Germantown & Salemtown friends,
After losing several bird feeders to theft a few months ago and taking elaborate measures to secure what remained, this morning Karsten and I discovered our bird feeder pole and remaining feeders were gone. Not only gone, but the thief or thieves apparently got frustrated trying to remove them intact and bent the pole back and forth to break it off near the ground.
And actually, we were forewarned: yesterday we found that a small feeder had been stolen from the south side of the house, and the handle on one of the secured feeders in the front yard was twisted, as if someone had tried to break it off from the pole.
Not only are we frustrated at the property loss (the last theft included about $60 worth of feeders — this time, the dollar value is more like $150), but it’s upsetting on a much more significant level: the feeders were a memorial of sorts to my father, who always loved feeding the birds in his own yard.
Anyway, I filed a police report, and I’m letting you all know so you can be aware of the trend. You probably already know to secure your possessions, but here’s a disappointing reminder to be extra cautious.
Take care and be safe,
– Kate O’ at [home address]
I’ve heard of some people considering putting a wireless web-cam outside that would record a frame on a computer inside whenever the picture changed significantly (i.e. someone was moving) to find out who was stealing their solar lights. They never did it, so I don’t know how well it would work.
Good luck.
Ugh 🙁
Wow, some people just totally suck. It’s beyond my comprehension, really. So sorry to hear about this.
That’s horrible and discouraging, and the dad connection is especially upsetting. If you decide to replace them, is it possible to put brackets directly on the house above easy reaching distance? You’d have to either have the feeders directly beside opening windows or use a ladder to fill them, though, which would be something of a hassle.
We had the big, lush hanging ferns stolen off of our front porch our first summer in this house and haven’t been willing to put anything even remotely appealing or portable out there in the years since. I have a very strong (over)reaction to attacks on my stuff in that it feels a bit too much like an attack on me. It is so very disappointing when some thoughtless idiot makes you feel like you have to reconsider the way you use your own property.
That is so fucked up! Aargh!
I agree, time for a webcam!
Sorry this keeps happening.
Such a gross thing to do! It almost sounds like a prank, which, just … ugh. I hope you catch who’s doing it.
-J
Man traps. With sharpened bamboo stakes at the bottom.
Or home made quicksand.
While growing up in South Georgia, we would sit on the porch in the dark with a shotgun so that folks who decided they were brave enough to steal something could be taught a lesson.
It worked pretty well!
Mister Nashville
Hmm. Thanks for the idea.
I’m feeling pretty close to ready to try it.
One of our neighbors suggested poison ivy on the feeder poles. I like that idea. We have plenty of it in our yard. We’d just have to be very careful about transplanting it (using gloves and tools we can dispose of, etc). Even if it wouldn’t keep the stuff from getting stolen, I would feel a small cackle of glee at thinking of the itchy thieves.
Yeah, that was the first reaction of one of our neighbors: “Is this some kind of sick joke?” But I don’t think she has had as many encounters as we have with the homeless and deranged people around here — it’s pretty clear to us that there are just some incredibly desperate and bitter people living nearby.
Oh, I didn’t know you had ferns stolen. That totally sucks.
And yeah, it does feel like a personal attack. Rationally, I know it’s absolutely not, but I still feel like I’m being targeted.
Yuck.
Thanks for your sympathy. Argh.
Indeed.
Yeah. Yuck. Thanks for your sympathy.
I know, it is WAY fucked up. I’ve been in a really, really, really foul mood about it. And I hate that almost as much as losing the feeders. Arrrrrgh.
The vine would provide shade/cover for birds. Since it has feet, it wouldn’t grow on the metal poles, so you’d need to provide string or bamboo. After it flowers, the berries provide a native food source for native songbirds.
I *highly* recommend poison ivy. Or, if your criminals are dumb, opt for virginia creeper. It’s another native. While it can cause contact dermatitis, it’s not as bad as poison ivy for most folks. And almost everyone I know mistakes it for poison ivy, mostly because they just don’t *look*.