How are you putting out treats for your feathered friends this winter?
Did you get any cute/clever new feeders as gifts?
Show us your winter birdfeeders!
(This cedar platform feeder is just a cheapie from HD, but its a favorite of ours and of the birds too! It hangs from a flag pole clamped to the deck railing and positioned so the feeder is right in front of a window. It was mobbed during the snowstorm.)
Nice!
How much did you get (snow).
18 or 20 inches. That's a whole lot for our area -- nobody is used to it! I filled up all the feeders before the storm hit, and we were mobbed by grateful birdies. :-)
I put out a heated doggie water bowl for the birds last week, and it's working fine even surrounded by snow, but I'm not sure they've found it yet. I put a few rocks & shells on one side and flipped a red pyrex bowl upside down to make a landing spot in the middle.
Wow, lot & lot of snow, kinda early isn't it Critterlogist? Clever idea with your water bowl. Hope the birds will find it eventually.
There were some little birdie tracks near the bowl this evening... :-)
It's working really well, definitely better than the "economy bird bath heater" I tried last year that kept tripping the circuit breaker LOL. It was cheaper than most of the "heated bird bath" type items I could find, and it's a nice size. I got the idea from somebody on this forum, sorry I can't remember who to give credit to!
Granted, a shot with birds would be better... but here are the 2 window feeders I mentioned getting last year (Xmas gifts for Eliot -- kitty TV!).
Bottom feeder has niger, tray feeder above has safflower in hopes that the squirrel will stay out. Both have suction cup mounts.
I wondered about sitting my heated bowl on the ground. I haven't gotten mine out yet but need to. Last year I sat it up on a lttle table. But Meese (the outside kitty) sits on it on the front porch.
Nice ones critter! Keep us posted on how well they work for you.
My daughter in Fairfax, VA got 21 inches of snow. Roads hadn't been plowed by her house last evening. She works for Dept. of Interior, and they didn't have to go to work today. We have had a total of 6 inches of snow here, last week. Has been above freezing ever since and most of snow is gone. It has been raining since 5:00 am this morning. Supposed to get cold again over Christmas.
I have been keeping the nyjer thistle seed feeders filled for the goldfinches. There are a lot of them and they eat about a quart of that expensive feed every day. I also feed the native Calif. Quail and try not to put out more than they will eat as I am trying to get rid of the house sparrows.
Donna
Luvly feeders Critter. Methinks I need one of those heated doggy bowls. It's a pain to wade out and break out the ice and fill the baths when its cold. I put rocks in the deeper one which makes it harder to get the ice out but I read (probably here) that you need to be sure the birds can't fall in a get wet when it's really cold.
I think I probably should have put my water bowl on a table, although it would still have been covered with snow (you should see the table, lol). I put it beside the patio door for easy filling and also so Eliot could watch... the birds are plenty bold about hopping over to peck up seeds from the mat while he's by the door, so I figured they wouldn't be shy about using the water either.
Dahlia, I put rocks and that overturned bowl in mine for the same reason, so the birds could easily reach the water without going in.
Pelletory, those window feeders work fine! We had them up last winter, too. When a line forms at the other thistle feeder (we get a lot of goldfinches!), then the window feeder attracts the bolder birds. The tray feeder on the window has been attracting mostly house finches, juncos, and other smaller birds, so I think I may try filling it with a "finch mix" I just picked up (looks like mostly several millet type seeds). So far, the squirrels are content with the sunflower and peanut seeds in the other feeders.
This "no no" feeder might be proof against squirrels gnawing teeth, but it's more of a "yes yes!" feeder where squirrel dining is concerned. It's very popular with birds that like to cling, like woodpeckers, but it draws all customers.
Hmm, couldn't find the acrobatic squirrel photo that I wanted, but here's a summer photo of the no-no feeder.
Thanks for the new thread Critter...you have some nice feeders and I'll bet the birds appreciate the heated pet bowl! It was the heated bowl that attracted the Bluebirds to our yard two years ago.
Not much picture taking here with the dark, cold dreary days but wanted to share this quickie platform feeder. It is made from the shell of the hepa filter from an air purifier. I removed the paper part, cut some window screen to fit and set a brick in the center to hold it down. As you can see the Purple Finches just love it and the cost was zero!!
Holy Moly, do you have the purple finches!!!!
Prettiful purple finches! Having forgotten to bring a travelling feeder, I am using the ole feed from the hand method.
This is a cheapie feeder from WM (with niger seed), but we like the looks of it, and the goldfinches are all over it. Not sure why my camera never seems handy when a dozen of them are vying for position. :-)
Love the flock of purple finches -- clever platform feeder, too!
Wow Rose that's an incredible amount of Purple Finches!
Dahlia, Nice pic; what type of bird is that?
Critter, Cute feeder! Glad your getting lots of Goldfinch!
Rose, are you hoarding Purple Finches???? LOL
That's a road runner pell. There are beautiful finches, tanagers and larks here. Watched a Cooper's hawk fish yesterday but my little point and shoot couldn't get a pic :( The bird life in the Patagonia mountains is incredible! If I only knew what they all were (blush).
OMG, I had no idea road runners were that "tame" LOL. One of my best mental "snapshots" is a road runner bounding along the side of the road with a lizard in his beak -- looking exactly like the RR in a flashcard I had as a kid, and moving just like Coyote's pal.
NO kiddin critter! I didn't think it would come up to me but he kept scooting closer and closer as I sat still. I think the ones who live in desert around the golf courses have learned about 'bagel toting golfers'.
I thought roadrunners mostly ate meat (lizards, mice, bugs)...
Then again, birds are adaptable... U Chicago pigeons have been known to eat Harold's Chicken (still gives me the willies), and seagulls will fly 25 miles inland to eat french fries at McD's!
I do have some old bagels I could put out for the birds, but I never seem to have much success with leftovers like that... maybe if I rolled them in PB & BOS? LOL
I try not to feed baked goods to the birds. Just attracts more House sparrows and such.
I remember Angele was feeding Rudy Road Runner some ground beef. He even goes to her window to beg for more.
I think you're right about attracting HOSP... squirrels, too, and mine have enough to get fat on already! Thanks, I'll just toss the bagels.
I am trying to starve away the E. Sparrows, but not much luck. I am only putting chicken scratch out on the ground for the quail, and just what I think they will eat, so the sparrows don't get much. I put nyjer seed out for the Goldfinches. Here is a picture of them eating.
Donna
Nice pic Ruth! I would love to see that many Goldfinch.
Hello all. New to site and forum.
Here is what I'm using to feed the birds in my backyard. It is a larger sized open sided feeder made of cedar. It is mounted on a 4x4 post 7 feet off the ground so the deer can't easily get at it. I'm using regular feed mixed with large quantities of sunflower seed. I will also put out some bread or baked goods that we don't eat. For the most part it is cardinals, blue jays, sparrows and a few yellow finches that congregate.
My feeder.
Welcome to DG PeteInNewMarket ^_^ Wonderous feeder!
Welcome to DG Pete! That's a very nice feeder.
Welcome Pete!! Very nice Feeder!
I love seeing everyones feeders, it truly is amazing how just waiting for the birds and then they come and how happy I am to see them. The simple things in life really are wonderful.
Janet
ps welcome pete you will love DG.
Welcome Pete! You're just down the road from me. :-)
Please check out the MidAtlantic forum! We've got a new events thread underway for 2010 http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=7344349 There's a group of us heading to Longwood Gardens this coming Sunday (Jan 3), and there are a couple of seed swap parties also... I'm organizing one in February here in Frederick (seed swapping is optional but fun; mainly we just all like to get together!).
Welcome Pete, I live far west of you in WA state, the desert part of the state. I live in the foothills of the Cascade Mtns. Have about 3 inches of wet snow on the ground. Have to go push snow to make a clear area for feed for the quail, about 100 of them. Actually our weather is not bad for this time of year, only down to 33 degrees this morning.
Here is a picture of one of my feeders.
Donna
Great pic Donna!
Nice feeders everyone...I love to see what everyone is using.
Pete...Welcome to Dave's and that is a great looking feeder.
I consider myself a hoarder of feeders and can't resist buying them. This is the latest purchase and I and the birds love it. So far it is just the Goldfinches that use it and that is fine with me since I always feel the need to make sure they get their share. The nice thing about this one is that it is easy to lift out of the cage and refill without taking it down and the bottom of the tube comes off for very easy cleaning. I think this was well worth the $ and it was on sale for 25% off!!
Great find!
what's the brand on that one, Rose?
I threw away the packaging on it so haven't a clue about the brand...darn it! I will check the store (Orschlen's Farm & Supply) the next time I go there...maybe today! I would like to get another one since if one is good two would be better...LOL!
I think the Goldfinches like the new sock feeder...the old one too!!
I'll say!!
Here is a link to the caged feeder http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HHO142/ref=asc_df_B000HHO142997176?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=dealt334859-20&linkCode=asn&creative=380341&creativeASIN=B000HHO142 . They advertise that it is squirrel proof but I think the squirrels would love it!! I bought another one today just because of the ease of filling, cleaning and the birds love it!
