Calblog

Calblog Wildlife Update

Our chicken eggs did not hatch, unfortunately. We're not sure why -- whether they died in the cool storage before the incubator came or whether we did something wrong in the incubator. We're going to try again after some discussion with the hatchery.

We got a squirrel-proof feeder. The perches are set so that when the squirrel lands on one, his weight closes the door. A squirrel discovered it and made it his project. At first, he tried the obvious way and quickly learned that, although he could get some spillage on the lower tray, he couldn't get most of the food. After much trial and error, he hung from the tree branch with his hind legs, held the feeder with his front legs, and could get as much as he wanted. So we moved it to the end of the branch and the theory that the thin end of the branch could not hold his weight. Our assumption was correct but he quickly knocked the feeder to the ground in his efforts. Then we got a length of rope and hung it from a strong branch so it was too long for him to hang and grab. So far, we are winning.