Hey, that is meant for the Orioles, not you, Mr. Raccoon

The battle is on us versus the critters

Raccoon emptying jelly cups meant for Baltimore Orioles

Grape jelly and orange halves set out to delight the gorgeous Baltimore Orioles seem also to attract our four-footed critters. The Orioles arrive in early May solely for reproducing; they are gone by mid-August. These birds enjoy the juice from oranges, the sweetness of grape jelly, and mealworms, and we try to cater to their needs by setting up a feeding station just for them. We are supplementing their diet of insects and fruit with our offerings.

We were not considering the eating quirks of our four-footed visitors when we set up our Oriole platform. Perhaps we should have.

Who knew squirrels loved oranges? Or chipmunks adored sweet sticky grape jelly? The raccoon licking the jelly cups yesterday afternoon was funny. The Orioles don’t mind a woodpecker or catbird enjoying their private stock, but a raccoon? Somewhat intimidating and the giant creature, from the bird’s perspective, emptied the two cups.

A chipmunk with a sweet addiction

We feed birds, and inadvertently squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, turkeys, woodchucks, and raccoons. We don’t mind sharing, but the battle…