Saturday 31 May 2014

Squirrel's Delight

A couple of weeks ago I put up my hummingbird feeder. The ruby throated hummingbirds sensibly spend their winters in Mexico and Central America and fly back to Ontario in May. This involves a 800 km (500 mile), non-stop flight over water from Mexico to Louisiana or Florida before they start their journey north. Incredible.

I filled the feeder with sugar water (1/4 cup of sugar to 1 cup of water) and within an hour there was a hummingbird sampling the syrup. And then another one. My neighbour has a feeder too, so there is plenty of sugar water to go round.

But yesterday someone else discovered a taste for sugar water.


She discovered that if she tipped the feeder with her weight, the liquid could be sucked out of the hole on top.
 She hung on with her back feet and dangled upside down to get the treat. I don't think this was the first time she had done it, she seemed to know exactly what to do.

When she had enough, she sat on the fence and washed her hands and her sticky fur. And now I have to refill the feeder.....

12 comments:

  1. AMAZING Pictures, my dear....! Animals are so darn smart,aren't they?

    And I see someone else has just had a Birthday....I tell you, The Years Are Flying By!!! (He is 5??That seemed to happen in a blink of the eyes!)

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  2. What a rascal!!

    Poor hummingbirds won't stand a chance with her around.

    You are so right...that's what Nana's do for their sweet grandkids.

    We would do the very same thing.

    Kind of expensive for 3 minutes without a working light saber though.

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  3. HA! That squirrel is a contortionist! I never knew they would attack a hummingbird feeder.

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  4. Such a smart squirrel!She is pretty. I am wondering how many times you will have to refill for your hummingbirds and squirrel then!!
    Have a happy new week!

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  5. I forgot to say.
    All of the sculptures on the street were made by different artists.

    I look forward to seeing your painting again!

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  6. My goodness but these guys are difficult to defeat.

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  7. Those squirrels are clever! I miss the hummingbirds we had in San Jose. I'd make the same sugar water concoction and watch them buzz around the feeder. One was territorial and would try to keep the other hummingbirds away.

    We weren't that close to the grizzly, he was about a football field away, more or less. I was fully zoomed in w/ my camera.

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  8. Amazing acrobatic squirrel and brilliant photos. They can be so clever, I hope the hummingbirds get a turn :-)

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  9. Smart little fart! That might explain why we need to refill our feeders so often.

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  10. Stuff such as this is why I love squirrels. They're very clever and, thus, entertaining.

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  11. I love squirrels. My in-laws used to have one that knocked on their door when he wanted a biscuit!

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  12. Looks fantastic, amazing that the ruby throated hummingbirds spend their winters in Mexico and Central America and fly back to Ontario in May! Wow! 800 km of non-stop flight is awesome indeed!

    You took great photos of that very smart and energetic
    squirrel. Well done!

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