The bird party has started!

[curly_kate]

Since I we moved, I've been trying to figure out a good place to put up my feeder. Our new house is in a former tobacco field, so there aren't any trees close by. I finally decided to take a chance and put it up in a small patch of scrubby honey locusts. And then I had to wait...and wait. It really was only a couple of days, but it felt like forever. I had a couple of brave little guys yesterday, but when I looked out there today I realized the word must have gotten out. I've got housefinches, goldfinches, doves, titmice, chickadees, juncos, a bunch of sparrows, and a woodpecker who hasn't seemed to notice the suet feeder I have attached to a post a couple of yards away. I feel like the host of a successful party!

Do you guys put out feeders? What kinds of birds do you see out there?

 

[curly_kate]

And cardinals and blue jays! I didn't realize the variety I was seeing until I stopped to list them all!

 

[so lucky]

We used to feed them faithfully, but since we got the chickens, the wild birds help themselves to the chicken feed so much, there doesn't seem to be any need to feed them separately. Just be sure not to put bread/pastry scraps out; that will attract starlings to the feeder, also English sparrows.
I love the variety of birds you can get at a feeder. Possibly migrating birds, too, in spring and fall. If you have never raised mealworms, this would be a good time to start. You could have a batch ready for baby bluebirds this spring.

 

[curly_kate]

Ooh, that's a good idea about the bluebirds! We have a pair (at least) that hang around in the spring. It would be cool to be able to encourage them to stay longer. I used to have a horrible time with starlings at the old house. They would get into our coop and make a horrible mess. Our chickens are in a barn now, and for some reason, we never have starlings stay very long here. (Not that I'm complaining, mind you!)

 

[Smart Red]

I used to have several bird feeding sites, but once I got the chickens I stopped feeding the wild fowl because bird diseases are often spread to domesticated birds at these sites. My flock free-ranges and all my feeders were in that ranging area. This fall I put up a wild bird feeding station in an area NOT frequented by my chickens. Hopefully, this will allow me the enjoyment of both wild and domesticated birds.

 

[Nyboy]

I don't put out feeders, but there is plenty for the birds to eat. I don't dead head my flowers, I always see birds on both blackeyed susans and cone flowers that have dried. I have crapapple and cranberry that the birds enjoy.

 

[Smart Red]

I am an "official" wild-life habitat -- for what it's worth (not much). Much of my 30 acres is wild-life friendly with plenty of nuts, berries, flowers, seeds, evergreen shelter, etc. that local animals use for food and shelter. The feeding station is for MY enjoyment. I don't get to see all the birds eating in the back 40.

 

[NwMtGardener]

I got a new feeder this spring, holds 10# of bird seed! Awesome, dont have to fill as often. All the sudden, just a few weeks ago, we started going through bird food like CRAZY. It's squirrel proof, by the way. Last week i put 10# in, the next day it was gone, WHAT THE HECK!? Went out to shovel snow that morning...boy, deer poo all over the sidewalk. Deer poo over there in the yard....hmm...my feeder is hanging too low!

I only get sparrows and chickadees, and an occasional stellars jay, i think cause i buy them the cheap seed mix. My neighbor gets the cool birds, house finches and little nuthatches, cause she feeds pure sunflower seeds.

 

[curly_kate]

I used to buy the fancy mixes but the birds around here are fiends for sunflower seeds.

 

[journey11]

You have a nice variety of visitors there, Kate! I need to invest in some other feeders and treats to try to draw in more species.

My DD6 and I started feeding the birds last winter and got so much enjoyment out of watching them. This year, I've had a band of about 25 common house sparrows mobbing my feeder, fighting and knocking out a lot of the feed. I need to buy or make a halo for the feeder before I'll fill it again. They run off all the other birds and have really spoiled it for me.

A couple of titmice, a couple of gold finches, a pair of cardinals, a single junco, and new this year--either a Carolina or Winter Wren will hurry and try to get a bite while the sparrows are away, but they don't hang out for long or in the numbers that they did last year. The woodpeckers won't come at all now. I'm so bummed out because birdwatching really helps me get through the winter blues. The sparrows are NOT relaxing to watch at all.