That’s right, this is a post for the love of squirrels. How can I not love a squirrel? They’re cute, they’re funny and they’re smarter than I want them to be. Anyone with a bird feeder knows that.

My lot is only 100 x 100 feet square smack in the middle of Hyannis yet some days I have up to a dozen squirrels hanging out in my yard. I’m not sure where they all come from and why the number stays pretty constant. We have a pair of foxes that helps keep them in control as well as a pair of red tailed hawks that pick them off pretty regularly and that doesn’t even account for traffic or coyotes or feral cats. And yet, the squirrel population is still robust. This week,after one of the snow storms I looked out the window and there were 8 squirrels taking their fill of sunflower seeds.

Over the years I’ve devised all kinds of things I hoped would keep the squirrels out of the bird feeders and this is what I found out. Squirrels like a good obstacle course. Those soda bottles strung on the rope only offer them a chance to become squirrel circus performers. Squirrels can leap great distances. And do. A squirrel can travel from tree to roof and leap almost 10 feet onto a feeder.

So over the years I have moved my feeders around. They are near a stand of old lilacs which give the birds cover but which are too flimsy for the squirrels to use. They are about 20 feet away from the house so no roof jumping and I finally invested in some good solid baffles which after a little experimenting with the placement really do baffle the squirrels.

Here’s the thing. I’ve been watching one squirrel run up the pole under the sunflower feeder and bang on the baffle. At first I thought it was trying to move the baffle and in a way, it is. It is shaking the pole so the seed falls on the ground.

Then the squirrel and its little squirrel friends stuff their little squirrel faces. I also throw seed on the ground for them, especially when it is very cold or stormy, As I said, I do get a kick out of these little guys. I just don’t want them hogging all the feeders.

Right now you may be noticing that some squirrels are looking quite well padded. Most of these chunky squirrels are actually pregnant and soon will disappear from sight while they give birth and nurse their new little ones. Don’t worry. it won’t be long before they’ll be back at the feeders and in a few months they’ll introduce a whole new generation to your backyard. In the meantime, it may be a good idea to stock up on more sunflower seeds.