Meeting Challenges
If you present a squirrel with a challenging problem, he (or she) will immediately begin to devise a solution to the problem, and eventually will emerge victorious. Of this conjecture's truth I am convinced after watching the squirrels in my yard repeatedly foil my attempts to keep my bird seed off-limits to the bushy-tailed pirates. During the summer just past, for example, my squirrels exhibited remarkable ingenuity by discovering, and then by exploiting, the apparently single flaw in a design that was intended to safeguard the sunflower seed in my "squirrel-proof" feeder. To be sure, the puzzle was not an easy one to solve, nor was the solution quickly found. Indeed, cracking the code required several years, but persistence does pay lucrative dividends.
The dividends, of course, were the energy-rich sunflower seeds that seemed so secure within the confines of a wire mesh tube feeder encased in a metal cage that effectively kept paws and noses at bay. What apparently had escaped the consideration of whoever designed this simple yet seemingly impenetrable fortress, however, was the possibility that by jumping to, and hanging from, the feeder, a squirrel could shake loose the prized kernels, causing them to drop to the ground, where they are easily retrievable by the feeder-shaker that sent them there. After one gray-furred Einstein had solved the puzzle, the solution spread quickly through the local population as others watched the master at work. In no time, everyone seemed to take a turn at jumping to the feeder, swinging for a few seconds, and then dropping to the ground where a feast awaited. Once again, I had lost the battle of wits to the nemesis of all who feed our feathered friends.
Far from feeling anger or resentment over again being outwitted by a creature whose brain is not all that much larger than the treats that he so covets, I prefer instead to claim some credit for contributing to my squirrels' education. After all, had I not created a potentially educational opportunity by making the sunflower seeds available, albeit unintentionally, my squirrels would never have learned how to obtain them. The moral of the story: sometimes just by making something available, we become teachers.
We in the GWVAS have for many years served as teachers, I believe, by making nature available through our newsletter, field trips, birding classes, meeting, school, and scout merit badge programs, nature camp scholarships, and various other endeavors, and I am confident that we have helped more than just a few to learn a thing or two about the natural world that we so treasure and enjoy. Of course, our ability to create such learning opportunities is due in no small part to the incredible generosity of our members, generosity that time and again not only helps us to meet our financial challenges, but that also pays dividends by inspiring us to persist in meeting the challenge of realizing our educational mission. I thank you for your past generosity and inspiration, and I ask that you continue to support your Chapter and its programs and to inspire its leaders with your generous contribution to our annual appeal.
Yours in Nature (including the squirrels),
Bob Wasilewski, GWVAS President
p.s. A brief update for those who recall last year's appeal message: A rabbit again feasted upon this year's coneflower crop, but the resilient plants sent out new stems that produced small, yellow blooms. Persistence does indeed pay!
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