This is just another example of us recycling/repurposing the random projects we have lying around the house. We’ve enjoyed the close up bird & critter watching this handy feeder provides, but lately the squirrels have ratcheted up their efforts to empty it ASAP. For me, this was a super fast and free project because I just ripped off the servo gimbal from that attempted directed thrust prop plane and slapped it onto a bottle from our recycling bin. I also added a water pump (which may have been from a windshield washer) in lieu of the prop motor. A little rewiring and boom- we have a squirrel soaker (or squirrel squirter- I couldn’t quite decide what to call it). The initial jet wasn’t very collimated so I stuck a larger diameter syringe needle on there and it smoothed it right out. Following that, we just clamped a platform onto the canoe and set up the cameras! Easy peasy.
Now we get to enjoy a more interactive viewing and the squirrels have a new waterpark. win-win.
**Update: Mark Rober- a page we follow published an amazingly detailed and wildly popular squirrel video the same day as this. As my college RA once said, “Great minds think alike!… and so do we!” On the off chance you haven’t watched his video, here’s a link.