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Well not really freeloaders. They do give me a lot of enjoyment in return for some seed and nuts. I live in a neighborhood but get out into the country as often as I can so I try to keep nature close to home. I’ve always enjoyed birds and have many feeders and nest boxes in the backyard. Many folks curse the squirrels and waged a constant battle to keep them out of their feeders. I’ve made peace with the tree rats and have gained their trust. Here’s some pics of visitors I have.
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Uncle Trav- Southwest Michigan -
One of my grandfathers fed a Srub Jay named Jake peanuts for over twenty years. Jake was a punctual bird and always showed up for tea time. If my grandparents were not on time, Jake would tap on their window with his beak. I don't want to hijack your thread, but I could post a picture if you don't mind?South Carolina -
Very cool. My wife and I do the same. But never got birds to take from my hand. That is so cool. Many squirrels have over the years. We also visit a local seaside beach/ park, where I feed squirrels and great murders of crows. The big problem was the seagulls. Finally figured out to stash the peanuts in a shell in the crook of trees, in pockets/cups between branches. Squirrels and crows have no problem grabbing a peanut. Gulls have web feet and cannot land on tree branches. Haha. I outsmarted a seagull. Not easy, haha. They sit at the base of the trees, hoping a peanut will fall to the ground. So happy the day I figured out how to outsmart a seagull. I’m a genius, lololol. Don’t tell the gulls that. They always decorate my car in revenge...
Twice we saved squirrels from a rapidly descending red tail hawk. Just in the right place at right time. One squirrel was blind in one eye and the hawk was approaching his blind side. Another was being lifted off ground just as we scared hawk and made him release squirrel.
For a long time, I hand fed whole walnut pieces to a squirrel with a dislocated lower jaw. The disability meant she could not crack nuts. I would hold two whole half’s and let her take her time getting them in her mouth. She always insisted on two whole half’s, not just one. Would sit there looking at me if I only gave her one, until I gave her the second. Loved that squirrel. She ate by pointing her head straight up, gum chewing the pieces, and letting gravity dropped them down her throat. In this way, she survived. Other squirrels and birds would attack her, knowing she had a disability. But I kept her alive. The day came, as it always does, when she did not show up at the door.
The day also came when my wife’s favorite, “the little girl”, or, also known as “One Ear”, as something had bitten one of her ears off at some point, failed to show up. She and the squirrel with dislocated jaw often visited at the same time. Here’s old One Ear eating a walnut.Last edited by CMD; 03-21-2021, 09:41 AM.Rhode IslandComment
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Uncle Trav- Southwest MichiganComment
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Jake coming in for a landing.
South CarolinaComment
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Jake had a mate named Julia. During mating season Jake would feed Julia, but the rest of the year Jake would chase her away until he had his fill of peanuts. Jake had a nest on the other side of the road. One time his wing got injured, but he still managed to hop over for tea time. He would climb up the telephone pole, hop across the wire and back down the pole on my grandparents side of the street. Jake's wing eventually did heal up, but unfortunately one day he didn't show back up for tea.
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Wow, Trav. Add to list of reasons why thot you good MOTM: lil’ wildlife recognize your goodness, and drawn to you just like beloved Disney animated film star, Snow White! I know you dance around/with them coz can hear the music!Last edited by Cecilia; 03-21-2021, 01:40 PM.Digging in GA, ‘bout a mile from the Savannah RiverComment
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Ancient,?..Last edited by Hal Gorges; 03-21-2021, 10:30 AM. -
My mom keeping church nursery one night Amarillo, Tx, I was “helping” her, but really watching Snow White on local drive-in big screen could see from nursery window🎟! Ok, maybe I’m not so ancient, but you older, so might be...
Later Post Script: I relented and deleted, Hal. You right, as usual; nobody’s ancient, not me, not you, not Snow White, nor even Scorcerer who had Apprentice always in trouble. (I heard instead of growing old, Scorcerer joined AH, and is still teaching now-more-compliant Apprentice thru Forum.)Last edited by Cecilia; 03-21-2021, 01:52 PM.
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Big part of our lives also, can’t imagine life without em....Arrowhead hunting and critters go together like peanut butter an jelly....good for you, now train em to spot points and alert.LolFloridaboy.Comment
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This is a welcomed thread. Where to start with animals over the yrs. Raccoons(only able to hand fd many), opossums, actually raised two from babies(not same time), eyes still closed, both possums came and went. One lived in garage the other made a nest under a bed. I'd have to sleep in extra bedroom when she would come home. Stay for a few days and leave for a week or two. When she wanted to leave she would climb up on bed and nudge at my neck till I woke. She would crawl down the bed and go to the door. I'd open it and she took same path thru house to garage door and off she went. We would have to hold her over the sink every time she came open to get a bath. I'd have to put on my coveralls, hold her by her tail and Tammy would lather her up. I put down linoleum in the closet with cedar shavings and she never made a mess anywhere other than in closet.
Now a days im only feeding a squirrel we named 15. He will sit on my lap and eat black oiled sunflower seeds only. He enjoys being petted. I have never held him. There are times we don't see him for two months. I check every day multiple times to c if he is on back porch. I havent fed him since the 11th of this month.
Thanks for reading and starting this thread I have enjoyed it. Couldn't get a short video to load with 15.
I have to start getting ready for the hummingbirds, we have a lot of them visit. Usually arriving on the 17th of April, last yr was the latest and it was the 22nd. I put out one feeder out on first of April change every 3 days till one shows up then constant work for nearly 6 months.MissouriComment
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Way cool Trav.Searching the fields of NW Indiana and SW MichiganComment
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Nice to hear from other folks enjoying the simple pleasures of some backyard nature.
I need to clean out my wren nesting boxes and great ready for the new occupants. I don’t usually put out my hummer and oriole feeders until the fifteenth of this month here in SW Michigan.
I have a decent size flower garden with lots of annuals and native perennials that I maintain in the yard every year. Everything in the garden is for hummingbirds and pollinators and my wife and I enjoy the visitors all season. It’s a lot of work for a small yard but the payback in enjoyment is ten fold and you can’t beat that.
here’s a few pics of the butterflies.
👍😃Uncle Trav- Southwest MichiganComment
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15 came back this morning. I didn't feel like sitting or standing out there this morning. So let him feed without meAttached FilesMissouriComment
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For all the folks in the northern climes waiting for the ruby-throated hummingbirds they are on their way! Just checked the migration maps and they being sighted just south of Nashville TN. as of today. Always a welcomed visitor in the spring.Uncle Trav- Southwest MichiganComment
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I use to look at that then notice they would be pass me for days and I still wouldn't c them. Not a big deal. Still interesting to look at. I always start clearing a spot in the kitchen to house the feeders etc... at the begging of April. It hasn't been like this for a few yrs, but Tammy and I would leave on a Thursday to hang with Kim and David Allan Coe for concerts on Thursday thru Sunday we put a lot of miles on the bike. I would fill up 12 feeders of fresh sugar water and these are the big feeders (most of them)and they would be drained come sunday. People who worked on house or visited would be amazed at the amount of birds. My neighbors about 250 yards away(I know cause I can hit a golf ball and hit there barn) only have 2 or 3 visit there porch. I started feeding them in 1995 or 96. I have yet to c anything other then a ruby throated and havent seen one that has been banded either. -
“If that ain’t country.....” man that many feeders has got to be a lot of work! I have 3 and that many keep me busy along with all the regular feeders.
PS I do like me some brother Coe. 👍
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One of my more interesting encounters with an opossum was also, very clearly, one of my dumbest encounters with any critter. Sitting on a large granite ledge, overlooking the Atlantic. My legs are stretched out straight in front of me, and I’m resting my back against a part of the ledge. To my right I see an opossum heading my way, with a whole bunch of babies clinging to her back. Cool! I decide to keep perfectly still. I am upwind to the critter, so she likely cannot sniff my presence, and they have poor eyesight. Then, especially since her babies were all over her back, I did something really nuts. I allowed the opossum to walk right up on my lap. She stops in her tracks, raises her head, and begins to sniff the air all around. A few seconds later, she walks down off my lap, and continues in the direction she was headed. And I was able to go home with my face intact. Yes, I know they will not likely attack humans. But with her babies in tow, I think I was very lucky things did not turn out in a way that sent me to an ER.Rhode IslandComment
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Great experience. I've only seen a momma and babies like that once or twice. Last yr I think it was I had to wait for momma and babies to cross rd and continue on her way.
I've taken a few hurt opossums to rehab facilities and after they got better brought them back to my area and dropped them off. I took one in and when they called and said I could come get her/him they actually let me take a couple home to let loose on property. One ended up staying in garage for a while. I didn't feed or bother it, but that was a lot of work to avoid it. Having to leave garage door cracked at all times. Had to move bird seed and other stuff into house. I don't recommend it unless you want to go out of your way to be a tolerant neighbor
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A few years back I finally made a Squirrel proof feeder. They still feed on the ground under it. I felt I did them an injustice so now I just spread bird food around on the ground for them and the birds that don't go to the feeder. So after defeating them I still feed them anyway, go figure. Last fall they took every pear from my pear tree. Over 100 pears. Now I have to build a squirrel proof pear tree! Kim
Knowledge is about how and where to find more Knowledge. Snyder County Pa.Comment
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The things we do, good stuff. When we first bought our house we use to get so many mice. I would wake up to a cat chasing it around the house. I started live trapping them. I would then dump on the other side of the rd. Started thinking I was catching the same mice. I put nail polish on their tails and I was recatching them. So I decided 2 c how far I'd have to go to drop them off. 1/4 of a mile id have to go and they wouldn't make it back. The funny part is I caught one didn't feel like getting in car so I put it in a Rubbermaid container and even told Tammy it's a biggie. The next morning there was a total of 4 mice in container. I raised them till they were big enough 2 b on their own and let all 4 go.
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15 comes and ate yesterday. I brought out the rocking chair and he ate for a while on my lap
Picture shows our first bird to the hummingbird feeder this year not a ruby throated, but a downey.Attached FilesMissouriComment
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