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Tube Birdfeeders vs. Suet Feeders
All the feeders in the yard are extremely crowded during this weird cold snap. Platform, peanut, thistle and tube birdfeeders are kept filled constantly for chickadees, finches, jays, cardinals and others. Robins scavenging for earthworms and offered dried mealworms, fruit, bread and peanut butter to stay warm. Three heated bird baths also entice the crowds to stick around.
The biggy though, has got to be the suet feeders. EVERYONE is eating suet for the extra calories to stay warm. A friend snapped this photo of a two grackles fighting over suet. Even bluebirds with their live mealworms are going after suet. So, until spring finally hits and it begins to warm up, I’ll keep the suet coming for feathered friends.
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A Jay at the Tube Birdfeeder…Strange?
A friend sent this great photo last week of a small Blue Jay at their tube birdfeeder. First I thought “what a great photo” then started thinking about some oddities in my own yard. You just don’t usually see a Blue Jay at a tube birdfeeder? This crazy, cold weather has most birds eating just about anything to stay warm! Almost every bird is eating suet right now, and my bluebirds are eating peanuts too.
Yesterday at the park while walking the dog, the local ducks were accosting people for food! Not having anything to feed, I felt terrible and ran to the hardware store for a bag of cracked corn. Asking the sales lady “I wonder what else the ducks would eat, she gave me 72 hot dog rolls from store room! Asking if they’d eat the bread, I said sure…they’re pretty hungry right now, I think they’ll eat anything! Sure enough all gathered around for a feeding frenzy.
The cold weather can be on its way now…I’m ready for spring, nesting seson, and the natural order of things!
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Secret Tube Birdfeeder Clump & Clog Trick
This is the Rainbow Finch Feeder, and when all perches are filled…its’ truly a breathtaking site! The longer tube feeders come with their many advantages, like less filling and excellent views of more birds feeding at once, but they can also tend to clump and clog at the bottom.When using a tube birdfeeder, sometimes it seems impossible to keep seed fresh and mold-free at the bottom. Birds won’t eat it and it goes to waste-which really stinks if you spend a small fortune on wild bird food!
An interesting article with this brilliant trick showed up in one of the bird forums, and I can’t wait to try it with the next filling. Ready? Here it is: Ping Pong Balls! Yes, the person said they had placed a few in the bottom of their tube bird feeder to help disperse the seed. They also said this ended the problem of seed clumping and clogging at the bottom of the feeder!
Birding Tips, Information & News
This is the Rainbow Finch Feeder, and when all perches are filled…its’ truly a breathtaking site! The longer tube feeders come with their many advantages, like less filling and excellent views of more birds feeding at once, but they can also tend to clump and clog at the bottom.