[Magdalen] Attempted Robbery at Local Dining Spot Foiled by Patrons

[Susan Hagen]

Oh Jay, your headline is too funny!


On Tue, Mar 29, 2016 at 7:22 PM, Jay Weigel <jay.weigel at gmail.com> wrote:
> As I think I've mentioned before, the branch that held our bird feeders
> broke off last year, and S/O replaced it with a long steel pipe which is
> securely bolted into the tree at an angle and has a couple of baffles along
> it. The feeders are raised and lowered by a pulley system. We were fairly
> certain that the squirrels which inhabit the tree (mostly young ones,
> apparently) couldn't get to the feeders. However, certain of the more
> adventurous ones have tried, and some of them have actually made it as far
> as the end of the pole or even, in a couple of cases, to the top of the
> larger (sunflower seed) feeder. These are usually the smaller squirrels, as
> larger ones' paws seem to not be able to grasp the nylon cables. However,
> those that get that far usually find themselves *very* precariously
> balanced about 15 feet off the ground with nothing to grab onto or land on,
> and as soon as they can figure out how they generally beat a hasty retreat
> to a higher branch where they sit and swear for awhile before going about
> their squirrelly business.
>
> So the other day one young bushy-tailed fellow sat and contemplated the
> pole for awhile and finally ventured out on it as we watched. There were
> diners at both feeders and most of them paid no attention until he got
> rather close to the end of the pole. At that point some of the diners left
> hurriedly and a couple of patrons of the sunflower feeder squawked at him
> loudly. He actually made it all the way to the top of the thistle feeder, a
> very narrow perch indeed, but at that point, as he was contemplating his
> next move (and simultaneously trying to maintain his position), two
> goldfinches who had been dining at the feeder decided they were not having
> any of this invasion and went after him. He didn't have time to think about
> how he was going to get up that cable and back over that pole....with them
> screeching and flapping and pecking at him he just DID it! The didn't stop
> there, either--they chased him clear up the tree, screeching at him all the
> way! That was one *very* frightened squirrel. Somehow I don't think he's
> going to attempt that again. The goldfinches, having made sure he was
> perched safely on a high branch, returned to their meal. The proprietors of
> the cafe returned to their various tasks as soon as they stopped laughing.



-- 
The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among
you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the
land of Egypt.
Leviticus 19:34