Engineeringtech
Member
I started putting whole (raw) peanuts on my deck railing about 3 months ago. It was a reward for my bluejays' good behavior. I've never seen them attack other birds or muscle their way onto the feeder. They always waited patiently for the smaller birds to leave the feeder. I enjoyed watching them weigh the peanuts before deciding which one to fly away with.
Of course, the squirrels, chipmunks, and grackles found the peanuts. You might think the squirrels would take more of them than the chipmunks. But one chipmunk could clean 40 whole peanuts off the deck railing in about 15 minutes. How? It puts 3 or 4 in it's mouth, then runs across the yard to it's hole and stores them. I suspect there are hundreds of peanuts under my lawn.
I can't keep spending $40 a month for whole peanuts. So I bought a big bag of shelled raw peanuts. Slightly less expensive. I pour piles of them spaced a foot apart on the railing. That slowed down the chipmunks. They don't always see the smaller piles, and they are not interested in storing them. What is weird is the way the grackles act. One will land next to a pile, then do a frenzied fluttering act. Then they hop over the pile, turn around, and do another frenzied fluttering act. What is that about? The peanuts appear to be fresh. I even tasted a few, and they seem ok.
The squirrels ignored the shelled peanuts and started attacking my bird feeder, which only has safflower seed in it. I didn't think they'd be interested in the safflower seed. I put bowls of water on the deck railing and for a time they left the feeder alone. I noticed they ALWAYS drink from the far side of the bowl. Why?
Of course, the squirrels, chipmunks, and grackles found the peanuts. You might think the squirrels would take more of them than the chipmunks. But one chipmunk could clean 40 whole peanuts off the deck railing in about 15 minutes. How? It puts 3 or 4 in it's mouth, then runs across the yard to it's hole and stores them. I suspect there are hundreds of peanuts under my lawn.
I can't keep spending $40 a month for whole peanuts. So I bought a big bag of shelled raw peanuts. Slightly less expensive. I pour piles of them spaced a foot apart on the railing. That slowed down the chipmunks. They don't always see the smaller piles, and they are not interested in storing them. What is weird is the way the grackles act. One will land next to a pile, then do a frenzied fluttering act. Then they hop over the pile, turn around, and do another frenzied fluttering act. What is that about? The peanuts appear to be fresh. I even tasted a few, and they seem ok.
The squirrels ignored the shelled peanuts and started attacking my bird feeder, which only has safflower seed in it. I didn't think they'd be interested in the safflower seed. I put bowls of water on the deck railing and for a time they left the feeder alone. I noticed they ALWAYS drink from the far side of the bowl. Why?
