No wonder they're a worry. I'd hate to have desperate seed-eaters after my pods, even before the flower opens! Has something happened to their normal food source this time of year to make them so desperate? Would putting seed out in a bird feeder distract them from the lilies or just make it worse?
Animal behaviour is fascinating. I didn't realise a cat's hunting habits could be influenced, either. Buggy, how did you train your best hunter?
