Living in Oregon I have developed a habit of looking for leaks. Is water coming in above the window? Is that a spot on the ceiling in the living room? When it rains like 53 inches over 7 months a year I think it’s a natural neurotic reaction.
I’ve been feeding the birds in my backyard for the past few weeks but it has attracted a new visitor. A rat. At least one…but we all know what they say about seeing rats. For every one you see there are 634 hidden. How does feeding the birds attract rats? The Scrub Jays come to the feeder and toss all the feed onto the ground, like messy little maniacs, thus the rats move in for a little snack.
What I’d like to know is how do the birds figure out when I put food in my feeders? I fill them and in about 3 days the flocks have blotted out what little light there is in the sky. Do the birds tell one another? Do they simply follow where their well-fed feathered friends? Is their a YELP for birds?
My neighbor above us, we live on a hill, has been working on a porch for like 6 months now. Not kidding. I’ve been enjoying every hammer-fall and cross-cut. He started in July and just today there were workers out there cutting decorative stones for another part of it. Maybe he’s building his own zoo. I know in the past I’ve overheard him complain about rats. Perhaps his never ending construction drove a few down the hill in hopes of finding some peace and quiet. Instead they found bird seeds.
So the new year starts with mysterious water in my windows, a never ending construction project above me and rats in the backyard. How can it get better? I’m afraid to find out.
It could be worse – they could be nesting in your boxes of books and slowly shredding your favourite ones. That’s what happened to me. Although that could help you in your book culling quest…
That’s a little more rat than I would like…I think we have to live trap this fellow and I’ll let him lose in the neighbors yard.
I’m kidding. I’ll let him lose at the mall.