SQUIRREL-PROOF FEEDERS, BAFFLES, POLES and all the other accoutrements of squirrel battle are great. But nothing beats getting to know those backyard bandits.

I confess I’ve grown to love squirrels. There, I’ve said it. And I’m not sorry!

Alfred J. Squirls, Bolde Waddles and Herbert Fierce-Ears are three charming squirrels who visit my deck. Although they are all typical Grey Squirrels, they are very different in personality and looks.

Squirls has a ragged tail, no matter what the season, but a dashing man-about-town manner. He’s something of a rake.

Waddles is the only square squirrel I’ve ever seen – fat to the point of cube-ness. She is quite bold and will come nearly to my feet looking for handouts. Herbert Fierce-Ears has amazingly long, pointed ears with slight tufts, a reddish undercoat and the look of a squirrel with nothing to lose.

All three love peanuts. It’s fun to see them try to outsmart each other and compete with the scrub jays who are each trying to cache as many as they can before the others get them.

Their calls, tail waggling and foot-stomping signals are intriguing and entertaining. Mind you, I didn’t start putting out food specifically for them. I was forced into it after Alfred chewed up my tube and tray feeders trying to get at the black-oil sunflower seeds in them.

Waddles was especially aggressive to the birds and would charge them – stirring them into a panic flight. After doing battle with baffles, changing the position of the feeders and yelling a lot, I finally added a tray that holds nuts, striped sunflower and black-oil sunflower just for them.

A small table fountain nearby gives them a handy and healthy water source – and keeps them out of the birdbath. I guess you could say I not only lost the squirrel wars, I abjectly surrendered. Oh well, let peace reign!