i outwitted the squirrels.

[mopinko]

every year my large magnolia seemed to only have a few blossoms, even tho it had a lot of buds. i thought the tree was on it's way out. 2 years ago, i saw that the squirrels were eating the flower buds! the little bastards!
i couldn't think of much to do about it, aside from encouraging the terriers to bark at them. but i had an idea this year, and it seems to have worked.

i have 2 parrots, and one of them loves a foraging toy that is basically a cylinder made of several rings. each ring has a hole in it. you fill it with seeds and the bird has to spin the rings around to get the seeds. i always thought that flower buds were a strange thing to eat, but this early in the spring there is not a lot else to eat. so i filled the toy, and hung it on a nice skinny lower branch. since robbing bird feeders is the number one mission of squirrels, they took the bait, hanging by their little toenails to do it. they got something better to eat, and something to occupy their evil little brains.
i have a nice crop of gorgeous blooms this year. hahaha you little bushy tailed rats.

[elleng]

1. Good to hear your smart scheme, and imagining your magnolia blooms, mop!

[mopinko]

2. they are all out today.

we are finally getting some warm sunny days. everything is coming up and out.
but they are all popped today. they are quite beautiful, plum colored and huge.

[Curmudgeoness]

3. Bushy tailed rats! You at least know for sure your tree is fine.

And it sounds like it is gorgeous. Magnolias are magnificent trees. Enjoy.

[MilesColtrane]

4. Those extortionists!

Your squirrels are like a Furry Mafia.

"Feed us, and nobody gets hoit."

[mopinko]

5. i'm hoping it will work with the robins, also.

they steal my grapes every year. i am hoping that offerings of earthworms will allow me to eat at least a few of my grapes. after they are ripe. the robins are fine with them being unripe and sour.