What a great thing to be warned about the need for vaccines, etc. before your first trip abroad so you be on alert to check that out each time afterwards! A question I have been wanting to ask you: is it really safe to scare squirrels off with cayenne pepper because it won't hurt the birds?!
Surprisingly, yes. I was worried about that, but cayenne is a natural chemical produced by peppers and some other fruits to discourage mammals while being fine for birds. Birds swallow the seeds and "plant" them when they poop in other places, which is what the plant wants. Mammals chew, and would crush the seeds, killing them. So cayenne really is safe for birds.
Laura, once again, thank you for giving context to the world of birding. As you point out; the WHO, CDC, and NIH are valuable institutions and we rely on them as travelers and citizens. Participating in the WHO gave our country a voice in a world in which no country is isolated. We are healthier when we work together to stay healthy. Thank you for your insight.
What a great thing to be warned about the need for vaccines, etc. before your first trip abroad so you be on alert to check that out each time afterwards! A question I have been wanting to ask you: is it really safe to scare squirrels off with cayenne pepper because it won't hurt the birds?!
Surprisingly, yes. I was worried about that, but cayenne is a natural chemical produced by peppers and some other fruits to discourage mammals while being fine for birds. Birds swallow the seeds and "plant" them when they poop in other places, which is what the plant wants. Mammals chew, and would crush the seeds, killing them. So cayenne really is safe for birds.
Laura, once again, thank you for giving context to the world of birding. As you point out; the WHO, CDC, and NIH are valuable institutions and we rely on them as travelers and citizens. Participating in the WHO gave our country a voice in a world in which no country is isolated. We are healthier when we work together to stay healthy. Thank you for your insight.