The Case of the Missing Feeders!

I was really beginning to think that I was losing my mind! Every morning, I would fill and hang out the many bird feeders for my feathered friends and the few grey squirrels that are brave enough to venture past Ms. Ez. As a dog, that is her one good point! She chases squirrels very well! So well, in fact, that it seems to be her prime goal in life! But back to my sanity or lack of...whichever the case may be! I have to tote the feeders in and out with the sun as the raccoons and other critters take a liking to the birdseed and demolish the feeders as they hang on them. My problem? I seem to be losing feeders! Literally! The suet feeders have diminished in numbers from five to one! And I seem to have lost a wire sunflower seed feeder! These have disappeared during the daylight hours so it seems! Yesterday was the limit! Another suet feeder disappeared from the driftwood post. I had carefully wired this one around the post as to make it a bit more time consuming for a would-be thief to pilfer my property. It did not work! When I gathered the feeders in last night, I noticed the missing feeder at once and vowed to find my purloined property!

This morning after bedding in the sweet potatoes, I went on a search for the feeders. I scoured the marsh edge thinking a coon had made a beeline for the safety of the dense grass. No feeders could be found. I searched the Azaleas, Palmettos and Camellia bushes..no luck finding my missing items. Then I started staring at treetops. Not in the Hickory..not in the Mimosa..not in the Black Gum..not to be found. Then around the side of the house, I spied something dangling in a Live Oak tree. That could be one of my feeders! I made my way around the brambles to the base of the tree..aha! Was I ever surprised!!! I hit the jackpot of all loot piles! There hanging in the branches of the Live Oak was my feeder! Or should I say feeders! This critter had definitely been busy! Two of the missing suet feeders were dangling precariously from the limbs! Their wire doors had been opened and the suet devoured but the cages were at least intact! Another suet cage was jammed in the fork of two large branches. The wire sunflower seed feeder was wedged between another fork in the tree trunk! It too had been emptied but was still in good shape! Obviously whatever stole the feeders, was adept enough to open the doors without damaging the feeders! Still, as happy as I was to find these, two suet feeders were still missing! They could be higher up in the branches and just obscured from view by the leaves but I could not see them.

With the help of a step ladder and a long stick, I was able to retrieve the feeders. They will be cleaned, refilled and rehung in the morning. Then...from the window, I will watch to see if I can catch the culprit that is filching the feeders! Since the last ones have been taken during the daylight hours, I am not sure if the thief is a raccoon. Perhaps a squirrel has been toting their dinner home to the Live Oak..who knows? I will try to catch the critter "with their hands in the cookie jar"! Then, once I determine just who is being naughty, I suppose Ms. Ezzy can have her fun! She can chase them to her heart's content and maybe..just maybe..my birds can eat in peace!