Raiders

[Diggin It]

I put seed and suet out for the songbirds that hang around most of the year. It's cool to look out and see a mix of Cardinals, Blue Jays, Woodpeckers and others all feeding together in peace. But when it's cold and messy, the Grackels come in by the hundreds and crowd the others out. They steal it all and I don't know if the songbirds are getting enough.

I don't know of a way to feed some, but not all.

 

[MoKelly]

Try this.



We do this and it sort of works. Not 100% but we still get a good variety of birds.

We also have issues with squirrels. Cardinals like to eat from the ground and squirrels don’t cooperate.

MoKelly

 

[Wakey]

Turns out squirrels don’t prefer safflower seeds either.

 

[Diggin It]

I don't know where to get safflower locally, but I'll check around.

Took some more out and stood there for a while. The songbirds are sort of used to me and will feed even if I'm just 15-20' feet away. The raiders didn't come that close and the others could have at it. But I can only take some much cold and wind.

'Nother weird thing I noticed. Cardinals will scuffle with each other. Woodpeckers will also. But the two species won't scuffle between them.

 

[/pine]

Cardinals are usually the first at the feeders in the AM and the last at the feeders in the PM...feed them late (right up until dark) with enough seed for some to still be there in the morning...

suet is important for bug eaters...extended period of cold make bugs scarce...

..be kind to wildlife...

 

[beckmurph]

Squirrels are my biggest problem stealing seed.

But, lately a Mocking bird started showing up and chases the other birds away.

 

[drssg]

Just put out more seed, and then there is enough for everyone. I never bought into the idea of putting out bird seed and then complaining that the wrong birds (or squirrels) showed up to eat it.

 

[MoKelly]

Just put out more seed, and then there is enough for everyone. I never bought into the idea of putting out bird seed and then complaining that the wrong birds (or squirrels) showed up to eat it.

There was a cartoon I saw recently that had a smaller dog listening to and older, wiser dog. The older dog said something like “squirrels are just God throwing balls into the yard”.

I liked that.

MoKelly

 

[Diggin It]

Just put out more seed, and then there is enough for everyone. I never bought into the idea of putting out bird seed and then complaining that the wrong birds (or squirrels) showed up to eat it.

The problem is that the songbirds are year round residents and I hope to help them through the cold spell. There are always about 6 or 8 pairs of Cardinals and assortments of others including Doves. The Grackels or whatever they are, come and go in swarms thick enough to darken the sky. I don't know where they go in Summer, but I know they don't stay local.

 

[oosik]

I put out seed for the quail. The chipmunks will eat some of it. The munks prefer salted pine nuts - so do I. The "bad guys" around here - raccoons. They get into anything I put out and scatter it to the four winds. I have a family of 'coons living down in the cattails on this end of the lake.

Otherwise - I have those little Chickadees here all winter. They seem to like the tiny, tiny seeds from the dandelions.

 

[Diggin It]

^^ I used to put Thistle seed out for the finches. They never ate it all and I ended up with too many plants.

 

[Wakey]

^^ I used to put Thistle seed out for the finches. They never ate it all and I ended up with too many plants.

Same.. My finches eat black oil sunflower seeds like everyone else.

WalMart has safflower seed in 5 lb bags so I’ll give it a try. I need to get a trail cam and see who’s been climbing the 4x4 post to get to the birdhouse. A coon I suspect.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

My bird feeder in mounted on a gas pipe, about 5 and 1/2 feet off the ground, away from any trees, with a squirrel baffle on the pipe. It keeps the squirrels off the feeder, and they have to be happy with what the birds have scattered. The only non-feathered varmint that can get to the seeds are racoons, but it's a real chore for them and they are not a problem.

I use a mixture of sunflower seeds and hen scratch...about 90/10...depending on the season...and it attracts all kinds of birds. Even woodpeckers. Turkeys and doves...along with the squirrels...usually keep the ground pretty well clean.

 

[cqaigy2]

I put out seed for the quail. The chipmunks will eat some of it. The munks prefer salted pine nuts - so do I. The "bad guys" around here - raccoons. They get into anything I put out and scatter it to the four winds. I have a family of 'coons living down in the cattails on this end of the lake.

Otherwise - I have those little Chickadees here all winter. They seem to like the tiny, tiny seeds from the dandelions.

Not many chipmunks here but pretty similar.

 

[Wakey]

I put safflower seed in one of the feeders and you’d think I’d spread poison. I don’t know what the little birds are but they aren’t a fan. I’ll see if the doves will eat it and of course the squirrels.

I put a dome of sorts on the shepherd’s hook that the squirrels were vandalizing.

2LC, amazing shot!

 

[Wakey]

They ended up eating the safflower seed, likely the Doves. I counted 21 at once a couple days ago.

My new baffles on the Shepherd’s hooks are working 100% but I’ve been down this road before.

I suspect the squirrels submit the problem to engineering and 2 weeks later I’m back to step 1, getting my posterior handed to me!

I moved the baffle higher on the squirrel proof bird feeder. It has been getting raided (I suspect) by a raccoon.

I use about half of a 5 gallon bucket of black oil sunflower, every 2 days.

 

[Wakey]

Here is a quick video. I need a new set of binoculars, not sure what the little ones are, they are quite vocal so perhaps someone recognizes their chatter.



Birds Feb. 2021 - YouTube

 

[Diggin It]

I have my feeders on a rig of 4x4 wooden posts. To combat the 'Coons, I put a two foot section of 7" galvanized HVAC duct around the posts. That worked for a while until I noticed they had gotten to the feeders again. One day I looked out and found out how. One would stand as tall as it could against the duct, but couldn't quite reach the top of it. Another could climb up the back of the first to where it could grab the post.

I added another two foot section above so now there is four foot of metal duct.

 

[Wakey]

great.. The raccoons have engineering also.