Putting out the birdfeeder again

[tacklejunkie]

 Several years ago a black bear destroyed my birdfeeder and I haven’t fed birds since.

 I’m now starting to feed them again and appears black oil sunflower seeds still king.

 My wife picked up a block of suet and I’m thinking of putting that out as the Bears should be hibernating.  How important is suet for birds and is there anything that will eat the suet but not eat the black oil sunflower seed?

[eyeguy 54]

I mainly see woodpeckers on the suet. Sometimes chickadees, nuthatches, and bluejays. All the birds seem to love the oils. I dont think you have to put out suet, I didnt for many years. I keep it out now cuz once in a while a piliated will hit it and the flying squirrels like it. I also put mealworms out once in a while. Before I put suet out the woodpeckers would eat the oils but with the suet out its rare to see them eat the oils. Nutty butter gets the best action here but try some different kinds to see what your birds prefer. I stay away from millet blended bird food cuz it attracts too many house sparrows. Have fun!

[Jim Almquist]

I put up thistle for the Goldfinches and have found that the Redpolls and Pine Siskins also love it. When the flock comes in there will be a waiting line for the thistle perches. I always have black oil seeds but wait till the bears hibernate before I put out suet. 

[smurfy]

at the cabin I've set out beef tallow and the birds had no problem cleaning that up. we also set out the suet cakes they like them too. within 2 weeks all 4 of the suet feeders are cleaned out. the only seeds we feed up there are the sunflower seed. the flying squirrels, chickadees and various other birds clean them up too. at times we also get them evening and pine grosbeaks........ i think there called.

here in cold spring i am finally seeing birds at the suet feeders, woodpeckers. i also feed sunflowers and sunflowers mixed with safflowers for the cardinals and thistle seeds, those are hit and miss!!!!!!!

 

[eyeguy 54]

cardinals love oils.  they also like a nice ledge. very rare to see them on a post feeder. i have the worst luck here with thistle. everybody wants the oils.  

[delcecchi]

Yep, I tried thistle and safflower to discourage squirrels.  Now I just feed sunflower, and lead for the squirrels.  

Bunnies and deer clean up all that they can reach every night, so have to reload the feeders every morning.  I have a low platform and the deck rail, in additon to some tube type feeders.   Fun, since cardinals and jays love the deck rail.  

[JBMasterAngler]

Now that it’s really cold, I have to refill my sunflowers every day, as the cardinals and chickadees eat it up. Blue jays will eat it too, if I leave it on the tree stumps, unfortunately the squirrels usually get to it first there. Suet cakes have been really popular with the downy woodpeckers lately, but I’m seeing red bellied and pileated woodpeckers also. I bought some  halved peanuts recently, but the feeder I put them in hasn’t seen much action. I have to bring my feeders in every night, otherwise the deer will clean them out. I leave them corn at night. Which, I bring in in the morning, otherwise the squirrels will clean that out!

[eyeguy 54]

nice to have such action.

[Grainbelt]

21 hours ago, eyeguy 54 said:

cardinals love oils.

They also love white millet. I throw out around 3 handfuls on the ground after the cardinals feed at dark by the feeders.  I had 8 cardinals feeding this morning at low light on the ground.

[eyeguy 54]

i have them feed on the ground most of the time eating the sunflowers that the other birds make a mess with from the feeders. millet and sparrows are at the neighbors.  

They love the mealworms also.

[delcecchi]

1 hour ago, eyeguy 54 said:

i have them feed on the ground most of the time eating the sunflowers that the other birds make a mess with from the feeders. millet and sparrows are at the neighbors.  

They love the mealworms also.

What do you use to feed mealworms?   I have a bag of dried ones, never got much interest.   I'll try again.  Like a flower pot saucer? 

[smurfy]

man del, i only feed the mealworms, dried ones, come spring for the bluebirds but the robins go crazy over them here!!!!!!

[eyeguy 54]

stokes feeder for the meal worms.  small holes in it for water drainage. cardinals and chickadees like them in winter.  you got it on the robins. sheesh they gobble them up in spring. 

[tacklejunkie]

Well, this cold weather has really been bring in the birds. Chickadees, jays, and grosbeaks are the main visitors.

Has anybody ever have Ruffed Grouse come to feeders? I see them in the trees some mornings not far from the feeders but never actually at the feeders themselves

[JBMasterAngler]

No grouse, but I do have a hen pheasant that makes an occasional appearance. I suspect she lives under our upside down kiddy pool.

[delcecchi]

Mourning Doves still showing up.... at least as of a couple days ago. 

[Duffman]

Meanwhile, near Monticello.

 

 

[tacklejunkie]

On 1/3/2018 at 4:19 PM, delcecchi said:

Mourning Doves still showing up.... at least as of a couple days ago. 

I’ve also seen mourning doves recently at my feeder. Don’t they fly south for the winter?

Edited January 6, 2018 by tacklejunkie

[eyeguy 54]

a few usually hang around

[JBMasterAngler]

I have a pair that show up at my feeders every day. I never knew they migrated.

[delcecchi]

Had a whole bunch, maybe 8 or 10, today.  

[Jim Almquist]

We had a small flock for a couple of years but now ...nothing. Not sure were they went or why the left.