Christine - You are fortunate that your squirrels consider a gap of four feet
from the nearest tree an insurmountable barrier. Years ago I lived in the
Montreal suburbs. I maintained a feeder on a wire "tramway," allowing me to
haul it in to the back door to recharge, then send it safely out over the
middle of the back yard. If I hauled it too far, however, the gray squirrels
would launch themselves from a tree to enjoy a feast. We began a friendly
competition. If I placed it at optimum distance, a gray would run along a
branch, launch, turn on his back, and catch a corner of the feeder with one
paw, and pull himself aboard. Without a doubt, some of these aerial feats
spanned some ten feet. Any particularly spectacular flight was rewarded with
a ten minute feed before I chased him away again, this time to move the
feeder an inch or two farther away. The squirrel would try again, this time
missing, and disappearing into the four feet or so of soft snow that covered
the yard. Squirrel would dig himself to daylight, shake himself, and (I know
this sounds anthropomorphic) turn towards the house and, I swear, give me a
very dirty look.
I think my squirrel friends/enemies may have actually enjoyed the
competition. I know I did.

RWMaule
Poulsbo
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