Apologies for the cell phone quality of the photo, but this post is more about content than photography.
My neighbour who took the cougar video in a previous post, also took a picture of this house he built with birds in mind.
The birds didn’t even have time to get interested when the squirrels decided to move in and occupy the premises with their expanding family of at least three babies. I doubt if they stayed long, but it was a funhouse for the kids. Too bad the cell phone doesn’t take clearer photos. Mine is the same. It’s not a high end phone and pictures taken quickly and at any distance just don’t come out that clear. But if we overlook the blurriness, the idea of these little guys exploring the three-storey house makes me smile. I felt it was worth posting regardless of the quality.
I wonder if they played musical chairs with the houses. Remember that game? There was always one fewer chair than there were children. We marched around to the music not straying too far from the chairs and when the music stopped, we had to sit down on a chair. One child was always left without a chair, so he was “out.” Another chair was removed and the game began again. Each time one child was out of luck and another chair was removed. At last there was only one chair and two children. I shudder to think of the scramble for that last chair. I would be tempted to declare two winners.
I’m sure the squirrels scrambled around these birdhouses. Maybe they played “King of the Castle” instead.

August 20, 2026 at 9:57 pm
That photo gave me a giggle. Squirrels can be so comical. Thank you for sharing this.
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August 20, 2026 at 10:02 pm
They really are fun to watch.
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August 20, 2026 at 10:05 pm
My ‘Jenny Wrens’ will not tolerate squirrels Smallest & loudest bird in the Yard

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August 20, 2026 at 10:46 pm
Yes the squirrels often take over the bird houses, for better and worse. We set up a bird feeder with a camera in our backyard and the photos we get aren’t of birds, it is squirrel faces.
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August 21, 2026 at 9:13 am
That’s the down side of having squirrels around. So far it hasn’t been a big problem here because the squirrels have so much to eat, they don’t go to the trouble of looking for bird eggs or whatever it is they do when they “drop in” on them. But I know they can be a problem.
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August 21, 2026 at 9:37 pm
Yes I certainly don’t hate the squirrels but they can be a mixed blessing. They have the right to live just like the birds. They are also funny. I saw a squirrel tail sticking up over the edge of our raised bed where we are growing tomatoes. As I came closer his head came up too and he was holding a tomato between his hands/paws. He was sucking on the tomatoe. Then he ran off in fear. It just looked funny.
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August 22, 2026 at 6:28 am
They really are fun to watch.
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August 22, 2026 at 2:06 pm
Yes I agree
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August 20, 2026 at 10:56 pm
Despite the quality it’s a beautiful and wholesome picture 😍
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August 21, 2026 at 9:14 am
Thanks, Kajal.
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August 20, 2026 at 11:07 pm
That is such an adorable picture. Anneli!
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August 21, 2026 at 12:51 am
This was fun to see and I did not know squirrels do this until today. 😊
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August 21, 2026 at 9:03 am
I watched as a squirrel chewed away at the round opening of a birdhouse once, so it could get its fat little body in, but when it stuck its head in through the hole, a little bird that was inside pecked it on the nose and that was the end of that adventure.
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August 21, 2026 at 4:53 am
I have three young gray squirrels that entertain me; I suspect they’d envy yours, with their playhouses!
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August 21, 2026 at 9:01 am
I’m sure they would.
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August 21, 2026 at 5:50 am
That is such a cute birdhouse. Who can blame the squirrels for being giddy when they found it? Happy Friday Anneli. Allan
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August 21, 2026 at 9:01 am
I think they thought it was made for them and not the birds.
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August 21, 2026 at 6:38 am
What an unusual birdhouse design!
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August 21, 2026 at 9:00 am
My neighbour is a very imaginative carpenter.
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August 21, 2026 at 6:49 am
It must be great fun to watch the squirrels running about and going in and out of the houses! ❤️🥰
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August 21, 2026 at 9:00 am
They’re always fun to watch.
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August 21, 2026 at 7:09 am
Fun entertainment provided by the neighborhood rascals.
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August 21, 2026 at 9:00 am
And they definitely are rascals, always playing tricks on each other.
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August 21, 2026 at 8:31 am
I have read how critters (birds and others) share nests from year to year so don’t give up. You may get birds next year!
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August 21, 2026 at 8:55 am
The trouble is that squirrels and birds are not exactly best friends. But nesting time is a whole year away.
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August 21, 2026 at 10:33 am
Well worth it! It must have been fun to watch them 😊
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August 21, 2026 at 6:17 pm
Delightful, and I think Musical Chairs is a good description.
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August 21, 2026 at 6:38 pm
Thanks, Jennie. It’s quite an aggressive game, now that I think about it. Ok for squirrels though.
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August 22, 2026 at 5:38 am
😀
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August 23, 2026 at 5:27 am
Cell phone or not, that is a priceless photo. Every hole occupied!
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August 23, 2026 at 9:53 am
I thought the content was worth overlooking the fuzzy cellphone quality. Thanks, Adele.
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August 24, 2026 at 12:43 pm
Those squirrels are clever varmints! Lol 😍
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August 24, 2026 at 3:59 pm
They sure are, and they have fun being clever too.
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