Plus an update on the Bandito/Slinky wars.
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 1000, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Ten days ago along the access road to Bear River MBR this Black-crowned Night Heron was hunting in the same area as the Great Egret and Great Blue Heron I posted photos of a week ago today. It may not look like it but this bird was actually walking quite rapidly toward another Black-crowned Night Heron and the two of them eventually had a confrontation but I missed photographing it because I was concentrating on other birds.
I chose to post this photo out of many because I like the position of ‘his’ right foot as he’s walking and because his white head plumes are actually hanging on this side of the bird where we can see them. When I photograph this species the plumes always seem to be on the wrong side.
Now for a change of pace.
It’s been a week since I hung a Slinky from my bird feeder pole in an attempt to discourage Bandito, the neighborhood thieving fox squirrel, from climbing up the pole, hanging from my feeder, and eating all of my expensive bird seed. In this situation, Slinky’s sometimes work and sometimes they don’t.
It’s time for a progress report.
Since I hung the Slinky I’ve seen Bandito eating fallen bird seed below the feeder at least once every day (these photos were taken through my dirty window). Sometimes I’ve seen him at the base of my feeder two or three times daily, but since I hung the Slinky I’ve never once seen him on my feeder or even attempt to climb the pole. He seems mostly content to eat the ‘scraps’ below the feeder and leave the actual feeder alone.
I’m almost certain that he attempted to climb the pole, probably multiple times, when I wasn’t looking and eventually just gave up. I wish I’d seen his climbing attempts for their entertainment value but I’m more than satisfied with the results. So far.
At times he seems frustrated by his new circumstances. Better him than me.
Ron
Truth in advertising: These last two photos were taken the day before I hung the Slinky but the results I’ve reported are accurate.
😁
Glad you’ve foiled the bird seed marauder with such a simple thing! My slinky has been in place for five years and is still bouncy. Squirrels have food elsewhere and are in fine fettle without my expensive, locally made seed blend. And that’s a beautiful photo of the heron!
I am torn today. I love the elegant black crowned night heron and its reflection, but I empathise (more than I can say) with Bandito.
He doesn’t get much sympathy from me, EC. But then I pay the bills…
That Night Heron is so sharp. Beautiful shot.
Slinky is looking very frustrated.
My paper company outside of Philadelphia did business with James Spring and Wire Co in Great Valley PA. Richard James the company founder invented the SLINKY back in the 1940’s. Once we went there with reps from 3M to demo a new line of automatic box taping machines. The head 3M guy was an expert in this, but was a pretty rough guy who cussed a lot. We told him to hold back on that because Mr. James was a very religious man etc. All was going well, but then something went wrong with the machinery and of course our 3M guy started cussing up a storm. A very embarrassing moment, but all went well in the end and the James folks bought the taping machines.
Everett, the heron is so sharp that during processing I had to cut down on my normal sharpening routine by 25%.
Did you see the Slinky’s being made? I’ve been wondering how they make them so precisely.
Yes – the Night Heron just jumped out at me it was so sharp – really caught my attention.
Yes I did watch them being made – I forget for sure, but I think that when my story took place was probably late 1960’s to early 1970’s. And sorry to say after all these years I don’t recall how they were made. But for sure I would bet that today it is far more high tech than back then. And maybe today they are made in China or Viet Nam etc.
That last is hysterical. I feel like that a lot. 🙂
“I feel like that a lot,”
Yup. l get that.
I love the heron foot too, the reflection is great. Now how to discourage a mother racoon and three young? I was bringing the feeders in at night but now she is out during the day as soon as I fill them. I tried going to just suet and hummingbird feeders for a week but she figured out how to open the suet cages and take the block and now she is drinking the hummingbird syrup. I have squirrel cones on my Shepard hook but she seems able to get past them. Can they shimmy up a flag pole? That might be my next go, we have one that came with the house by the garage but have never used it due to it’s challenging location behind the garage against the fence line.
A raccoon baffle is usually long, around 24” long, kinda like a stove pipe, and usually ought to have the top at about 5-6’ high up in a pole. They can usually get around a squirrel baffle.
I had to move hummingbird feeders to a pole when mama raccoon and her 4 babies discovered their sweet teeth!
April, my guess is that raccoons would defeat most flag poles, depending on their diameter.
Sounds like Barbara might have the best advice.
The Heron is lovely – those stylish head plumes look like something off a haute couture runway in Paris. Actually, the whole “look” this bird is sporting – the sleek grey/white outfit, the plumes, the boots, the red eyes, and the model’s strut – very classy!
It seems like there have been quite a few birds recently with red eyes. My imagination?
And a question about the beautiful mule deer from yesterday, with her notched left ear – is that an old injury, or do the wildlife people use that as a mark when they interact with a critter, like the TNR feral cats that get their left ears tipped when they are spayed/neutered? Just wondering.
Carolyn, I wish I knew the answer to your question about the deer but I just don’t. Seems to me that either is a possibility.
I too had a laugh out loud with the squirrel and his paws over his head.
Good.
Good, good news about the slinky’s effectiveness but that last photo, along with the story is one I would happily dine out on for years. Just too, too funny! I like the BCNH photo, esp with the plume and raised foot but the squirrel is the one to “feed” me today, dirty window or not.
Loved your comment, Granny Pat. I had the same reaction to that photo.
So wonderful to see this heron in the wild, Ron! I’d only seen him at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum outside of Tucson, hiding in some foliage in their lovely aviary. GREAT to see this bird charging around in the water. I will be remember your bird feeder Slinky hack forever!
Kathy, I’ll let readers know if Bandito eventually outwits my slinky but so far, so good.
I get to learn about many of the special features that birds through your posts, most of them I’ve never seen myself or heard of, as I tune in from CO. Thank you for all of the volunteering you do, this a great learning platform for me. In addition, your side story about Bandito and the very curious deer the other day, help to understand a sense of place and‘environment which you surround yourself. The humor of creatures having behaviors like climbing poles to places they don’t belong, can become a habit forming pastime for us to watch. I’m glad you found a cure to the pole climbing and I hope further enjoyment can be shared with Bandito as he continues to display human like behaviors, throwing his hands on top of his head like he is having a frustrating experience we might be able to relate to. Thanks for sharing these gifts of wildlife with us, I always enjoy the posts.
Thank you very much, Deb.
Beautiful shot of the Night Heron……all came together including the reflection 🙂 Also glad the slinky is getting the job done so far – last shot is hilarious….:)
Thank you, Judy.
You caught the Heron in a classic pose; stealth mode, as Herons usually are. Looks like a twofer, plume-wise.
A simple child’s toy for a squirrel baffle. To think of all the time and money I’ve spent…and the battle continues.
Lyle, just because the Slinky has worked so far doesn’t mean it’ll continue to work. But at this point I’m optimistic. Yesterday morning I watched him feeding at the base of the pole for about 10 minutes and he never attempted to climb it. I don’t think he even thought about it.
Haha, that last pix is a hoot!
Thanks, Terri.