Squirrel-Proof and Other Myths

Back in the days when that willow was healthy.

Seems as if there was some line in an old movie about feeding nuts to the squirrels, or maybe it was squirrels to the nuts.  I was never in favor of the idea.  Woodpeckers, of course -- they're such fun it's worth the expense and trouble to attract them with peanuts. 

Now it's all but dead.

For years I have relied on this squirrel-proof feeder, paying $5 a pound for nuts at the Bird Store -- till Norm pointed out that the same unsalted ones sell in the supermarket for $4.  

So who woulda thunk it, after all this time?  I just came out and sat down at the desk to find a furry bandit munching away in there.  This is not all that good a picture, because as I reached for the camera it bolted -- we were, when you come right down to it, only about four feet apart.  It had no trouble zipping right out.

I am reminded of a really fancy expensive squirrel-proof feeder Norm invested in some years ago.  It had a motor that required detaching for re-charging -- that was all his department and I never paid attention to the details -- but when a squirrel approached the perches, it whirled the animal off, affording great hilarity for the watchers. 
Except that we had one squirrel who learned how to out-wit it, hanging upside-down by his hind legs and pulling out seed without touching the perches.  The thing was so expensive (I see they're asking $159 for it today) that I called the Bird Store, which suggested I complain direct to the Droll Yankees factory. When I reached the main office of Droll Yankees, I told the woman on the other end I'd like to send her a video of our squirrel out-witting their motor.  And she said -- in a "you fool!" tone --
"Well, of course you're supposed to hang it where the squirrels can't reach."