for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com october 17, 2013 • at home • The Queens Courier 11 at home Winning the war against squirrels For bird lovers, the sight of a bushy tail hanging off the side of a feeder means just one thing: war. Sure, squirrels have to eat, too, and no one wants to harm the persistent critters. But that doesn’t mean you have to put up with squirrels scarfing down the seed you put out for the birds, damaging your feeders and bumping up your blood pressure. It’s possible to discourage squirrels - and even outsmart them - with the right seed mix and some nature-friendly squirrel-control tactics. Plant the seed Birds, like people, are selective - even picky - when it comes to food. Seed is the best option to attract the most birds to your feeder. Unfortunately, squirrels also love seed. And while birds will sort through mixed seed to find what they like - and ditch the undesirable filler, like red milo, on the ground below the feeder - squirrels are not so picky. They’ll eat the cast-offs on the ground and then move on to the good stuff in the feeder, and devour that, too. To entice birds, avoid brands that wash or coat seeds with chemicals and mineral oil. Look for brands manufactured by companies that focus on bird feed, like Cole’s, rather than treat it as a sideline business. Some feed mixes are full of cheap filler seeds, crop leftovers and the lowest quality oil sunflower. Cole’s uses only high quality seeds, and each blend is designed to attract specific groups of birds. Taste aversion - serving seed that birds find delicious, but squirrels consider down right distasteful - is an effective way to keep squirrels out of bird feeders. Check out a squirrelproof birdseed blend that uses hot spicy flavor to repel squirrels. Cole’s offers “hot” products that are designed to appeal to birds while dissuading squirrels. Its Hot Meats blend infuses top-quality sunflower meats with a Habanero chili pepper and Safflower oil that birds find delectable, but squirrels simply detest. Or, you can opt to add Flaming Squirrel Seed Sauce to any Cole’s blend. It’s a safe, effective and human way to feed birds and thwart squirrels. You can learn more at www.coleswildbird.com. Squirrel-proof your bird feeders Another option is to try to make your feed less accessible to squirrels - although that can be hard to do since squirrels are smart problem-solvers. You may find the best results from a combination of methods, including: * Locate feeders far from trees, wires, porches or other launching points to make it more difficult for squirrels to reach the feeder. Remember, squirrels can jump distances of 10 feet or longer. Mounting feeders on a smooth metal pole at least 6 feet high with no surrounding branches or bushes within 12 feet may also work. * Place a wire cage around the feeder with openings just large enough to admit birds but too small for squirrels to fit through. This can also help keep larger birds, such as starlings or pigeons, from accessing the feeder. * Try specially designed feeders that have doors which close when triggered by a squirrel’s weight on the feeder. The doors keep squirrels from reaching the seed. And if you’ve had plastic feeders gnawed to destruction by squirrels, try switching to metal which they’ll be less likely to chew through. Courtesy of ARA We have one of the largest selections of specialty landscape plants in the For over 83 years we have been privileged to serve the Bayside community and surrounding neighborhoods. We pride ourselves in giving the ultimate quality and service to our customers with professionalism and integrity at a reasonable cost. We deliver throughout the five boroughs and on Long Island. Our full service knowledgeable staff awaits you! Our Greenhouses and yard are bursting with Nursery Stock & Colorful Plants, Annuals, and Perennials! Let Keil Bros. Inc. Home & Garden Showplace make your HOME & GARDEN into a SHOWPLACE KEIL BROS. INC. GARDEN CENTER & NURSERY QUALITY • SERVICE • INTEGRITY 210-11 48th Avenue • Bayside • Open 7 Days 718.224.2020 WWW.KEILBROS.COM Est. 1930 See us on Facebook KeilBros.Inc. New York City area. Fresh Farm Apples from the Hudson Valley are here. Call for varieties! Inventory Reduction SALE now going on. Stop in for details.
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