Am I smarter then a squirrel?

robl
robl
Joined: 2 Jan 13
Posts: 1709
Credit: 1454480783
RAC: 8785
Topic 211826

Apologize for the pic.  Taken rater late in the day.  Will grab a better one tomorrow.   I "attached" an inverted terracotta pot as a means of keeping the squirrels out of the bird feed (I hope.!!)  I have noted the presence of a red shouldered hawk.  This might also have some reason why I have not seen any squirrels since erecting the feeder two days ago.

You can watch a live stream here: http://guest:1234@www.usefulramblings.org:81 There might be some/alot of lag due to upload speed.  And there will not be any squirrels at night. 

mikey
mikey
Joined: 22 Jan 05
Posts: 11888
Credit: 1828066059
RAC: 206346

The only thing I've found

The only thing I've found that really helps is to grease the pole so they can't get a grip with their claws, it will be extremely funny to watch though as they try to figure out how to climb a greased pole.

robl
robl
Joined: 2 Jan 13
Posts: 1709
Credit: 1454480783
RAC: 8785

mikey wrote:The only thing

mikey wrote:
The only thing I've found that really helps is to grease the pole so they can't get a grip with their claws, it will be extremely funny to watch though as they try to figure out how to climb a greased pole.

I had taken this approach several years ago and it seemed to work.  Then I had used a larger diameter terracotta bowl so they could not lean back and get a "hand on the outside of the bowl".  This bowl might not be as effective.  The only obvious problem is I have not seen a squirrel in 2 days.  Might be due to the hawk that has been hanging around. 

Wish I had an 8 or 12 mm fixed lens in the camera. 

Mike Hewson
Mike Hewson
Moderator
Joined: 1 Dec 05
Posts: 6534
Credit: 284703502
RAC: 110557

I have always regarded you as

I have always regarded you as way better than any squirrel : Smarter Than The Average Bear, in fact. :-)

I could send you a Powerful Owl : 

powerful_owl.jpg

.... in the wee small morning hours last week we had to listen, for around twenty minutes, to a possum squealing whilst being devoured. No short, damp squeak for that lad. Nature is red in tooth & claw ....... and feather.

For the last two years we've had a mating pair hanging around the neighbourhood. I haven't had to put rat bait in the roof space since. Some nights they 'chatter' to each other, typically from over 30 metres. We listened for a good half hour on one occasion. They were soft, even melodic, sounds with much variation. Definitely much information content I reckon. One wonders if they were comparing hunting notes, or planning an attack etc.

Cheers, Mike.

"... try to figure out how to climb a greased pole ... " : do Political Science 101 at Melbourne University. :-)))

PS 102 builds upon that so you can climb said pole, this time with your head lodged in your own colon.

I have made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it shorter ...

... and my other CPU is a Ryzen 5950X :-) Blaise Pascal

robl
robl
Joined: 2 Jan 13
Posts: 1709
Credit: 1454480783
RAC: 8785

Mike Hewson wrote:I have

Mike Hewson wrote:

I have always regarded you as way better than any squirrel : Smarter Than The Average Bear, in fact. :-)

I could send you a Powerful Owl : 

powerful_owl.jpg

.... in the wee small morning hours last week we had to listen, for around twenty minutes, to a possum squealing whilst being devoured. No short, damp squeak for that lad. Nature is red in tooth & claw ....... and feather.

For the last two years we've had a mating pair hanging around the neighbourhood. I haven't had to put rat bait in the roof space since. Some nights they 'chatter' to each other, typically from over 30 metres. We listened for a good half hour on one occasion. They were soft, even melodic, sounds with much variation. Definitely much information content I reckon. One wonders if they were comparing hunting notes, or planning an attack etc.

Cheers, Mike.

not only is there an absence of squirrels but birds also.  timing is everything Smile

anniet
anniet
Joined: 6 Feb 14
Posts: 1348
Credit: 5079314
RAC: 0

The look on that poor

The look on that poor possum's face is so ... familiar somehow...

 

*drag empathy to robl's concerns instead* I think on the whole, you are smarter than a squirrel, robl. Definitely! And don't let anybody tell you you're not.

;)

You can tell them I'm not. I capitulated to our squirrels to the point I'm now recognised by them when I'm out and am accompanied home.

 

 

 

Please wait here. Further instructions could pile up at any time. Thank you.

robl
robl
Joined: 2 Jan 13
Posts: 1709
Credit: 1454480783
RAC: 8785

anniet wrote:The look on that

anniet wrote:

The look on that poor possum's face is so ... familiar somehow...

 

*drag empathy to robl's concerns instead* I think on the whole, you are smarter than a squirrel, robl. Definitely! And don't let anybody tell you you're not.

;)

You can tell them I'm not. I capitulated to our squirrels to the point I'm now recognised by them when I'm out and am accompanied home.

 

 

 

today I am not so sure about the "smart thing".  I had to rework some of the camera logic to request a user/passwd.  it is "guest/1234".  You can drop the following into your browser: www.usefulramblings.org:81 and it should bring up a login pane.

If any of you give viewing it a go, let me know how the motion streams will you.  My ISP chokes the upload speed so I am curious.  TIA.

The worst thing about the possum thing is not only is the hawk taking it for an unnatural ride, its also going to disassemble it while its alive.  I also changed out the seed today for a different kind.  Normally I would be seeing jays and squirrels.  It very quiet out there.  I wonder if I am not setting these critters up for the hawks dinning table?

anniet
anniet
Joined: 6 Feb 14
Posts: 1348
Credit: 5079314
RAC: 0

today I am not so sure about

today I am not so sure about the "smart thing". 

And today?

 

It's completely different I know but your uncertainty reminds me of the time I thought it would be a good idea to use some pond clear in our pond because it was looking a bit... well... difficult to interact with our fish, or even see we had fish.

It worked very well. The water turned all sparkly see-through again :) and the fish looked very fetching in it indeed. I was so happy. They'd started out as teensy baby ones indoors - with us - so it was like a big family reunion. Even our cats were so delighted they hung about the perimeter waving their paws in at them.

And the next morning ... we'd grown a mysterious grey stump on the farthest side of the pond from the window I glanced out of towards it.

Pond edges growing mysterious grey stumps overnight is a phenomenon I'd not had the chance to investigate before so I thought I would seize this opportunity and do just that, which is when it grew eyes and a beak, flew away and turned into a heron - all at the same time  and lo!!! ... there was nothing left in the pond to wave at...

*guilt-ridden pause*

 

I tried to see the streaming link you set up (my last night, your day) but either I don't have the software, or I have to update it. I can't exactly remember which because the details appear to have gone missing from my head,  and either need downloading again or refreshing, which I am planning to do.

 

Please wait here. Further instructions could pile up at any time. Thank you.

robl
robl
Joined: 2 Jan 13
Posts: 1709
Credit: 1454480783
RAC: 8785

anniet wrote:I tried to see

anniet wrote:

I tried to see the streaming link you set up (my last night, your day) but either I don't have the software, or I have to update it. I can't exactly remember which because the details appear to have gone missing from my head,  and either need downloading again or refreshing, which I am planning to do.

 

anniet its not your fault  but mine.  I was using an app that gave me pause/reason to rethink the webpage feed.  as a result I disabled it and am in the process of redoing it as a direct stream using obs and nginx.  This is all a bit new to me so it might be a while.  One thing I can say is that the nylon sleeve on the 4x4 post stops the little darlings.  they get their front paws/feet on opposite sides and slide down the post.  Sort of like greasing the pole as mikey had  noted, but without all the mess.

And Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

anniet
anniet
Joined: 6 Feb 14
Posts: 1348
Credit: 5079314
RAC: 0

anniet its not your fault 

anniet its not your fault  but mine.  I was using an app that gave me pause/reason to rethink the webpage feed.  as a result I disabled it and am in the process of redoing it as a direct stream using obs and nginx.  This is all a bit new to me so it might be a while.  One thing I can say is that the nylon sleeve on the 4x4 post stops the little darlings.  they get their front paws/feet on opposite sides and slide down the post.  Sort of like greasing the pole as mikey had  noted, but without all the mess.

And Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

And to you too!! :)

I will return for the feed... no nylon sleeving or slippery poles will stop me... I assure you... :)

Please wait here. Further instructions could pile up at any time. Thank you.

robl
robl
Joined: 2 Jan 13
Posts: 1709
Credit: 1454480783
RAC: 8785

anniet wrote:I will return

anniet wrote:

I will return for the feed... no nylon sleeving or slippery poles will stop me... I assure you... :)

Anniet,

I am ready for your return.  You may visit:  

http://usefulramblings.org/?page_id=10761

and please, Do rest a bit and have something to eat.  

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.