Darned Varmits

I am learning that one of the unexpected effects of trying to attract creatures to our deck is that we invariably attract some unwanted critters as well.  I’ve spent quite a bit of time this week trying to figure out how to keep the hornets out of the hummingbird nectar; I can’t imagine that the hummingbirds really enjoy the nectar as much when there are dead hornet bodies floating inside!  I finally gave in today and went to the bird store and spent real $$ on a better hummingbird feeder.  Of course then when I got home I realized that the hornets are mostly gone, so I’m conflicted.  Do I take the feeder back and keep using my cheap Lowes feeders?  Or are the hornets just taking a hot-weather-hiatus??  (Just in case you were wondering, I was told not once but twice by the lady at the bird store that I could not get these kinds of bird feeders at Lowes…got it, lady!!)

As you’ve seen before, supplying seed for the beautiful birds also means that we end up with squirrels everywhere.  Including in the screened in porch looking for more bird seed.  But I think that we’ve attracted a stronger, smarter varmit with the birdseed as well. 

First of all, I put out a new suet cake for the woodpeckers just yesterday.  This is all that is left today.  And when I came out the arm of the bird feeder holder was swiveled all the over the porch—and I know for a fact that I left it all the way over the lawn.  I’m thinking I need to move the suet feeder to a less cooperative (not mobile) holder.

I bought a nice new container to put our birdseed in, and thought it would be plenty safe in the screened in porch.  Instead, something half gnawed away the lid in an attempt to get at the seed.  We have resorted to keeping our birdseed in the family room (which is closer to the feeders than the garage) and I’m sure that’s a very redneck thing to do.

And then I made the mistake of putting a new bag of seed out there last night, and forgetting to transfer it to the container.  When I went out a while ago there was a big hole in the bag, and the bag was surrounded by empty sunflower shells.  Some creature had an easy feast last night…

And lastly…just in case you’d ever wondered what kind of sunflower would grow from the black oil sunflower seeds that my birds (and squirrels) (and mystery critters) love, here you go.

Cause I promise you I didn’t plant a lone sunflower in this pot of petunias!!