Squirrel Wars

The squirrel is winning.First there were skirmishes.   I tried a string to the bird feeder to yank on and eject the thieving squirrel.  The squirrel chewed its way into the bird seed bucket.I would jam a steel bucket upside down on top of this compromised bucket in order to keep them out. I mean jam it on, squeeze it down, not just rest it on.Somehow, I don't know how, but the squirrel would lift or pry that steel bucket off of the prize.  I like to imagine a little squirrel overhead press, lifting the bucket off with Olympian effort.I'd be in the house and hear -CLANG!- and know that the squirrel conquered the bucket again.  Then I'd give him some minutes to enjoy it after all that work before I went out and put the bucket back on top.Then one day:HW came inside with the bucket, and a squirrel still inside- worried and holding still.These pictures are shot through the hole in the lid.................Then for a little while I didn't notice the squirrel so much.  I'd slowed down on feeding the birds, since it was warm. I figured he'd moved on along with the birds to the usual burgeoning springtime wildcrafted buffet.I hadn't refilled the seed bucket in the wood"shed".  Little did I know, HW had.So one day, I find this:So that's where the squirrel's been.  Feasting and cavorting like a kid in a ball pit.Oh yeah, squirrel?I put a bucket full of dirt on top of the seed bucket.  That'll fix 'em.A few hours later....That's what I get for using a plastic bucket.I gave the remaining seed to the birds and gave up for this year.