Squirrel Caper

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US Soldier's email</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="iraq070306.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Iraq soldiers story"><B>Iraq - soldier's story</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="flag.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="My Flag Over Iraq"><B>My Flag Over Iraq</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="bjugstad.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bjugstad 2007 Visit"><B>Bjugstad 2007 Visit</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="warren_winsness.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Warren Winsness"><B>Warren Winsness</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="old_people.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Old People"><B>Old People</B></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>Squirrel Caper</I></div> <div> We have a bird feeder, but the squirrel's were getting to the food.  It hung from a thin slippery line, and first, we were successful by putting cooking oil on the line and the squirrel's slid down so fast they hit the top of the feeder and then went off.  But, they got good at that and were holding on enough so they could stop and eat the food.</div> <bR> <div> Next, we put pvc pipe over the line, and put motor oil on it.  That seemed to work, but again, they took their lumps sliding down and hitting the roof of the feeder - hung on, and they ate the food.</div> <bR> <div> SO - then we put the motor oil on the roof of the feeder as well as the line down from the branch.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Here is the feeder, with an oil covered roof and line.  </div> <div> But, scroll down and click on the video link!</div> <div> <IMG SRC="1130dbc0.jpg" border=0 width="525" height="700" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.lrwma.com/bev-jim/photo_albums/squirrel/squirrel1.AVI" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.lrwma.com/bev-jim/photo_album">Click here for the video of the next attempt of the squirrel!</A></div> <bR> <div> The next morning, I looked out, and DARN - he was on the feeder eating the food.</div> <div> So, I put more oil on the pipe, on the top, and even a light coat on the rail that the birds use to eat.</div> <div> (I didn't think the birds will mind).</div> <bR> <div> AND THEN I WATCHED!</div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.lrwma.com/bev-jim/photo_albums/squirrel/squirrel2.AVI" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.lrwma.com/bev-jim/photo_album">Click here for the video of the next attempt of the squirrel!</A></div> <div> (The link above is about 34 meg, but worth the download wait on a good connection!)</div> <bR> <div> To be continued!</div> <div> Later in the summer, I can go to Plan B ("B" stands for bullets!)</div> <bR> <div> They got good at sliding down the oiled pipe - so I added a bucket on top:</div> <div> <IMG SRC="114f49a0.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="666" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> That worked great for a little bit - but watch the next video!</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.lrwma.com/bev-jim/photo_albums/squirrel/squirrel3.AVI" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.lrwma.com/bev-jim/photo_album">Click here to see them beat the bucket!</A></div> <bR> <div> <B>It looks like we need to make it impossible for them to make that jump!</B></div> <bR> <div> Here I go - have to reach a higher branch that goes out further from the trunk:</div> <div> <IMG SRC="1150dbc0.jpg" border=0 width="525" height="700" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="11680e00.jpg" border=0 width="640" height="480" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Here is it now - and at least for a few hours, they have not reached it!  It is a long way from the trunk, and very high off the ground.  Actually, we can see the birds much easier now.  </div> <div> How long will it be before they find a way??!  We will be watching!</div> <div> <IMG SRC="1180dbc0.jpg" border=0 width="525" height="700" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Well, one got on the feeder, so I cut the lip off the bucket so they couldn't hang down, and oiled it.  So far, that works.</div> <bR> <div> BUT - Robin Townsend sent us a video of a squirrel launcher so go to the next webpage at top to see how that progresses!</div> <bR> <div> <B>WHOOPS!</B></div> <div> <B>For about 2 weeks, the squirrels could not get to the feeder. </B></div> <div> <B>Well, once or twice we saw one crash down across the bucket, grab the pvc pipe as he fell, and then get some seed.</B></div> <div> <B>But on July 8th, we woke to see this!</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="12b20580.jpg" border=0 width="800" height="600" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>My hope would have been to see the following!</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="130d4130.jpg" border=0 width="724" height="531" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>"Mildred - I told you not to stand under the feeder!"</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Looking up at the line:</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="12cbc0d0.jpg" border=0 width="700" height="525" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>He chewed through the line connecting the pulley!</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>He won!</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>-------</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>But just for a day!</B></div> <div> <B>I have replaced the line with wire, and the bucket with a 6 inch PVC pipe cap!</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="12ee0800.jpg" border=0 width="480" height="640" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>The Contest Continues!</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Guess what - we actually saw a squirrel eating on the feeder even after all that, however, every other time we watch him try, he ends up wishing he was a flying squirrel so for now, we will watch and laugh.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>----</B></div> <div> <B>The Saga Continues</B></div> <div> <B>Wednesday, July 11, we woke up to see the following:</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="13558af0.jpg" border=0 width="600" height="687" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>Incredible - they actually started to dismantle the feeder and must have slipped off.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>This is getting serious! </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>I've added another obstacle - will see how this works:</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="1440dbc0.jpg" border=0 width="525" height="700" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>