Baffled

There is no fool-proof way to keep squirrels out of feeders (they are smarter than we are), but I've come close. The 4x4" post is over 12 feet from the nearest place from which a squirrel can jump. Then there is a simple piece of stove pipe. One winter a squirrel managed to reach the feeder, but the snow pack was 3 ft, so it just jumped over the 30" stove pipe.

But this guy is clearly baffled by it ...


He quickly headed up the apple tree - too far to jump to the feeder, but he did not need to, what with the apples. And he put on a considerable show of agility and acrobatism (a word?) ...

My certainty that Red-bellied Woodpeckers were nesting somewhere nearby was finally confirmed by the presence of this juvenile at the feeders. He's wary, like his parents, but returns regularly ...

And finally, second broods are coming by, including downies, cardinals, and grosbeaks. Although not evident from this angle, this is a young Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Other photos I took show its young age, but I liked the pose and color in this shot ...



Good birding!