The latest on the squirrel/raccoon/dove wars.

The raccoons apparently have given up on trying to get to the bird feeders.  Every night the feeders are left out and in the morning they are untouched and in place.  So, Guillermo won there.  He came up with that amazing way to hang the feeders that stymies both the squirrels AND the raccoons.  And even the doves.  They TRY to hang on to the feeder but it is just too precarious for them and what they end up doing is just hanging around underneath the feeders waiting for whatever the finches, titmice, cardinals, and chickadees drop.

But last night, the raccoons or SOMEthing went on a mini rampage.  They knocked over the little frog fountain and they ripped all the leaves off the bottom of the persimmon tree!

So, Guillermo has won in some ways, and lost in others.  Another way he has lost is quite discouraging.  He has discovered that the squirrels are eating the little peaches that are growing on our peach tree.  The peaches aren't even bigger than the size of a peach pit, and they must be hard as rocks, but still the squirrels are eating, or TRYING to eat them.  It's discouraging because if they are willing to eat them at this stage, then there's no hope for any peach to last on that tree that's nice and plump and juicy.

So, win in some ways, lose in others.  Maybe all we'll be able to have in the backyard is a flower garden!