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A Squirrel Baffle that Absolutely Works?
They all do… when placed correctly!
It’s just baffling to us when folks claim they can’t keep the pesky critters out of bird feeders! With about 15 different feeders at our own place, squirrels simply aren’t an issue. Yes, we feed them too and no, it’s never enough!There’s lots of trees and lots of squirrels too- enough for a football game, but they’re relegated to their own feeders along the tree line, peanut butter slapped on a tree when it’s cold, and whatever falls on the ground from bird feeders. They may not seem too happy with the arrangement, but we are and dually so for the birds 🙂
When placing a feeder with a squirrel baffle, it’s well worth five extra minutes of time to plan your strategy. After all, it is a war, but with the right tactics… you can easily win!
One of the biggest, most important issues is the horizontal launching point! You baffle a pole so they can’t climb up, and you hang a baffle over a feeder so they can’t climb down. But none of this even matters if they can jump sideways from something to gain access. And that’s just what they’ll do, with fancy acrobatics and uber-squirrel strength… they’ll launch themselves as much as 10 feet clear over to the feeder if there’s a a good place or thing from where to jump!
Pole mounted squirrel baffles should be placed so the bottom is at least 4 ft. from the ground. If any closer, the critters won’t even bother trying to climb – they’ll jump right up, bypassing the baffle from ground level. Even when placing a feeder that uses a hanging baffle, be sure there’s a 10 ft. clearance between the feeder and any other object such as a tree, railing, wood pile, bench… anything!
Squirrels will test your patience, and they’ll have you believing they’ve won the war. But with a one-time investment in a decent squirrel baffle, and five minutes of thought, you’ll save tons of birdseed and your nerves when dealing with furry critters raiding your feeders!
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Cool Bird Seed Trays that Do More
Because ground waste can easily spoil and become moldy, it poses the threat of illness to birds. It may attract less desirable critters as well, causing many to give up on feeding the birds 🙁 But larger bird seed trays like these do so much more than just catch fallen seed!Not only for hanging feeders, but the big diameter style may be used with a pole mounted feeder as well, imagine that! It offers an extra feeding area for birds who may not even perch at the feeder itself. Simply by cutting a slit in the center of the durable mesh netting, it slides on and off the pole for easy cleaning.
In a pinch, or as an extra option, a small dish may be placed on the platform to offer some variety for birds. We use a small clay saucer to hold mealworms for our bluebirds, phoebes and warblers. Luckily, goldfinches don’t care for worms… or they’d be gone in a flash!
Setting up a small dish-like feeder with worms is most helpful when mom and dad bluebird are teaching their fledglings how to access the goods!
These affordable and innovative seed catchers are a delight to birds and hosts alike! Anything that keeps ground mess to a minimum, offers additional feeding space to see more birds, and even lets you create a new feeder on the platform will absolutely enhance the backyard birding experience. We use them at home too- so validated as pretty cool by our standards!
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A Decent Squirrel Baffle IS the Answer!
Since New Years is the time for resolutions, here’s a good one to keep your sanity. Because squirrels will always be a part of feeding the birds, you can resolve to actually baffle them for good!Whether your bird feeder hangs or happens to be post- or pole-mounted, there’s a quality squirrel baffle out there that will really do the trick… we promise. It is the proper placement of said baffle that allows for full functionality and 100% performance.
In the picture at left, the feeder has a dome, and although shaped like a hanging baffle, it’s fairly obvious that it is not. A weather guard and squirrel baffle are two different things. This furry one may have also jumped sideways from something to gain access as well.
When we hear folks say they’ve quit feeding birds because of squirrels, it’s so sad because it’s fairly easy to keep the critters at bay. For almost 30 years, we’ve been feeding birds (and squirrels) without the squirrel head ache.
Every single feeder in our yard has a baffle, even some nest boxes too! Baffles are ideal for protecting nestlings from predators. The most important factor to consider is feeder placement. Be certain there are no horizontal launching points from where the critters can jump. These would include any structure, tree or object… at all!
Being extreme acrobats, one should never leave room for doubt when placing a new feeder. A small, one-time investment in a good baffle will result in many years of pleasurable experiences with wild bird feeding!
Birding Tips, Information & News
It’s just baffling to us when folks claim they can’t keep the pesky critters out of bird feeders! With about 15 different feeders at our own place, squirrels simply aren’t an issue. Yes, we feed them too and no, it’s never enough!
