Birds vs. Squirrels

photo credit Briana Lee, 2008

I live just a few blocks from the Mississippi River. It's a neighborhood rich with trees, birdfeeders and generous neighbors. When I first moved into my house, I was feeling particularly poor and was focused on paying the mortgage every month. That Christmas I received a check from my parents...not the kind that Paris Hilton might get...but enough to allow me to have a little fun. I chose to use it on a few things to make life in my home just a bit better, including a squirrel-proof bird-feeder for outside my dining room window.
That feeder has held up remarkably. Situated in the midst of several lilac bushes, the feeder is visited from dawn to dusk by sparrows, juncos, chickadees, and two pair of cardinals. When the sun is shining, the male cardinal glows in the tree like a ruby.
And every day the neighborhood squirrels make another pass at trying to figure out how to access the food.
Yesterday my niece was here for Christmas breakfast and we had a nice time watching the activity around the feeder. The cardinals showed up and garnered some applause. And of course, the squirrels. At 9, she's actually turning into a quite a good photographer. She provided some nice documentation on the tenacity of the squirrels, Christmas day.

photo credit, Briana Lee 2008