Show Us Your Feeders, vol. #16

I guess it always takes some time for birds to find a new feeder, and get confident enough to use it. Even when I take mine down to clean it, it takes a few days for the birds to get back to using it normally again.

An update on my hawk situation - very bizarre! Today I went outside to see lots of little birds flitting around in my biggest oak tree. The cardinals, titmice and Carolina wrens had been at the feeder for a while, too. As I was trying to get pictures, sitting right in the middle of the tree was that crazy hawk! It was almost like the little birds were keeping an eye on him. (or maybe he'd already caught somebody . . arg.) I tossed a handful of acorns at him and he took off. The little birds stayed - so they definitely knew he was there!

I did have a flock of crows in the neighborhood yesterday and didn't see hide nor feather of that hawk.

Thanks for sharing your story. Hope the crazy hawk is gone from the area. I set out more meal worms for the BBs. Tomorrow I'll check the feeder, by sunset this evening there were no takers. Common everyone, please come and share your birds feeders and the story that going on in the gardens.

WB Nuthatch enjoying my first batch of homemade suet...lol

Congrats Ladi_Burd on your homemade suet success! What's a cutie pie!

Just in time for the harsh winter ahead. I'm so pleased my Blue Birds have successfully discovered the new feeder of a high protien protein- rich treat during the cold winter-months. There were much activity at the nest box where they perhaps roosted over night when temp. dipped down to the mid. 20'ish. Then upon breakfast hours. They headed over to the breakfast 'buffet' here:

This message was edited Dec 1, 2011 1:36 PM

O my gosh...Glad they found it!!

Thanks Dyzzypyxxy, We'll go ahead and do that.

Well, we started Project Feeder Watch here. We are already spending so much time looking at our feeders that we might as well do something with it.

I don't know if I will have any takers, but I am using the bottom portion of the Oriole feeder to put cut up grapes and dried berries in. Would the birds that usually eat fruit and berries in the winter go for something like this? It's hanging from a shepherd's hook, so sways a little in the breeze.

Mr. Mrs. House Finch at the grain feeder.

Chillibean, I have Bohemian waxwings enjoying the grapes and some cut up apples in winter. I go pick some Mountain ash berries in the fall for them as well. Robins also will eat them, but I see them more at the fruits, in spring. Another bird I see here some winter are the Pine Grosbeak, and they too eat the fruits. I've only seen one female here, last winter. I'm hoping they will come around this winter.

And here's the Robin with the cut up apples.

that's too good burn!

I rarely have any takers for fruit here through the winter. Just the types of birds I get, I guess.

Burn, love the waxwings and the robin eating fruit. Great shots.

Hi everyone, I thought I'd share. I tried a squirrel baffle for the first time. Day 1, the squirrels were baffled! No squirrel the first day.

Hope it works for ya!

They're quite intelligent animals. They come close to inspect the device, they're working on a scam at how to overcome it. lol.

Always plenty of House Sparrows at the feeder

Ladi_Burd, I too saw a pair at the grain feeder in the front yard the other day. But they didn't stay very long. Wooohooo! I have got myself a new Orioles feeder. I've nectar and an Orange half plus four jam holders. I'm hoping to find some Orioles passing through, or even entice them to stay awhile.

Oh I had that one......really liked it too! I forgot to bring it in one night and the raccoons tore it up......my bad! :(

Grrrr those racoons! Sorry to hear that Nan. Did you get alot of Orioles coming for the nectar and jelly?

Oh! I'm very excited. I've just discovered a new addition to the No/No line of bird feeders, one meant for mixed seed. I really need to try something other than the little house-shaped cedar hopper feeder for my millet & safflower mix, as the sparrows empty it much too quickly (mostly by kicking the seed around).

I really love the hourglass feeder (which I use with BOS & peanuts) and the finch feeder (nyger) from this company, and I bet this new feeder will be just as well designed. :-)

Here's the finch feeder, better than any tube feeder I've tried for keeping seed dry & flowing, and it's holding up really well. It even has "baffles" inside so some seed stays up top and in the center as the seed level drops.

That looks like a good one crit. :)

Oh up date on the new baffle, no squirrels seen on this so far.

Lily.....The orioles did use it. It really seemed to help them locate my yard when I first started attracting them.

Appreciate the report on the baffle, Lily... I have a feeder hanging from a deck railing flagpole (putting it right in front of a window), and I might try a baffle there...the feeder has millet & safflower, not really their favorite stuff, but they go anyway just to check it out and then they spill a ton of seed in the process. I'm thinking if it's more of a challenge to reach it plus not having yummy sunflower seeds (which they can get at another feeder!), maybe they'll leave it alone even if the baffle doesn't make it totally squirrel-proof.

I've had some success at keeping the squirrels from climbing the (aluminum) pole for my feeder by greasing the pole. Plus it's fun to watch them try to climb then slide back down. I tried Pam spray but it didn't last well so now I use vaseline or Super Lube synthetic grease. (best but more expensive). It lasts a couple of weeks in cool weather.

Elaine

Grease may work better than a baffle on my little flagpole mount. Thanks! I've tried vaseline (years ago) but it was really a mess (think I was doing this in warmer weather & it melted... probably was too generous when applying, also).

Yeah, I used my hands at first, but evolved to using an old toothbrush to apply the grease. Now I keep it with the tube, fastened with an elastic band and a little piece of paper towel over the greasy brush to keep things clean. No more greasy hands!

Very clever with your creativity. LOL, I just discovered my Squirrels has won over the Baffle. :((

Caught it red-pawed. lol

I've received the coolest birds feeder in the whole world over the holidays. It was nice and sunny outdoor, although little cold, DH help hung the feeder;

Lily, I got a new feeder from Santa, too. So far it has frustrated the squirrels, but they jump from it to the other feeder.

So how long does it take for the birdies to get used to it? Thus far I have one titmouse using it, the rest of the birds sit on the other feeder about 4ft. away and just look at it.

Hi Pyxxy, I regcon it won't take them long, if the Titmice found it first, soon others will too. :)

And weren't you so right about that, I came outside just now to find the daddy cardinal sitting there having a nice feed.

Life's good!

Cheers Elaine

Hi Elaine, I'm so glad the Cardinal Daddy also found the feeder. I hung mine, but was gone all day, though there is evidence the seeds were going down( missing). I'm not sure which ones were the first lucky ones that have found mine. Please share pix of the feeder as they get busy. I'll-- sometime tomorrow if I get any luck.

My new 'squirrel proof' feeder (yet to be proven) is now very popular with the titmice, house sparrows and the female cardinal. The male cardinal, jays and Carolina wrens still prefer the old feeder although I have seen them all take seeds at the new one.

The sparrows throw around a lot of seeds from the new feeder, and everybody is spending way too much time on the ground for my liking. I use caked seeds on the other feeder so the seed doesn't drop to the ground as much. My (fat, lazy) cat has been spotted lying in wait, but I think she is very likely not fast enough any more to actually catch a bird. Still, I'd rather not tempt her.

I'm going to spread a piece of old window screen on the ground under there to collect the dropped seed. Hoping the sparrows will migrate soon and that will alleviate the mess and hazard.

I really like that feeder dyzzypyxxy. Nice shot of the birdies too.

So Elaine

No sooner than when I came back inside and spied on the "pioneer" at the feeder. Look who shows up?

Here is the culprit. lol Soon thereafter, Titmice and Carolina Chikadees followed suit. lol

Like the wren LL. Weather here is cold with a strong wind. Rain/snow/sleet/freezing rain are on the menu for us beginning tonight; then more tomorrow night into Saturday. We have only had one measurable snowfall here this year, and that was in October. Just filled all of the feeders for the birdies to accommodate the "crowd" I expect will soon be here. Frozen fingers, but all worth it.