The Den Drey at Phantom Farm presents Attracting Flying Squirrels to Your Yard

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The Den Drey at Phantom Farm Presents

Attracting Flying Squirrels to Your Yard

Attracting wild flying squirrels is as easy as attracting wild grey squirrels. (Yes, some people actually want grey squirrels to visit their property! Squirrels are no less deserving of our affection than the chickadee, goldfinch, cardinal and blue jay, that visit our seed feeders.) I made three simple feeders, that hang from my maple tree, for the squirrels and birds. On the left is a plastic plant hanging pot, left over from the previous years annuals. One of the three hanging lines broke, but that made the pot ideal for the red bellied woodpecker, who can easily perch on the lower edge, and gather sunflower seed from the pot. The squirrels can also easily jump from the trunk of the tree to the pot.

In the center is the box-style feeder I made from a small dresser drawer. I attached a piece of shelf board to the front face of the drawer, that was 4" wider, and 8" longer, than the drawer face. Using another piece of shelf board, I made two right trangular pieces, and attached them to each side of the drawer. This serves as the support for the slanted front roof, which is nailed to these triangular pieces. The front of the feeder has a sliding Plexiglas front that spans half way to the top of the drawer. This makes is easy to see the contents of the feeder, and to watch the squirrels, which occasionally sit inside the drawer. The slanted roof makes it difficult ('tho not impossible) for the starlings to take the peanuts, and also discourages the blue jays. (They have their own peanut feeder, attached to the porch pillar.)

On the right is the woven rattan basket, that is used to feed the flying squirrels, at night. The box feeder proved to be a danger to the flying squirrels, as they can be trapped by aggressors inside the box, and killed. (A cruel lesson, learned the hard way...) At night, I remove the plexiglas from the box, and any peanuts that were not eaten during the day are put in the basket feeder. The flying squirrels can jump to the basket, then back to the tree's trunk, without danger. In fact, the basket makes it easy to tell when the flyers have arrived, by swinging when the flyers jump to it.

You can enhance your viewing, without disturbing the flying squirrels, by aiming a spotlight toward the base of the tree trunk. The light will sufficently illuminate the feeders to make it easier for you to see the squirrels, but will not unduly discourage them from coming to visit.

Occasionally, the raccoons will climb the tree, and try to reach the basket. It hangs just out of reach, although one was smart enough to climb up to the branch from which the basket hangs, and pull at the wire until the basket was closer to the tree. I try to remember to put out some cat and dog kibble, for the raccoons; and for the oppossum, too.

The photos of flyers are from my efriends, in Kentucky. This photo shows "Princess". In the evening, my efriends can call to Princess. In a matter of minutes, she glides to the hickory tree that grows close to the deck. Many others follow Princess to the deck.

Princess takes a pecan from their hands, pausing for a moment, with her tiny front feet holding their fingers. It is a special way Princess communicates her appreciation for their sharing with her their hearts and their home (not to mention, their pecans! ).

Flying Squirrel drinking from stream. Photographer unknown

As important as food, is water, to all living creatures. Providing a safe clean source of water can enhance both the lives of the creatures that so enthrall us, as well as increase the variety of species that visit our yards. At the back of the sugar maple tree is a hanging wooden planter, which has a square shallow plastic dish in it, to provide a safe place for the flyers to drink, at night. At the base of the maple tree are three plastic dishes of water, and in the ivy, hidden from sight in the photo, there is a Rubbermaid trash can lid, that serves as a bathtub for many birds. The lid is easy to free of ice, in the winter, and thus, works better than a cememt bird bath.

One thing we need to remember, when planning a landscape, is, if we want to have a happy balance of wildlife close at hand, we cannot remove all the "dead" trees. In my opinion, there is no such creature as a "dead" tree. Trees that appear to be past their prime, dying or dead, are in fact teeming with life. On this farm are several ancient weeping willows. As these trees return to the ground from whence they grew, a host of creatures makes use of the decaying wood. Fungi, and insects, which in turn feed birds and squirrels, live off the wood. The softened wood is pecked into nest holes by woodpeckers, and the abandoned holes are in turn used by both flying squirrels, and greys. The trunks provide nesting possibilities for a host of songbirds, birds of prey, and of course, for my favourite members of the Order Rodentia, the various arboreal and ground squirrels.

Likewise, if we tear out the catbrier, and bullbrier, the multiflora rose and the wild raspberry, and lay a sod lawn, we not only deprive our fauna neighbours of shelter and a place to gather sustenance, we diminish our own lives, starving ourselves for the company of these wonderful creatures. We also deprive ourselves of some interesting additions to our own diets! Visit www.ediblewild.com for a different look at the "blaspheme vines".

Weeping Willow, cat-tails, soft wind, and roses

Rainpools in the woodland, water to my knees

Shivering, quivering, the warm breath of spring

Weeping Willow, cat-tails, soft wind, and roses

Slanted rays and coloured days, stark blue horizons

Naked limbs and wheat bins,hazy afternoons

Voicing, rejoicing, the wine cups do bring

Weeping Willow, cat-tails, soft wind and roses