Show us your feeders Vol. 5

I am jealous you have so many Quail. I've only seen them once since moving to Mo and that was along the road! I am so happy to know that they are well fed!! Thanks for sharing these pics!!

My pleasure! We didn't have Quail here until about 4 yrs ago when we planted our first U-Pick corn crop. We didn't realize what a good protective cover it was until we started hearing them in the corn patch. It's only 30' x 100', but it produces enough corn for us to have a little play money and we enjoy doing it, it's just for fun. Families with little ones come out and we can hear the kids saying I found one or here's one mom and dad. Our youngest cat Koregon loves teasing the kids and running around the corn stalks hiding. Every time someone shows up he has to go out and greet them, we call him Mr. Personality.
After the season is over, whatever corn we have left-over we feed to the chickens and what stalks we don't sell for Halloween decorations we feed to the cows, so nothing goes to waste and everyone is happy. We built a Quail habitat in the corner of the hay field using an old packer, sunflower stalks, tree limbs and dormant plants that I cut off in the fall. We put a wildbird block on top of a fairly large flat rock that has an indentation at each end so if it rains they can get water as well. They love it. DH told me that they don't fly out to it they have a path along the fence so they use the fence for protection. Smart birds!

Gardener...that is so interesting about the corn and it sounds like fun too! Maybe I can get DH to plant some this spring and see what happens. I used to hear the Bobwhites in the summer but not anymore...I don't know what happened to them. I have just got into bird watching so I am discovering that there are more birds here than I thought. We have a wonderful pile of cedars that were bulldozed due to our ice storm and I told DH I want to leave it for the wildlife. I may have to put a wildbird block up there and see what happen, thanks for the ideas!

Rose

You bet dellrose, anytime!
Susan

I need a new but not too expensive Finch feeder. Which type do yours seem to like the best? Do you just use Nyjer or Finch Mix in it?

Once I get another bafflled pole I'll be putting the Finch Mix that is strictly

Nyjer & fine Sunflower seeds.

nanny,

I'm now using the Stokes Finch Tube Feeder with my mixture of approx. 50/50 thistle and fine sunflower chips in it. The GF love sitting on the perches and munching alot! I've been even thought of getting another one just like it for the GF's!

http://www.stokesselect.com/products/template/product_detail.php?PHPSESSID=eece37c18bfb78fbb6b69d5852695aa9&item_id_D=6

I also have the same mixture in another Stokes feeder, called the Finch Screen Feeder. The GF's love to cling to it and munch away!

http://www.stokesselect.com/products/template/product_detail.php?PHPSESSID=eece37c18bfb78fbb6b69d5852695aa9&item_id_D=125

I've seen both of these feeders at my local PetSmart and my local Tractor Supply carries the Stokes brand (and a little cheaper than PetSmart).

My mixture is the Morning Song Finch & Chips bird food and mix it with about 50% of thistle seed into one of those plastic pour and store containers (for bird food). The Finch & Chips mix is fine sunflower chips with thistle seed. You can find it at PetSmart (locally and/or mail order). I use the Garden Song Scoop N' Fill too. (found at TS and mail order thru PetSmart).
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2754702&cp=2767035.2769104&view=all&fbn=Taxonomy%7CFoods&fbc=1&clickid=topnav_dropdown3_link4&parentPage=family&keepsr=1
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2751838&cp=2767035.2769098&view=all&fbn=Taxonomy%7CAccessories&fbc=1&clickid=topnav_dropdown3_link0&parentPage=family&keepsr=1
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2754738&cp=2767035.2769098&view=all&fbn=Taxonomy%7CAccessories&fbc=1&clickid=topnav_dropdown3_link0&parentPage=family&keepsr=1

A photo of both 12/26/07 at 12:10 pm

Has anyone noticed that most birds perfer suet or peanut butter over mixed seed? I have a wreath that I spread peanut butter mixed with wild bird seed on and several suet cages. The birds seem to go to them and ignore the see feeder.

Betty

Nanny, I have a metal tube feeder with lots of small holes in it. The finches just clings to it. GF are real acrobat, They will feed upside down. I don't know if you can get this type in your area. For feed, I use either nyger alone or the mix that the girls talked about. The on that Sadie and Marilyn have , has a dish , in the bottom, that collect the seeds dropping from the feeder. That might be something to consider.

Betty. Birds are really attracted to peanut butter treat. For me, it's either run to the store to get some or make my own.I prefer to make my own. I make big batches, and put them in foil cake pan and cut it up as I need it, or use square container as mold. Store them in the fridge, or freezer.

Thanks Burn I think I will try that.

Betty

Hi Betty, Most birds will take seed over suet unless its a Downy woodpecker.


Marilyn, Why do you put extra thistle in the Morningsong mix when it already has thistle in it? Is it so it goes further?


Still have to make my own suet. :-)

nanny_56, I just buy wildbird mix. It has millet, sunflower,nyjer and thistle. All the birds love it.

Pelle,

I add thistle to the mix, since I wanted it to be 50/50 and yes, so it goes farther. GF's love it!

Sorry Betty I did not read your post well enough. I never tried smearing PB on the suet cages; I'll have to try that sometime.

I have put PB on the trees but my squirrels always get to it first.

Just bought this new feeder w/ Christmas money.

Its a Sky Cafe. It can be pole mounted or hung.

After they go through this food I'll change it over to be hanging since its too tall for me.

That is really a nice feeder Pelle, I tried to find something like that yesterday but didn't find one. Where did you get it? I bought some large plastic bowls at $ store and am gonna try and rig some feeders with protection!

I bought mine at my local bird store but you can find them most places on the net.

http://www.squirrelstuff.com/product_info.php?products_id=237

Thanks for the link Pelle, those squirrels don't have a chance with that feeder!

One of the new feeders I put out yesterday and the birdies really like it. It is hanging in the willow tree and give them a place to run if need be. It is glass and metal.

This is another new one and it looks like they have been using it as well!

Gangs all here. They empty this one in three days. Lesser goldfinch.

Regarding Bird Food, here are links to two on-line companies that offer free shipping. http://www.ebirdseed.com/ (They sell some of the fruit blends.) The second is http://www.nottawawildbirdsupply.com/seed-c-26.html They sell cases of suet cakes with free shipping.

I also like Pet Smart.

GG

This Downy WP let me get pretty close to him today! Here he is eating suet and watching me at the same time!

Edited to correct ID.

This message was edited Dec 29, 2007 8:14 PM

Oh Stella...forgot to tell you I like your Lesser Goldfinch, I've never seen one in our area!

Granny..you are leading me astray with those links!! LOL!

Nice feeders dellrose and stella!


I had the DH take the new feeder down off the top of the pole system and hang it instead.

While it was on the top the first ones on it were House Finch of course; no one else went to it.

Sorry about that dellrose! You folks have me hooked on bird watching! My bed time reading is my new Sibley Field Guide to Birds and the camera instruction manual. They say the older you get the dumber you get and those books prove that out.

By the way, yes pelletory the camera does have a sports mode.

Enjoy the links. I have ordered from both of those places and the backyard crew has shown its appreciation!

GG

Pelle, I love your new feeder! I'm have been thinking about getting that one (or the one with the green roof).

Rose, I love your two new bird feeders! Love your Downy pic! Great shot!

Stella, I love your feeder and the Lesser Goldfinches! Great shot!

Rose, Duncraft carries the green roof Sky Cafe $59.95
http://www.duncraft.com/Sky-Cafe-Green-Roof-5104-P2242C34.aspx

and they carry the clear Sky Cafe $64.95
http://www.duncraft.com/Sky-Cafe-Feeder-P145C34.aspx

The green roof one is mostly priced lower (for now) since it's new.

Great links Granny. I'm sure to order from one or the other. I have to drive 45 minutes to get decent bird food around here. Free shipping makes all the difference.

Thanks Marilyn for your kind comment and also the links (really need those)! LOL!

Hi Rose, Can you please start Vol. 6 of this same title thread please?

Thank You!

Pelle :-)

I would be happy to...here is the link for Vol. 6 http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/800637/.

This message was edited Dec 29, 2007 7:50 PM