Three squirrels, two chubby and grey and one sleek and black, have discovered the wealth of peanuts and seeds put out daily for the birds.
The thoughtful looks and leaps onto hanging feeders is an ongoing adventure.
Juncos will only eat on a flat surface and when a squirrel comes and sits in the middle of the sunflower seeds and casually nibbles through them the juncos will not approach.
Enter Mere Mortal who gives the squirrels peanuts in the shell which they accept and either eat on site or scamper away with – but, once those peanuts are eaten, Amos, Bruno and Poppy come back to the seeds.
Mere Mortal came across this laundry basket at the weekly church sale. Ah ha. Juncos found they could go in and out easily. A B and P circled it for a bit and there were a few territorial squabbles between the greys and the black, but soon a squirrel-sized entrance had been toothed out.
A few minutes ago I looked out and saw Bruno (it might have been Amos) busily eating the seeds. Juncos on the sidelines. I went out with peanuts in the shell. B (or A) came quickly out of the buffet, accepted the peanuts, grinned and took a mouthful back to nest.
Mere Mortal advised the juncos to "be quick about it!"
(If you click on the photo it will enlarge and you can see B or A better)