FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com OCTOBER 17, 2013 • AT HOME • THE COURIER SUN 47 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 fi nd what they like - and ditch the undesirable fi ller, like red milo, on the ground below the feeder - squirrels are not so picky. They’ll eat the castoffs 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 fi ller seeds, crop leftovers and the lowest quality oil sunfl ower. Cole’s uses only high quality seeds, and each blend is designed to attract specifi c groups of birds. Taste aversion - serving seed that birds fi nd delicious, but squirrels consider down right distasteful - is an effective way to keep squirrels out of bird feeders. Check out a squirrel proof birdseed blend that uses hot spicy fl avor 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 sunfl ower meats with a Habanero chili pepper and Saffl ower oil that birds fi nd 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 fi nd the best results from a combination of methods, including: * Locate feeders far from trees, wires, porches or other launching points to make it more diffi cult 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 fi t 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. at home BENSON MOSAICS, INC. 63-60 Woodhaven Blvd. • Rego Park, NY 11374 Tel 718.458.7208 • 718.457.6701 Fax 718.899.9329 • www.BENSONMOSAICS.com HOURS: Mon, Tues, Wed and Fri 8AM-6AM Thurs 8AM-8PM • Sat 8AM-4PM FEATURING THE FINEST QUALITY IN: • Porcelain Tile • Marble • Mosaics • Kohler Fixtures • Imported Mirrors Vanities • Imported & Domestic Bathroom Fixtures • Custom Marble Work & Granite Counter Tops Fall Sale Offer Expires 12/31/13 Must Bring in Coupon> Not to be combined with any other offers 30%OFF ALL ITEMS IN STOCK SPECIAL CLEARANCE IMPORTED ITALIAN PORCELAIN TILES $1.49 PER SQ. FT LIMITED QUANTITY 1ST COME, 1ST SERVE
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