http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proofing-tips/tips-on-pole-mounted-bird-feeders.html Absolute feeder. I’m referring to bird feeders that sit at the top of pole, not ones that hang from them. (If you have a hanging feeder on a pole, see Tips on Hanging Your Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder.)

Pole-mounted bird feeders tend to be more effective (and easier to install) than hanging bird feeders, such you still have to keep a couple of things in mind to make them effective at keeping squirrels out.

1. Many squirrel-proof bird feeders rely on a mechanism activated by the squirrel’s weight to shut off access to the bird seed. A squirrel may be smart enough to figure out that if he hangs from the top of the feeder and never actually puts his weight on the tripping mechamism, he may be well-rewarded. Therefore, make sure the shape and design of the feeder prevents this. Keep in mind that only a small percentage of squirrels will figure this out, but you may have the Einstein in your backyard.

2. Any feeder (not necessarily a squirrel-proof one) can become squirrel-proof by means of a pole baffle. We’ve had great success with an ordinary platform feeder and a cylindrical baffle. You can purchase them pretty inexpensively, but you can also make your own out of a stove pipe or flower pot. ]]> http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proofing-tips/tips-on-pole-mounted-bird-feeders.html/feed Squirrel-Proof your Bird Feeder Using a Flower Pot http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proofing-tips/squirrel-proof-your-bird-feeder-using-a-flower-pot.html http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proofing-tips/squirrel-proof-your-bird-feeder-using-a-flower-pot.html#comments Sat, 22 Dec 2007 05:27:00 +0000 susb8383 http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proofing-tips/squirrel-proof-your-bird-feeder-using-a-flower-pot.html These baffles are sold commercially and are pretty inexpensive. We have one and it works great! But it is also easy to make your own. A previous post talked about how to make one out of a stove pipe.

You can also make a similar squirrel baffle out of a plastic flower pot.

Here’s how:

1. Cut the lip off the flower pot so that it is smooth.

2. Make a hole in the bottom of the pot that is 1/4″ bigger than your pole.

3. If you have a wooden post or pole, hammer two or three nails into it on opposite side of the pole, leaving half of the nail exposed. If you have a metal pole, get three metal corner brackets at any hardware or home improvement store. Secure them to the pole with a hose clamp so that they form a little shelf. For either method, make sure you put these at least five feet from the bottom of your pole since squirrels can jump five feet straight up.

4. Invert the flower pot, thread the pole through it, and let it rest on the nails or the shelf made from corner brackets.

Since a picture is worth 1,000 words, check out this website. The author has photographs of each step. ]]> http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proofing-tips/squirrel-proof-your-bird-feeder-using-a-flower-pot.html/feed Mandarin Bird Feeder http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/mandarin-bird-feeder.html http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/mandarin-bird-feeder.html#comments Fri, 21 Dec 2007 04:07:50 +0000 susb8383 http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/mandarin-bird-feeder.html Mandarin Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder

Another squirrel-proof bird feeder that has a built-in baffle is called the Mandarin Bird Feeder because of its eastern look.

It has a lot of great features. The baffle, which resembles a little pagoda, is identical to that of the Sky Cafe. The pitch of the baffle is very steep, making it impossible for squirrels to get a grip.

The Mandarin Feeder has a couple of nice features that the Sky Cafe doesn’t.

1. The seed ports are designed to work on a “peck and pull” action. This means the birds must pull the seed out instead of rummaging through a pile, which results in a lot less wasted seed.

2. The feeder is available with a four-way divider, which means you can put four different types of seeds in it. (You pay extra for the divider).

3. There is no seed-catching tray at the bottom, which means seeds are less likely to get wet in a rainstorm.

One disadvantage it has over the Sky Cafe is that the size of the perches discourages larger birds. (The Sky Cafe’s seed tray has enough room for any size bird.)

And although the dome baffle is plastic, don’t fear the squirrels will chew through it because the Mandarin feeder comes with a lifetime warranty against squirrel damage!

Here’s where you can get it online: Yardiac ]]> http://www.squirrelfreebirding.com/squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/mandarin-bird-feeder.html/feed