Chickadee Question for Everyone

I have heard a number of people say this but have never witnessed it in my own backyard.

Chickadees eating thistle from a thistle feeder. How many of you see this happening regularly?

I have 3- 4 thistle feeders up and have never seen that yet people in the same areas and surrounding areas say they see it all the time (remember its only thistle seed in the feeder).

So tell me; do I just have some oddball Dee's here?

BTW my Chickadees are coming back in larger numbers; I just love them!

I have two thistle feeders in my yard. Very rarely yes the chickadees feed from them. Not so much maybe 4 or 5 times during the past few months. They much prefer the black oil sunflower seeds from the platform feeder. :)

Thanks Grandmaggie!

I have chickadees feeding from a thistle sock all the time, and its only been up about a week. Maybe the sock is different than the feeder (I've yet to buy)
I also have sunflower, peanut and safflower all in seperate feeders. The chickadees feed from all of them - but so far none really seem to like safflower?

I put a thistle feeder out last week just in case a northerner showed up early. So far nothing has touched it. I had a chickadee to stop by yesterday briefly. The grackles and cardinals had already gotten the good stuff. The chickadee left before I could focus the camera.

a friend from bird song trail in Mendon Ponds Park, a delight to hand feed

ohh, sorry too big a pic

This message was edited Sep 5, 2007 9:02 PM

Theres another thing I keep meaning to do; try to handfeed Chickadees.

I never get around to these things.

My DH will stand out in our yard in the winter for a good 30 minutes, and has had chickadees and a titmouse hand feed - I'm not that patient, I go to the park where the Dees are used to it, and many will feed in a matter of minutes as long as I get there early in the morning

my chickadees eat thistle. you can get them to handfeed!! I must try that.

Can't say that I have seen them eat from the thistle only feeder.....

debilu, my cardinals love safflower seeds.

Awesome that you guys have had experience hand-feeding chickadees. Now that takes some patience.

I've found that the chickadees don't eat much from my thistle-feeder. What's a thistle-sock, debilu? Is it something I can make?

Kathy
Woodinville, WA

it's a little mesh bag I bought - I got it because I hadn't found a thistle feeder I liked yet - they sell them in the bird feeder section for a couple $. It's not very attractive and once I find a nice feeder I won't use it anymore.

Hmmmm. But I wonder if the birds like it better? Might have to experiment this winter.

Thanks.

They sell several different sizes and qualities of thistle socks. From cheap one time use to reusable ones with weather shields.

This message was edited Sep 6, 2007 4:43 AM

From my observations the goldfinches much prefer the sock over the tube feeder.
Jimbo

My chickadees love safflower!

so it sounds like I shouldn't give up on the sock - I looked at tube feeders again today but still didn't like any, and as far as the safflower goes, its only been a week, so maybe I just need to be patient

I find it very hard to keep feeders clean, so the plastic tube feeders aren't my favorite. The last thing I want to do in the middle of winter is head outside, empty the mildewy seed, bring them in to scrub, etc. It sounds like sock feeders would be a more environmentally friendly option that you could discard when it got gross. Yes?

Always, I presume, there will be different birds with different likes and dislikes.

My chickadees eat from the thistle sock. The cardinals and the rose breasted grossbeak love the safflower seed. An odd thing that occurs now for about two weeks each year, is that the mallards and black ducks from the bay, will fly into my yard (over a 4 ft retaining wall topped by a 5 foot chain link fence), some fly onto the retaining wall and find a hole under the fence and will walk in. They march up the hill eating "something" in the yard and will stop under a few of the feeders. I do discourage them by disturbing them, as those webbed feet can/do smoosh my garden plants.

katie59- I know waht you mean. I think thats why its important to try and find a thistle feeder that also opens from the bottom, it makes it much easier to clean ( and yes they are out there).

WBU has a new a new design in their tube feeders amd the botttoms pop off instead have to unscrew and take apart. Putting them on my list get for sure. My Droll Yankee has screws and it is easy to take apart but a real pain to get back together.

I like this one where the bottom comes off.

http://www.rachelsrobin.com/shop/index.php?page=shop-flypage-13810-adfd571bfe52af6ab025873e6466167f&ps_session=53d11417cd6781feb3b3d2e9517ceb21

In the colder states in winter does anybody make their own 'birdcake' and hang it out. I used to make them in UK, but haven't since I've been here - not cold enough! the fats would melt in the sun. But they did keep the birds happy in those days.

Heres a page of recipes for suets, their are members that make their own No Melt type; just scroll down to see recipes.

http://sialis.org/suet.htm

I have seen feeders similar in Lowes.

Yes theres a lot in that style but I'm not sure if the bottom screws off all of them.You would have to check.

I will do that, and it's a very good idea, I too have problems with the top fillers.

Sack or sock feeder.

Adelbertcat that is a great sack/sock feeder. I've seen the decorated socks, but never ones with a top. When I wash my garden gear, I include the seed socks also. :)

My thistle feeder is an actual Thistle. My 84 year old Aunt grew one last year and it reached 6-8 feet high. She had yellow finch, chickadees, rose breasted grouse beaks, and purple finch's at ths thing all the time. I wish now I would of taken a picture of it!! It did promote me to not yank this puppy out in hopes of having the same luck she had. We shall see......

Thats very interesting looking pixie! Are they invasive?

What great suggestions - I'm going to look at some of these feeders. I guess I need to shop a little more. I didn't have many birds in the yard since I had cats, but they've all been in since I lost one to a coyote a month ago. The birds are back and with a vengeance. I want to be ready for winter.

I love the look of the sock feeders and I can imagine that they give the birds something more secure to hang on to. And I try to plant things that give them natural sources of food. Thistles are cool (and Scottish to boot), but I'm a little leery of them. I'm interested to know if letting a few of them go to seed will result in a problem in the yard.

Kathy

Unfortunately yes...but they are all over my field and I find them on the lawn too. I figured I might as well let one grow up close to the house so I can watch the birds. They are a mean plant!! I very seldom walk barefoot on a certain part of our land because they hurt when stepped on.

That's what I was afraid of. They are such a pretty flower, but have a pretty nasty bite. You are right, though. If the birds like them and you already have many, then why not?

Kathy

Here's a Chickadee food I haven't seen mentioned yet...

Nice picture Dave. Yes the seed cakes (or blocks)! There are all different types for different birds and they come in different sizes. Very, very popular w/ all birds.

That's woodpecker suet, Pelle. $1.29 at Walmart equal (IMHO) to what WBU sells for $3.

My Downys love it.

Thanks Dave! I like to find the same type things in a less expensive store than a bird store as long as the quality is the same.

My birds LOVE the Insect Suet and I can't find it anywhere (especially in NO Melt) except for a local bird store (not WBU). It is very expensive but seeing them enjoy it so much makes the sting of the price not bother me so much. :-)

My Downys love the suet also and they eat it all year long.

I had found a No Melt Almond Suet that the birds just went crazy for but she (the shop owner) hasn't been able to get that in again yet.

I tried a no melt cake, but it melted during are normal 105 degree days.