Made a trip to the local hardware store this morning for 40 pounds of bird seed..they have a good price on their 20 pound bags. Topped off the three half empty feeders out front, put some in the bird feeder that used to be a bird bath, and sprinkled some on the ground in the usual spot. Then I put the deer corn on the ground in strategic spots that are good for viewing (they know right where to find it every evening), then go check the mail. My morning routine after my first cup of coffee. These birds and deer sure are spoiled. Out front, for viewing from my kitchen and my office windows are three feeders, three suet feeders, a thistle sock feeder and several hanging peanut butter and seed filled pine cones.
Out back, I have one of each, plus an extra pine cone feeder, hanging from a shepards hook as their feeding station. I get so much enjoyment from watching them. So far I've identified 18 species that are regulars, including the turkeys and quail in season, a red-bellied woodpecker who comes daily for the suet, and "the crow crew"..a family of five who are daily visitors for the corn and seed also. I add each new species to the list I have taped to the inside of my kitchen cabinet door..fun to keep track. Having been here just seven months now, seems like the word got around fast in the bird community that there's food for the grubbing at our place!
I'd recently purchased the thistle seed sock, and it's not surprising to see several birds (I saw five at one time) clinging to it feeding. The warblers and finches, chick-a-dees and tit mice seem to enjoy them the most. The sock was cheap, $1.50, and the thistle (nyger, niger) a bit expensive, but it's so tiny and dense in the package that it seems to last forever, and the birds love it. I placed it right next to one of their suet feeders and it took no time (half hour) before one discovered it!
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| Stick coated with peanut butter |
Today I also re-made some pine cone feeders as the ones out there were all but picked clean of the peanut butter and seed. When finished, I had the idea to coat a stick that had several small twigs coming off it with peanut butter, then coating mostly with thistle and a little regular seed, secured at the top with some floral wire for hanging. I no sooner went in after hanging it to get my camera, came out onto the porch, and there was a warbler sitting on it eating..just that quickly! The birds seem to be less fearful of trying something new when I keep the feeders grouped together, rather than singly.
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| Seed sprinkled onto peanut butter-coated stick and lightly patted down |
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| Didn't take long..see bird at top of stick, eating |
Love my birds!
Out back, I have one of each, plus an extra pine cone feeder, hanging from a shepards hook as their feeding station. I get so much enjoyment from watching them. So far I've identified 18 species that are regulars, including the turkeys and quail in season, a red-bellied woodpecker who comes daily for the suet, and "the crow crew"..a family of five who are daily visitors for the corn and seed also. I add each new species to the list I have taped to the inside of my kitchen cabinet door..fun to keep track. Having been here just seven months now, seems like the word got around fast in the bird community that there's food for the grubbing at our place!
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