Losing Ground

We have a new generation of squirrels here at Cary BirdCam which are defying my previously successful devices. One significant problem that I face is that these particular tree rats have developed a taste for safflower seed. Previous editions of squirrels had found the taste unappetizing and for the most part we experienced modest consumption day over day. In the past month I’m observing the new animals --at least three of them-- eating safflower with gusto. The fact that these are young squirrels is suggestive. I held onto safflower through their development period and quite possibly they “grew up” on these easy pickings. Needless to say I am shifting back to the cheaper sunflower and hoping I can reason out a new approach that discourages too many squirrels piling up in our yard. This is a hard, hard defeat to take. At least they still don’t touch the suet!