Show Us Your Feeders Vol. 3

All I can say Marilynbeth, WOW! :-)

LOL Pelle, she's the queen for sure!!!

I really like that fruit kabob feeder. I stick orange and apple halves on up-turned ends of my shepherds hooks and the RB woodies and Orioles and sometimes the Mockingbird eat them that way.

I wish I had an outdoor power source for a heated birdbath/waterer. I guess I'll just have to keep on changing it every day thru the winter.

Here's the suet log I just got. This is the mfg.'s site, it's about 11.5" long and has 4 holes that go all the way thru so 8 holes to eat from. It's not too pretty but the price was right at $7.99 :-)
http://www.wildbirdsuets.com/770.htm
The only plugs they had were the peanut delights, I got them since most of my birds seem to like PB. When they're gone, I'll probably just cut up suet cakes for it.

Southern States is a farm store, kind of like Tractor Supply, although Tractor Supply seems to be geared more to horse owners, where as S. States is geared to the more rural farmer.

This message was edited Dec 5, 2007 12:05 PM

I like the Fruit Kabob also. Do people feed fruit during the winter???

Might be a good way to make up for frozen birdbaths. :-)

sadie I've seen that log feeder before; its very nice.

Thats a great price too; where did you buy it from?

My log suet went black for some reason and looks awful so I took it down but its the one that looks like a more natural log so I'm sure you'll have better luck w/ yours.

Nanny ~ my mocking bird from last year would eat frozen orange quarters, he guarded that feeder like a maniac. I know I've got pics of him at home, all puffed up and sitting by "his" oranges, LOL. I've got oranges and apples out in a hanging platform feeder right now but no one is eating them yet.

Pelle ~ I got it at Southern States, I don't know if you have them up there, it's a farm store cooperative. I sure hope the birds like it because I bought 3 packs of the plugs, they were on sale too. Also am getting a trail camera but they've got to get it from the main warehouse, should be here next week. I'm hoping I can pass it off to DH as a Christmas gift and use it when he's not here, LOL, just kidding :-P I guess I could say "Gee hon, I don't know why you're not getting any deer pics"! Really, I want to see exactly what's eating all of that peanut butter at night, LOL!

If you had to pick 1(okay maybe 2) good all around feeder(s) which one(s) would it be?

Not easy to answer but I think a platform feeder is nice because all types of birds can use it. It does require extra cleaning but...

I'll have to think about my second choice.

My birds seem to prefer the platform feeders and the wire mesh BOSS feeder is getting a lot of action right now too. Even the Red-Bellie, Red-Head and Downy woodpeckers seem to prefer a nut mix in the platform feeder rather than the suet feeders. A big plus for me is that both my platform feeders and the BOSS feeders are all metal components and are easy to clean.

I would have to say a platform feeder (with mixed seed mix) for the same reason Pelle mentioned. Year round use.

I can't limit it to 2 choices however;

I have to have at least one suet feeder year round that can be used by Woodpeckers.

I have to have for year round use a mesh thistle feeder for all the Finches (Gold & House) and hopefully, the Indigo Buntings can use it in the warm months.

I have to have a mesh feeder with BOSS that Cardinals and alot of birds can use year round.

I have to have a big and tall enough peanut feeder that the RBW and other birds can use in the colder months.

I have to have at least 2 Hummingbird Feeders with perches that they can use in the warmer months.

Marilyn

Marilyn ~ my Indigo Buntings ate out of my platform feeder, along with the goldfinch and others. Looks like he's got a sunflower heart in his mouth here. This was the first year I've ever had them come to the feeders, they were so beautiful!

Sadie,

I've never had them come to any feeders of mine and I've been feeding every day, year round since Dec. 2000! I feed on the ground year round too.

I like your feeder. Where did you get it? How big is it? How deep is it? How much did you pay for it?

What was the seed mix you had it there that he could pick from to eat?

Thanks!

It's just a cheap feeder from Walmart, I think it was around $11 and it's isn't very pretty now, kind of gray. Since the bottom is perforated for drainage, it also came with a blue plastic insert so that it could be used as a hanging bird bath or to feed small seeds. It's not very big, I'm guessing maybe 12" inside diameter, it's a hexagon shape. It's probably not more than 3" deep.

I think I just had BOSS and sunflower hearts/chips in there. I had bought an expensive finch mix with thistle and some other stuff and the only thing it attracted was Cow Birds :-( I've been feeding for 3 or 4 years and this is the first time I've seen them at the feeders. Here is another feeder it ate from periodically and I know it was nothing but sunflower hearts/chips in there. It was an ugly, old feeder and the raccoons finally pulled it down enough time to break it, thank goodness ;-)

I haven't seen an Indigo Bunting for a few years now but in three places I have lived - including here - they have come regularly to thistle feeders and also mixed small seeds feeders.

Most of the Finch mixes contain alot of Canary seed which I don't want.

Thats why I wanted that Kaytee Ultimate (or Premium) Finch seed which is only

Thistle and Sunflower seeds (fine) but I haven't been able to find.

They also carry a mix with all that canary stuff.

Pelle,

If you can't find it, here is this that you might want to consider. It's expensive, though.

http://www.duncraft.com/Premium-Black-and-Gold-Blend-P2211C203.aspx

Premium Black and Gold Blend

I've haven't bought it, but want consider getting a bag to try it.

OMG- That IS expensive!!!

Is that what you're looking for? That type of mix? If you find it alot cheaper, let me know.

sadie, I bought that same feeder!! Mine started to split, but I use the plascti dish for a ground feeder.

I was excluding all the specialty feeders. Of course we have to have the suet and thistle feeders! lol

I think I am going to get another tray/platform feeder and a mesh next.

This message was edited Dec 5, 2007 8:11 PM

Yes Marilyn thats the exact type as the Kaytee one I mentioned; I'd be surprised if

Kaytee's weren't much less expensive.

I did a search from the Kaytee sight but they said the closest place was a Petsmart in Philadelphia.

I don't go to Phila. anymore (too dangerous).

Wow! I should say Marilyn is the Queen of the feeders! It took me a while to catch up with all of her offerings! Something for every birdie!

Marilyn-- I wish you would start a new thread with the recipe for your custom mix of bird seed. (This thread is getting a bit long...).

I am interested in the best custom mix that is also very cost efficient (not sure you're the one to ask about that since you seem to have an inexhaustible bird feeding budget!).

Another thread idea: Does anyone know how to make those cute bird seed wreaths that Marilyn hung from her spruce tree? I have seen some recipes but would like one that the birds think is yummy and that will look as good as the wreaths in the bird stores...

Yes go ahead Marilyn start a new "Show Us Your Feeders" thread with one of your pics.

It will be Vol. 4

Good question tabasco!

I've seen the recipes around but never tried them.

I'm quite sure mine would not turn out as well as the store ones but I'll look around for you.

You've probably seen this one already tabasco. This sounds big though.

If you scroll down theres also ones made w/ bagels.

http://birding.about.com/library/weekly/aa120302a.htm

Heres a suet recipe that uses bacon grease (sorry I got off track).
http://birding.about.com/library/blrecipe23.htm

This message was edited Dec 5, 2007 9:22 PM

I found a bird seed wreath recipe on some site that was highly recommended and perfect for teachers' gifts. Then a few posts later, someone who made it said the birds wouldn't eat it at all! I don't want that recipe! I did find one written by an Avian Consultant (?) but I think the seed wreath was for Parrots (as in cages). I wonder if that would work for woodpeckers?

Thanks, pelle, for the recipes--I think I will experiment and I will announce my results. (Kind of like Alton Brown on the Food channel, you know).

Nanny - so far mine hasn't started coming apart or splitting, just turned that really weathered gray color. I use my little blue dish on the ground as a water dish for the ground feeders :-) Might as well make use of what you've got! I had tried using it on the ground with the finch mix that I'm trying to get rid of, but the raccoons liked to come at night and turn it upside down :-(

In the summer I use mine w/ the blue dish inside as a bird bath; I hang it from the tree.

Hi everyone!

We're now going to: Show Us Your Feeders Vol. 4

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/795499/