Rodent holes, most likely. Are gutters clogged or a downspout extension missing to cause water in the basement?

tj

Always loved you for years on these GardenWeb/Houzz forums, tsugajunkie. Hubs passed away recently and I thought our newish gutter (screens? whatever) would prevent anythng untoward, but I should have known better. I'll have them checked out. Thank you very much. You don't think the birdseed is attracting them?

The downspout has an extension and is right next to the feeders. However, there is a leak where the downspout curves to meet the ground, I taped it with duct tape (looks just lovely).

I appreciate your typically good response. I surely do not want rodents living so near my foundation. Guess I'll move the feeders far away from the house and forget about watching the birds from my easy chair. I thought the serenity I experienced sitting there was too good to be true in our crazy, crazy world.

You are a gem!

P.S. I'll also fill the huge rodent holes with mothballs.

Pat I used to have bird feeds in my yard years ago. I loved having them…..we had a chippie that visited all the time. I didn’t mind at all. But, the feeders attracted rats unfortunately, all to common in am urban area. I had to take them down…..☹️

debra

debra, it's killing me that I have to move all my feeders to the back yard. My favorite passtime is sitting in the livingroom in my favorite chair, and watching all my usual finches, and then the Cardinals at their special times, and all the others that come every day. But thanks to you and tsugajunkie, I now know about the possible reason I have so many large holes next to the foundation under those feeders. I'll move them to the backyard today, clean up as much seed as I can, fill the frigging holes with something nasty, get some mulch to raise the dirt level, and then wait for the next storm to see if water is coming in to my basement still.

debra, I'm so glad you told me about your similar problem; thank you very much for taking the time, but I hope you can, maybe in a different area, enjoy birdfeeding again.

Please, do not use mothballs — toxic. (I will try to respond more soon.)

Pat, I have a neighbor right next to me with feeders so I can look out from time to time and see the birds. Sometimes I have bread crumbs (I know, not the healthiest), but it keeps the squirrels occupied too. And recently, in this hot weather, I have put out the sprinkler on low so they can bathe. That’s fun to watch too. I hope you will be able to put the feeders back out front where you want them. If you have some foundation holes, I am sure a handyman/woman could fix that for not too much. Keep us posted.

debra

debra, I'm thinking about all of this. Will get back soon. Kind of you to comment.

If you don't want to move them, switch to a feeder with a seed catcher. Not 100% effective, but it might help. https://www.theisens.com/products/seed-hoop-for-bird-feeder-30/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwxuCnBhDLARIsAB-cq1rKrjIEWEDLeWXJl64kf_2RRDmmW5VTVfMBnVU6rF509-UOPd6YsvMaArgGEALw_wcB

If the rodents can access the feeders via the eaves, then erect a pole where you can stilll see them feeding and make sure you have baffles that block pests from climbing the pole and add the seed catcher.

If the rodent holes are adding to moisture in the basement, then i would think you'd have rodent infestation down there, too,. But if the ground is full of tunnels and holes, then it makes sense that they would fill with water and leach through your basement walls/foundation.

Can you put up a couple feeders on shepherd hooks further out from the house, and you could still see the birds? (Especially with a small binocular). And I'm sorry about the loss of your husband. That must be hard. (((hugs)))

catherinet (5IN), I Iove your hugs, thank you.

I've moved most feeders out into the front and back yards, on shepherd hooks, and away from house, as suggested, but now neighbors have (domestic) cats that they leave outside most of the days, so I have zero birds to see most of the time. Life gets kind of stinky when you're 82 years old and can't even watch feeder birds from your own damn house.

I'll tell myself that the cats are also keeping the mice away and see if that feels better.