Here's a collection of photos to tell the story...of DJ & Basil...!
My house in Crawley, UK, became a mini piece of real estate
for wildlife...! I started feeding the local birds, (feathered kind-thank
you) after watching Bill Oddy on TV, saying garden birds were in decline,
mainly due to less food available and more cats...!
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I bought 2 plastic bird feeders. A squirrel appeared the very next day, un-hooked them and let them fall on the floor, where he ate all of the nuts...!
Meet "Basil" (I named him because he is always twitching his bushy tail or brush, hence Basil Brush)
I pegged the feeder up so he couldn't un hook it, so he ate the plastic perches off..! He can eat the nuts, the birds can't...!
Meet "Sybil" (yes, Faulty towers inspired) Sybil is the wife of Basil, less destructive & is quite happy with a sandwich on the lawn...!
So, I bought some "squirrel proof" feeders, and some nice hangars too. Basil & Sybil within days...
...had learnt how to get to the food easily...! I even made wire extensions to hang the feeders lower
Basil took the longer more difficult glass feeder, couldn't destroy it, but could have an easy feast...
...and Sybil took on the metal cage peanut holder.
"SQUIRREL PROOF" feeders???
Blue Tits, Greenfinches, Sparrows & Great Tits (later too fast for a photo) became regular visitors
Basil became used to me taking his photo too. I could stand within 5 feet of him...!
Even Sybil was used to me and my camera, and didn't mind me leaving nuts on the ground for her!
A female Chaffinch looks on as the squirrels have lunch...which was meant for the birds...!
I made a "Frisbee & coat hangar" modification to deter him, this lasted just over two weeks before he worked out how to by-pass it.!
So, I bought a "Squirrel Feeder" from the internet. Basil watched me fit it to the wall, then took just over a week to suss it out...
...then he'd sit quite happy, birds watching him, having a feast. Nuts behind plastic, lift a lid to get at them. Simple...!
Then my friends Dad made me some metal discs & bars in an advance to my earlier design
The birds were flourishing, 5 nesting families of Blue Tits visible from my windows
This tiny little fledgling looked so cute, exercising its wings and practising it's flying skills
For over 6 months, Basil looked but couldn't by pass them,
This lesser spotted woodpecker also became a frequent visitor, didn't know they liked peanuts..!
Then, in early 2007, Basil sussed it out...! Was amazing to watch him
learning, problem solving, practising.
I wish I had it on video, but never managed to be there ready in time...!
He'd slide/climb down the fence, then leap the gap onto the feeder...
...some landings were misplaced, but he would try and grab the perches and hang on until the swinging stopped...
...then he'd climb up the the wire, turn round, and hang nose down to feed. Amazing acrobatics! Only way down was to drop off!
