My feeders are right outside the window where my computer station is, so I can monitor them. I chase the squirrels away with an airsoft gun, and if they get too belligerent I sic the dog on them. They usually get the message they're not welcome.

Y'all need Twirl-a-Squirrel

No need for feeders here. There is plenty of naturally occuring food to attract the birds, even the meat-eaters.

Last spring we had a kestrel hunting in the graveyard. This spring there are significantly fewer mole tracks in the yard.

Road or TT? I would imagine the road bike would be more agile amongst the grave markings but the TT would be faster over a straight line.

Ha! That's great.

He was pretty aero.

That would be awesome. I've always loved raptors. I saw this guy sittin' in a tree at the BBG, a couple blocks away from my place.

Parents better keep a close eye on their small children...or pets. A 2 lb. chihuahua would make that bird a nice meal.

I love them too. That is one of the things I'm most looking forward to with my new house. There is a glade of trees behind the property, where I have seen roosting owls, peregrines, and red-tailed hawks. Likely a kestrel as well. That will be my backyard for the next 50yrs

There are also lots of barn swallows. It's fun to watch them swoop and dive hunting insects.

There was a program (don't know if it's still around) that employed hawks (with falconers) to keep the pigeons away from some of the greenspaces in NYC - just the presence of the hawks made the pigeons keep their distance. Anywho, one day, one of these trained hawks swooped in on a rat rustling in the ivy... Oops - not a rat - https://www.ny1.com/?ArID=32255&SecID=1000

BTW - that redtail was just finishing up a meal - the last bits are in the outstretched claws. I don't think that I would have gotten as close otherwise. This was taken at about 12 feet, or so (135mm on a full frame camera, for any geeks out there).

Whats not fun is when they swoop and dive at you. Trying mowing the lawn and having 3 or 4 try to attack you

Rat...chihuaua...who can tell the difference. I blame the rat..I mean dog.

Yeah, they do follow around the guy that cuts our grass. Another reason that it's worth paying somebody to do that chore I guess.

I dont think my parents want to hire someone to mow 5 acres.

Either way, it scared the bejeezus out of me.

Your parents make you mow five acres? That's just cruel.

20 minutes...tops.

I figure I'll post this here too. This is almost as over the top as that lawn tractor.

Depends on how big a mower he uses.

Almost.

nice. very nice.

this. isn't a chihuahua just a rat with a fancy name anyway. Little yaplets like that deserve to be raptor food.

Love it. From now on, we will call annoying little dogs yaplets.

5 acres on a 25hp zero turn makes it kind of fun. I like to try and do crazy patterns (that never turn out) in the one section of the back yard. I did do giant circles one time..like 4 or 5 giant circle.

I need to get some pictures of the back yard, its like walking through a park in the back 1/3 of it.

You guys have probably seen this, but

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oiwj1...rec_grec_index