The Yard Showdown

Name: Baba Ghanoush

Alias: Noushy, Nukey, Baba

Age: 1 year old

Interests: Yard sprinting, Daisy, playing, snow, leaf jumping, snuggling, the outdoors

Hates: Fireworks, gunshots

Name: Daisy

Alias: Douzel, Daisy-mae, Daze

Age: 8 years old

Interests: Eating, chasing squirrels, eating, napping, eating, going to the office, eating, travel

Hates: Squirrels

Name: Yard Squirrel

Alias: Evil thing, Squirrel!, Devil

Age: Unknown

Interests: Bird feeders, tail-flicking, berries & seeds, taunting dogs

Hates: Dogs (or is it love?)

Date: Almost Everyday

Show: Dogs versus Squirrel(s)

Winner: Squirrel - Every.Single.Time.

Squirrel Poem

Scolding

Holding

Boldly raiding

Plotting

Waiting

Ambuscading

Highly climbing

And descending

Digging 

Hiding

And forgetting.

-Felice Holman

Suet Time

The backyard birds haven't been showing up recently so I decided to up the stakes and tack on a suet block.  It definitely worked because the birds came out in droves.  I spent almost a hour watching the Black-capped Chickadees, House Finches, and House Sparrows take turns on the cage feeder.

A pair of Downy Woodpeckers tackled the suet and even a Flicker came by for a visit.  Dark-eyed Juncos worked below on picking up the scraps.

The feeder birds gave us a good show and then the next day, it was time for the squirrels to give the suet a try.  I let them eat for 5 minutes before letting the dogs out to scare them off.  Suet isn't cheap and I don't mind the squirrels sharing but they can't eat all the goods.

I admire their ambition and ability to get the prize and they are pretty with their reddish faces and busy tails.  I am more acquainted with the small Grey Squirrels of the Southeast, so every time I see these large red squirrels, I take  a moment to admire them.  Even if I rather they leave my feeders alone!