Bird feeders

[ousdahl]

Anybody else got ‘em?

[KUTradition]

we’ve got a whole bunch…for song birds and humming birds

some were bought, most are home-made (at least the seed ones)

[ousdahl]

right on.

Are you familiar with different seed mixes to attract different species?

I've seen all sorts of species come eat over previous winters. Sometimes, the birds start showing up within minutes of putting a freshly filled feeder out. But now I just refilled with the cheapest bird seed at the store, and after a week so far have only seen a lone stellar jay.

might have to go spend the extra 8 dollars for the good shit, lol.

and PS, I only keep feeders out in the winter here cuz in the warmer months there's already enough bears wandering through the yard either way.

[KUTradition]

we use two or three seed varieties, and have certain feeders that only accommodate certain seed mixes (like finches)

[pdub]

Got a season long one with the local recommended mix that comes at our grocery store.
And then a hummingbird one May through Septemberish - sugar water.

[zsn]

One caution about seed-filled bird feeders. If you have concrete or patio below meticulously vacuum/sweep at least a couple of times a week. Otherwise you risk attracting rodents and insects on the ground. The birds are not clean eaters and will spill about a quarter of what you put out. If you have dirt below the feeders make sure that you’re ok with whatever seeds you put out to sprout. We got ourselves a mini meadow from the spilled seeds!

Hummingbird feeders are great. Don’t spend money on the colored water. Just put a quarter cup of sugar in one cup of water and heat to dissolve. Then put it in the feeder when fully cooled. Tie something red near where the feeder holes are. Done!

I have created a janky contraption to keep the ants out of the hummingbird feeder. I put a small hole in a clear plastic cup and inserted about a 6-8” long thick wire (like the horizontal section of a wire hanger) through it, and bent the ends so it resembles an S. I use one end to hang the feeder and the other end to a hook on my pergola. I fill the plastic cup with water.

[japhy]

We have three feeders near the living room window. Two have seeds in them and one is for suet. We also grow a bunch of coneflowers in the yard. The goldfinches show up when the coneflowers go to seed and strip those in about a week. The hummingbird feeder only goes out during migration time. Annie Oakley runs this show, feeding the birds is her thing.

[KUTradition]

y’all need to step up your games

we’ve got a block party up in this bitch

[ousdahl]

The good feed yielded a bunch of sweet species.


IIRC painted buntings and Baltimore orioles were highlights

[ousdahl]

Now that I’m thinking about it, one time growing up my fam was coming back from our standard issue spring break vacation in GA. We stopped at a hotel in TN…now that I say that, maybe we were coming back from Disney world, cuz we otherwise never stopped at a hotel halfway. Or maybe we were just visiting Tennessee itself. I dunno.

Anywho so there were lots of windows along a small yard and wooded area, with bird feeders everywhere. Blue jays, cardinals, finches all feasting and chasing each other around. I remember that shit, and remember it more fondly, even more than Disney world.

[TDub]

ive got a couple feeders out,m just because. But its more fun to watch the pheasants, hawks and eagles that are abundant around here. Lately I've been hearing and occasionally seeing a great horned owl nearby too, must have a nest close by I havent found yet. Amazing how big those damn things are when theyre close. Bigger wingspan than most people realize I think.

[ousdahl]

Bigger wingspan, nice…that owl have any college eligibility left?

[KUTradition]

ive got a couple feeders out,m just because. But its more fun to watch the pheasants, hawks and eagles that are abundant around here. Lately I've been hearing and occasionally seeing a great horned owl nearby too, must have a nest close by I havent found yet. Amazing how big those damn things are when theyre close. Bigger wingspan than most people realize I think.

we had an open-top secondary chicken run for all of a few hours…a local Cooper’s hawk decided to hang out and keep an eye on our flock, prompting a quick netting over of the top

one of the few non-family things we miss about eastern Kansas is the seemingly absurd density of birds of prey compared to utah

[ousdahl]

oh!

so this week I bought some other bird seed besides the store brand. As far as I can tell, the only difference is it has some sunflower seeds in it. But, unlike the store brand, all sorta birds love it. I also got one of those little suet cages. All of this will be put away before the bears wake up, but for the next couple months til then, it's a bird buffet.

Just this morning I've seen magpies, stellar jays, gray jays, chickadees, juncos, a couple different woodpeckers, and an adorable little squirrel.

[DrPepper]

Merlin Bird ID is an awesome phone app for the novice or the expert. And if you are marking your sightings in the app this week, they will count in the annual Great Backyard Bird Count. Cornell Ornithology Lab makes the app.

[KUTradition]

Cornell also has a fantastic sound library (Mccaulay sp?) with bird (and frog) calls from around the world

[Shirley]

I second the Merlin app.

I've always had a variety of bird feeders for years but had to quit when I moved to Flowduh. My yard backs up to a conservation area near the coast which makes it a little wildish to begin with, and the dropped seeds attract rodents and rodents attract snakes, which are already common enough. Would love to have a hummingbird feeder, but the nectar attracts ants, and fire ants are no fun.

So, I have to be satisfied with nearly daily sightings of the nesting pair of bald eagles that land at the pond on the other side of the street from my house, where I sit looking out most hours of most days. They have a very large nest at the end of my block. I spoke to a woman in my neighborhood the other day who said she has lived here since 2001, and they have been coming back to that nest every fall for at least those 22 years. (Or, another pair like them, but probably them.) A couple of years ago one of the 2 eaglets wouldn't leave like the other eaglet did, so the adults tore down the nest to get it to leave. The next fall they came back and rebuilt the nest in the same place, which was a huge relief. (To me, my property value will go down if they ever do quit coming back, or die.)

#fortunate

[zsn]

I posted above a way I found to keep ants out of the hummingbird feeder. Quite straightforward.

[Sparko]

Well damn if we aren't a bunch of Jayhawk bird lovers. We have feeders all over. Plus a red shouldered hawk pair that loves White Wing doves, unfortunately. But they keep down rats and other Texas trophies.
House finches galore this year. The suet has been a real draw too.

[jhawks99]

Bird feeders are illegal in the townhouse thingie we're in. As are my Weber and my smoker.

Communists.