...tuppence a bag

If only it was still that cheep! I bought pure suet cake today for 3$ at a local farm/feed store. But pure suet seemed to last much longer, and I am hearing a woodpecker of some type out there already so I want to please her/him. This store can run high on some items, but I feel sorry for the nice owner who has added a Wednesday 'closed' day during the winter due to low sales. So I will probably keep buying there, cuz I only expect to use 4-5 at most this winter.
Also got a few pounds of safflower to get started, much less squirrels and more cardinals.
Oh yeah, got to add one to the nearby tree trunk for this guy, nuthatch. Have you started feeding? What do you use? What do you see?

Great thread! I was cleaning & filling bird feeders just this morning... got a covered hopper-type feeder with BOS (black oil sunflower), a peanut butter log, and a thistle feeder out there so far.

I need to pick up some lard and restock my PB at Sam's, so I can make more "all season suet." My woodpeckers seem to like it just as well as "real" suet.

The recipe for the PB suet is at the end of the article I wrote on making a PB feeder from a christmas tree stub: http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/467/

Great! Thanks. I'll price lard at the store. Got to be cheaper than the suet cakes. But then I'll still feel sorry for the farm store guy!

The suet is probably better for them -- more bug-like, ya know?

But the "bird cookies" are fun to make, especially if you've got younger kids visiting (all that squishing -- tell them to use their hands to mix it up; who needs a spoon?)... you can also form into balls, etc, and coat with birdseed.

I love feeding the birds. We don't have near as many birds, squirrels and chippies as we did. A neighbors cat has been staking out the feeders. There are still plenty of them out there just not quite as many as before. Not only do we provide several different types of feed but a water source as well. Last year I bought a heated bird bath boy those are pricey and it wasn't as large as I would have liked but it will do.

I rediscovered a Rule of Birding this morning. Woodpeckers only find good pecking spots on the SHADY side of trees, OR the side opposite the birder. Or the tree which makes the birder face the sun directly . Well, at least with woodys here its pretty easy to narrow down. By the size and a glimpse it had to be a Downy or a Sapsucker. Thinking Sapsucker cuz I was getting an impression of yellowness when I first saw it. Yes, by the head markings I think it was not this gal- downy, right?. boy did I really need to do some good cropping and deleting in my bird pictures

I put my new heated "bird bath" out yesterday, too... I found a less $$ option, a large heated water bowl from That Fish Place. http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/16951/product.web

The goldfinches have found the thistle feeder... yesterday, there was one, and he kept looking around for competition, you could just see him thinking "I found it first! It's mine! All mine!" This morning, there were half a dozen of them.

The PB log isn't getting much attention yet, but so far I think the squirrels haven't gotten to it, either. They're being kept happy with the handfuls of mixed peanuts and sunflower seeds I've been tossing out the back door... they come right to the door for it, regardless of Eliot, and you know he thinks they are awesome!

Mornin Holly- If I had free time I'd play with an idea of making a big cage, with top, of garden fence enough to put the feeders in and then let the birds go out safely at the top maybe? as for heated bath, mine have to make do with me traipsing out hopefully everyday with warm water. I keep big plastic dishes (pot overflow dishes) on the ground in winter, hope they don't freeze quite as fast. Oh, yes I usually move one where it gets morning sun to thaw early if it will thaw. Plastic ever since the youngest son found out how fun it is to break ice with a hammer in winter, even the ice in the concrete birdbath. And even without that I'd forget to drain in and it would crack. And they want, like 25 bucks for just the dish??

yes, Sally, that's a female downy.

I have a hard time telling them from Hairy Woodpeckers sometimes unless I can get an idea of comparative size.. but the head shape is a little different on the Downys. Sapsuckers are a bit bigger, I think? We had a red-headed woodpecker last winter... he was gonzo for the peanuts I started adding to the BOS in the patio feeder.

I think that's right, that Downys and Hairys are almost dead ringers but for size. I usually have Downy, RedBelly and less frequent but each year Sapsuckers, nice markings and a little bigger than Downy I think. But pretty flighty and haven't gotten a pic!
I put a full thistle feeder out yesterday- Don't know why but thought I read that goldfinches would migrate away? I think I've made a nice home for them in summer what with mullein, and salvia, a few sunflowers. I still have heard them recently tho, and robins.

Sally, Those are very nice bird photos. I heard a woodpecker late last night when I returned home. No feeders filled yet. It's on this weekend's agenda. Keep talking this info will help me!!

I don't have any bird pics from this year yet and the ones from last year are still in the never never land of computer repairer. I sent him a drive to download my old stuff but I haven't gotten it back yet. I know I will sometime, but not yet.
I put out sunflower seeds, thistle seed, mixed seed, suet, and whole cob corn for the squirrels.

OMG Critter! Eliot has gotten huge! At least since the last photos I saw of him! I love that photo.... so many captions could go with that!

I have been trying to lure the birds to our balcony for the first time this winter. When I cleaned off the balcony, I poured seed in the three planters across from our sliding door. It's been almost two weeks, and no birds yet! Any suggestions on what might enitice them?

try throwing a little seed on the deck itself -- might get their attention. They'll start browsing around more now that the weather has changed, looking for food whereever they can find it, and they'll come across those planters. I wonder if you would be ahead to put something down inside the planters, though, so the seed doesn't get so wet (assuming your planters still have potting soil in them also)... maybe foil tins with holes punched in them for drainage?

Goldfinches stay here year-round; they're just less bright in winter. We also get tons of house finches (the ones that look like sparrows that have been dipped in cranberry juice... their beaks are bigger & sturdier than sparrow beaks, too).

The finches and other birds also love the seeds on the crepe myrtle by the deck.

I wonder what Elliott was thinking.

Every so often, Eliot can't stand it, and he pounces right at the glass -- *thud!* The squirrel jumps back, often a whole 8 or 9 inches (!), and then goes back to nibbling sunflower seeds. Obviously, the furry tree rat feels pretty confident about the barrier between them.

We have a couple of window feeders also, for Eliot's amusement. They're behind the couch in the family room, and Little Bit has been craning her neck to see also when the birds stop by. One is a thistle feeder, and the other is a little covered lucite tray feeder (with safflower, which hopefully the squirrels won't like enough to go after).

gee VRose--they should be coming soon, maybe they are still working on items in the woods.as critter suggested a few on the railing for more visibility?
Yup we got house finches

Here is my morning shot. There is a Robin in the bird bath looking for a drink. Not quite all of the fountain is completely frozen. Guess it is time to get out my heated birdbath and turn the fountain off.

Great photo Holly!

We were being all but mobbed at first light today... the usual goldfinches, housefinches, juncos, chickadees, and the peanut butter has been discovered by our pair of carolina wrens as well as by a woodpecker that looked a little large for a downy but might have just been really puffy in the cold.

There's some talk over in the birding forum about making birdseed wreaths, etc... but I'm not sure anybody has actually found a method that works yet.

Birds very active now that it is sooooo cold. I kept my 1 feeder up all year with sunflower seed, I had a thistle bag that either a squirrel or Wall-e pulled down, so I never put it back up, I had a regular thistle feeder but I can't find it, which is totally weird.
I got suet cakes 89¢ each at Christmas Tree Shop, good thing they are so cheap because the squirrels love the suet.
I love watching the birds but hate having to fill the feeders when it's so darn cold out.

I haven't located my other feeder either. I did have a lovely little chickadee yesterday. And I know I poured some safflower the other day and cannot recall what I put it IN as I also have a feeder lost in the house or shed. I should get out this AM with warm water.

I finally have birds!
The snow did it... they had to come to us for something to eat!

A male downy woodpecker...

A black-capped chickadee....

A tufted titmouse... they are so cute!

A junco, I think....

And of course, the cats are very entertained!

Virgil, and his reflection, watching the birds...

Great shots, VWR! They all look so happy visiting you.

You've rounded up the usual suspects all right. We are having some too. Visitors tend to exclaim over our several pairs of cardinals but I consider them standard 'fare'- there are various hollies around they are said to love.
It seems to squirrels will not go down on the snow, so the black oil S S on my deck is all going to the birds, yay.

Lovely birds, Rose!

Sally, our pair of squirrels had no trouble plowing through the snow to get to their stash of BOS & peanuts just outside the patio door... but they entertain Eliot there, and they tend to stay off the other feeders if they have easy food. And there are only 2 of them (so far LOL).

I refilled the feeders a couple of days ago (Jim shoveled a path for me, his good deed for the birds), and they're half empty again. It's been grand central station out there! But we really only have "the usual suspects," also... pair of cardinals, pair of downy woodpeckers, pair of NC wrens, pair of morning doves, and loads of juncos, house finches, chickadees, goldfinches, etc. I haven't seen our blue jay or redheaded woodpecker yet this winter, but hopefully they'll be by soon.

We have also seen the bluejays and a red-headed woodpecker, but I haven't gotten a shot of them yet. We ventured out today and loaded up on seed and suet as well as another feeder.

critter--these guys here must realize if they allow themselves to bog down on snow they'll be Addy food!
I got a poster from Cornell or someplace, titled Common feeder birds and darned if every one was what I've seen, and no others, including evening grosbeaks, only seen once.

yeah, our squirrels are very bold in the knowledge that Eliot is safely behind glass.

This is Fred. Fred started showing up a couple of days before Christmas. He thinks he has rights at the bird feeder too! So far, he hasn't invited any of his family or friends... just his little secret! He's kinda cute though... little notch in his left ear makes him easy to ID. Ours cats are plumb amazed!

We are now getting our snow, it started late Sunday night, I stayed home from work yesterday and will do so again today. PDOT can't keep up with the plowing on the secondary roads. They are trying to keep the interstates open.

Anyways, I got a picture of the feeder and it has been busy this morning. We have had a lot of wind but this gives you an idea of the amount of snow.

Cute Fred!
aww geez, chris, you're really getting it now!

Feeder busy from morning on up to the present. Been snowing more on then off since last Sunday night. Lots of blowing and drifting so it is hard to tell just how much we have so far.

A few flurries here, but nothing else much. I see our forecast is calling for flurries or snow on 7 of the next 10 days and freezing temps.

Lady, are you getting this fearsome wind? I've been spending the day alternating hot & cold compresses on the head. Woke up this morning with a viscious migraine. Had to cancel out on the longwood trip. It's a good thing most of their visit will be indoors today. The wind chill is close to 0.

The wind has been picking up today, Paul took me to the grocery store yesterday, it was better then today, now some of the roads are being closed due to the drifting and they can't keep them open with the plows.

The girls refuse to go out, they look at me like "Are you Nuts" I even went out and shoveled them a path.

Are you running your humidifiers? That might help the dry air in your house and you headaches. I have benn filling mine up once a day and have 4 running.

Lady, yes I am. I am running 2, but could probably use 2 more. This house doesn't have one on it's heating system. I miss the one that I used to have. I ran the fire place about 5 times in the last 8 days. It really dried out the air. That could be part of the problem. The plants really dropped lots of leaves this past week.