Raccoons

All of you know that I recently moved to Alabama, and am really experiencing my first Spring season in 20 years..........I've been absolutely in awe of the birds here. Cardinals, Blue Birds, Blue Jays, etc. Sandy and I would see them in Tucson, but briefly, as they were just passing through. Anyway, to make a long story short, I put up a suet feeder, because I am fortunate enough to live right next to a greenbelt, and there are birds galore back there.
   


Things went fine for the first two days. Then I got up one morning, and the feeder was open and the whole cake was gone. My brilliant solution was to put another cake in and wire it shut. I did so, and the next morning, not only was the cake gone, but the entire feeder was gone. My Brother tells me it is Raccoons.

Any suggestions?

Well, I have a couple of those cage feeders.  I nailed them right to the trees.  I wire them shut, too. 

Beautiful yard!

Thanks Rob! I'll give it a try!

Wow, yes---gorgeous yard, Dave!  

Glad you're enjoying your first spring in so long!   I have no suggestions, unfortunately.  I mean, I know there's squirrel 'proof' feeders---not sure if those would keep raccoons out too?

We have had the same issue with the squirrels and the suet feeders. What are you hanging the feeder from? Right now we only have a goldfinch feeder running, and we not only get a lot of goldfinches, but also get chickadees, and woodpeckers as well.

Absolutely beautiful yard Dave! Love those pines... what kind are they?

Beautiful pictures.... Squirrels are also a problem here, too.

I've hung them from trees. Think I will nail them to the tree and wire them shut........

Those are Loblolly Pines......Abundant in Alabama......

They look a lot like the red pines we have up north here.

We had the suet feeders hung from a pole that is meant for hanging either a feeder, or a hanging flower basket. (like this) I don't think a raccoon could climb that like the squirrels can, but we ended up using some large (like 1 gallon) empty water bottles and making a barricade so they couldn't get to the feeder. Worked pretty well.

LauraIngallsfan wrote:

They look a lot like the red pines we have up north here.

We had the suet feeders hung from a pole that is meant for hanging either a feeder, or a hanging flower basket. (like this) I don't think a raccoon could climb that like the squirrels can, but we ended up using some large (like 1 gallon) empty water bottles and making a barricade so they couldn't get to the feeder. Worked pretty well.

Well, the one  thing about all the trees, is that there is so much shade back there, I simply pine strawed the entire yard......much less grass cutting! Doesn't grow well in the shade anyway. Between the feeders and the bird baths, seeing a lot of beautiful birds.....

That is simply beautiful Dave! Thanks for the pictures. I am not surprised at all the birds you are seeing in that kind of an environment.

We basically did the same thing with the white pines we have in our yard... we let the needles fall where they do, and there is a nice build up of cover on the ground now.

That is one pretty yard. I especially like that last picture.

Rob wrote:

That is one pretty yard.  I especially like that last picture.

Thanks Rob. I was fortunate to find it......Not a large house, about 1600 feet, but fine for just me.....that last pic is the windows of the breakfast area off the kitchen.....nice to sit there in the morning and look out at nature...........