My Run In With Nature

Our backyard is shielded on either side with a wall of trees and shrubbery. One of these barriers serves as a sanctuary for many species that have to wait for the guard of night to roam around. I have seen many cats, raccoons, opossum, and squirrels all living together in apparent harmony where no one bothers them (or bothers to landscape).

I have had no problem with these critters until recently.

A few weeks back I participated in a raffle. There were some really great prizes - gift certificates, t-shirts, banana splits - but, like the winner I am, I rode home with a five pound bag of birdseed on my back. Yep, that's a lot of birdseed.

Disappointment aside, I tried to make the most of my winnings. I filled up the bird feeder left by a previous tenant in hopes of enhancing the backyard with some new visitors. Instead, all I did was attract a squirrel closer to the house.

Mr. McNutters

At first I thought it was kind of funny watching the little guy, and I was relieved to know that my huge bag of birdseed would be gotten rid of somehow. However, after the feeder was drained for the second time in one day and there was not a bird in sight, I got annoyed.

I learned that a good way to get rid of squirrels, but keep the birds, is to add cayenne pepper to your birdseed.

Mr. McNutters and Nancy

I took this advice and waited. The squirrels had been watching for my return and quickly pounced on the full bird feeder. They continued eating, as though nothing had changed, and I worried that I had wasted a third of my cayenne pepper on these rapscallions. Then, the one eating looked up as if he had just caught a whiff of something most foul. He froze, had a fit of violent sneezes, and ran away.

After the squirrels left, the feeder was surrounded with about six birds, and I was pleased with my success.

The squirrels did come back for one more sneeze attack, but I haven't seen them since. If they decide to return, the cayenne pepper and I will be waiting.