Backyard Wisconsin Blizzard

[John Linck]

10 inches of snow yesterday with a 30 mph breeze. Hitch-itch is getting serious. Time to head SW.

Featuring a varmint proof feeder.

Video of birds and snow

[steve dunham]

We live in Northern Wisconsin . We got the strong winds ,zero snow and 11 below temps . We could use some snow because the ground moisture levels in our area our a little low . Planting season will soon be upon us.

[Tomodachi]

I am SW of you..... we got a foot!

[Laura June]

Here in Iowa we had about the same. It is beautiful, but can't wait for camping season.

[frank_a]

13" here today. Egg is snowed in!

Frank

[Cyndi B.]

It' hard to gauge snow in Eastern Montana. Especially when it already in the next state after almost reaching the ground.

[Captleemo]

I grew up about 20 miles south of Eau Claire and well remember 30 degrees below zero in the winter. Thats why I decided to move to the sunny climbs of the south.

[Pam Garlow]

Michigan got around 16".... and I can't wait until 'camping season' !!

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Pam Garlow

Michigan got around 16".... and I can't wait until 'camping season' !!

We have not any snow in 2 weeks so I have had nothing to shovel.
Your post makes me jealous of your good fortune

[Green Frog]

I'm in Central VA and we haven't gotten enough to measure this Winter... but I've still had all the cold weather I want!!! Where's that Global Warming they keep telling us we're having? I want a refund!

Froggie

[Raz]

Seven below this morning and about 6 inches of fluff. That said, my first seedlings are up, it was light enough to take the dog out at 6:15, the finches and red polls have arrived at the feeder, and we'll be tapping the maples by the end of the month. Raz

p.s. Steve, if you would like to come shovel mine, I'd be happy to leave it for you.

[rgrugg]

It's camping season for me. I'm wintering in Arizona but, having been away from home for three months, in two weeks I'm hitching up and heading back to Michigan. My son in Grand Rapids reported about 10 inches.

[yyyyyguy]

You have some pretty fearless birds up there, down in SW Wi they seem to try harder to stay out of blizzards

[Jeff T H]

I miss that stuff. Grew up in Montreal now I'm in the rain here lower mainland BC. I'm waiting for a none raining week end to take the BFF To gold Creek Camp ground. Its close, but feels like a 1000 miles away.

[papa-t]

Our squirrels must be smarter here in N.C. because I've never found a varmint proof feeder. Have purchased the really good ones and the little boogers hang upside down and sideways to figure it out. As I've got older I have just learned to live with it. Lol

[Raz]

Originally Posted by papa-t

Our squirrels must be smarter here in N.C. because I've never found a varmint proof feeder. Have purchased the really good ones and the little boogers hang upside down and sideways to figure it out. As I've got older I have just learned to live with it. Lol

I bought this one years ago, about $35 at the time. The outside cage is spring loaded and the weight of a squirrel closes the feeding openings. They get very frustrated and eventually jump off. Visiting birds do drop a fair amount of seed on the ground and the squirrels will feed under it unless an owl shows up. I have it hanging on a pulley between two trees. Raz

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[John Linck]

Originally Posted by P. Raz

I have it hanging on a pulley between two trees. Raz

Amazon.com : Brome 1015 Squirrel Buster Classic : Wild Bird Feeders : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Raz,

I use your method after chasing off skunks, raccoons, etc. Now mine is suspended about 15 feet off the ground, directly in line with our windows, between the house and a tree on nylon paracord. The cord rotates easily; even birds have a hard time perching on it. I have yet to see any mammal attempt it. I have two pulleys, one on the house and one about half way to the tree, kinda like the clotheslines spanning the streets you see in pictures of older dense cities. The platform feeder is attached to the moving loop, so I can reel it in for refills. Its very simple and after 4 years is still very effective in feeding only birds. We did have a family of flying squirrels last Summer and while I could never catch them eating the birdseed they certainly could and are so darn cute I wouldn't have minded. Too bad they are most active in the middle of the night.

The biggest problem was lubricating the far pulley. I ended up soaking a bit of sponge in oil, tying it to the cord with twist tie, and reeling it out where the oil was squeezed out as the sponge hit the pulley. It probably used way too much oil but it got the job done. I suppose I could have lowered the far end of the cord and dropped the pulley to the ground, but the sponge was far more fun. Still to learn if nylon cord reacts badly to oil. ;-)

john

[Raz]

The trees are about 20 feet apart outside the kitchen window. We've had squirrels get to the feeder by jumping from one of the trees or "hand over hand" on the rope which is really 1/8" nylon line. When they get to the feeder it closes and after a few minutes they drop off. They usually only do it once and then are content to settle for the droppings. There was one fellow who did get all he could eat . Raz

[John Linck]

Originally Posted by P. Raz

We've had squirrels get to the feeder by jumping from one of the trees or "hand over hand" on the rope which is really 1/8" nylon line. There was one fellow who did get all he could eat . Raz

Your Eastern squirrels must be more acrobatic than our Midwestern variety. Never seen one try the hand over hand trick. john

[Glenn Baglo]

This has worked for me.
I first tried a single bell, but if you look closely you can see the teeth marks on the edge where the squirrel would hang on and then pendulum to the feeder.
When I added a second stacked bell, the scheme no longer worked and they gave up.
The feeder is just beyond their ability to leap from the tree or nearby objects.