Why West Roxbury needs those coyotes
By adamg - Thu, 05/24/2007 - 9:42pm.
To eat the rats a Hartlawn Road resident has been feeding since 2005:
... Meaney also added that the rats in Hanron's home have added tension to the neighborhood, and that Hanron expressed feeling stigmatized and ostracized.
Earlier:
Coyotes strike fear in West Roxbury.
| 
| 
"When her cats are fed, the
"When her cats are fed, the food now must be immediately removed from her backyard following the feedings, and any birdseed that falls to the ground must be picked up."
Picking up the cat food makes sense, but have they seen how birds eat? I realize the woman is elderly and retired, but do they really expect her to spend the whole day under the feeder picking up every little seed? Plus some birds are ground feeders anyway.
I suppose the logical solution would just be to take away the bird feeder until the rats are gone.
Put the feeder away for the summer
it is often a good idea to pull in the birdfeeders in the summer. Why? Not only do the birds not need them, they shouldn't have them around because they might not learn to forage properly if the cafeteria is always open. Furthermore, as noted, the seed attracts all sorts of critters not active in the winter, such as skunks, rats, racoons, squirrels, woodchucks, and chipmunks.
Yup.
"Furthermore, as noted, the seed attracts all sorts of critters not active in the winter, such as skunks, rats, racoons, squirrels, woodchucks, and chipmunks."
The above-mentioned quote from your post is the most compelling reason not to put a bird feeder up in the summer.
Oh deer what can the matter be?
A buck or a doe stopping traffic during the morning commute http://www.boston.com/news/globe/city_region/breaking_news/2007/05/deer_complicate.html
More coyote lunch on the move at rush hour!
I also found a link on the Town of Arlington website stating that birdseed on the ground attracts coyotes because it attracts coyote food!
Oh deer is right (lol)
Again--a case of being "human-conditioned". It's happening more and more.
I was going to ask: Why the hell is she feeding the rats?
yet, since she is elderly and retired--can't entirely condemn her. Yet, someone should probably remind her not to leave cat food, etc., where rats can get it, and maybe get some help in plugging up the portals of entry and access that the rats have to her home. Also--not to leave things too damp, as rats want to drink water, also.