Darwin May Have Jumped The Gun...

I can go along with the idea there are a few evolutionary similarities between humans and apes, but Darwin never saw MY squirrels before posing his theory! I believe these little yard "varmits" are some of the smartest rodents on earth.

I have always enjoyed feeding the birds (and now the squirrels, too) and watching them flitter about outside my window. I have some of the fattest fowl in town frequenting my yard. I also have some of the best fed squirrels this side of the Rockies!

Over the years, I have tried all of the "deterrents" designed to keep these little rats with tails out of my precious bird feed. I have used squirrel hoods, Alcatraz-like steel containers, giving the squirrels their own feed, and even high-off-the-ground shepherd's poles. Trust me when I say none of these devices work...these squirrels are just too darned smart.

I watched a determined varmint just yesterday shimmy up a 6 foot shepherd's pole and hang precariously with its back feet gripping the one inch diameter pole while its mouth was buried in the feeder. I think even the birds flapped their wings in applause to witness this feat. It was truly amazing.

Today I finally had to call a truce with my little fluffy-tailed foes. I have nothing else left to try in keeping them off the bird feeders and in the trees where they belong. I've given up...they are obviously much smarter than I. They also are far more determined than I am...the squirrels win. They will eat freely and as often as they like from the smorgasbord of bird seed. I'm too tired to keep up the fight.

I DO admire their ingenuity however, when it comes to food. They've got their creative eating down to a science...and come to think of it, so do I! Maybe that's why I'm so tolerant of their behavior. I obviously have more in common with squirrels than I do with apes...