If only it still cost a tuppence a bag
https://www.seawaychina.com/wp...

The next few days are saying below freezing in central Maryland, so we're all set for bird feeding and watering. Let's chirp about our birds!

Again, I mainly use millt and safflower, and get a nice variety. Mark did buy some mixed seeds, and I have black oil sunflower held back. I skimp on sunflower because the squirrels trash the feeder right away when it's in there.

Sizzlin Suet with cayenne and peanut chips is very well liked. Nuthatches, wrens, both visit often, and others.

The bluebirds are still here! Two pairs? or about four of them, were around my Sizzlin Suet. Also hung there is an onion bag holding a chunk of dried mealworms. They look rehydrated today so I'm glad it will be cold to preserve them.

A starling comes by itself (starling outcast??) and gets on the suet, but at least the other birds then sit below it and pick up all the crumbs he knocks off.

Something went quickly though a cupfull of food in the front, in a short time we were out. Either a squirrel, or the mess of house finches and or english sparrows that hang out in the hedges. I like to think the sparrows will become hawk chow and thus spare the native birds.

And, we got a birdbath heater for the first time, so we're hoping to see the birds enjoy that this weekend.

Thank you Sally! We needed a fresh new Thread...

I see a lot of common, small birds on my patio floor--and the sparrows hang out in the shrubs by the
far end of my patio. Mostly--I throw seed out on the patio floor. Have seen a few doves come picking.

I have 2 feeders up. The 3-tube new one I bought and a smaller one that I hang above my patio table
so the squirrels cannot get to it. Not a whole lot of birds feeding by the new 3-tube feeder???
I know some of the seed is a year old. may be that is the reason. If they get hungry enough--they will eat it.
Also--may be the feeding station holes are too small? They can be moved to either "open" position--or a slit
for the finches. They seem to be OK on the open setting.
Been tossing a lot of black SF seed in many places too. The squirrels woof it down--even the old seeds.
They are well fed so far. I have 2 buckets-full of "older" Black oilers. let them pig out on these--not buying
anything new till it is gone. Also have some older peanuts in the shell--they still gobble it all down.

One thing is disappointing to me----Last year I bought a pack of 10 suet cakes at Aldis. The box sat in the fridge since then. I have put it out now twice, but there are almost NO takers.
I have 2 of them on my 2 tree trunks. Now and then i see a Downy woodpecker. Even the birds won't touch it.
When I opened it--it looked OK--and did not smell bad at all. The suet is yellowish and fairly solid.
It has very few seeds i it. I will keep putting it out and wait and see....Maybe they just have not been discovered yet?

I want to add a link to a very nice "Common Back yard birds" with color pictures and names under each.
Now--to find it and hope it will transfer over here so you all can see it. it is great for ID'ing birds.
Keeping my fingers crossed....Gita

Ended up Googling it. I think this is the site I was trying to find.
It is very nice....Gita

http://www.wildbirds.com/Ident...

Thanks for the new thread Sally.

How nice to put out my feeders this week and have the birds I fed in the hard times last winter show up right away! Good to see the woodpeckers, They get the peanut
chips and the cardinals get the cracked corn.
Seems the new cardinals on the block are mostly female this year. Last year more males. I don't see the patriarch male from last three years though. He could make even the Blue Jays wait their turn.

No nuthatches. Do they eat from feeders? Love the juncos,

I put out half a block of suet and now it and the cage has disappeared.

Nice link Gita. Seems I do have nuthatches

I have 6 different feeders which I alternate on two pole hangers. The birds here do seem to prefer or shun certain feeders in certain configurations.....same mix of seed in all.

Judy--Nice to hear from you! Since the BIG change-over--seems so many people no longer post much.
Of course-I do not post on anything much either--except my "watched Threads".
I never figures out the new arrangements and the way to put my preferred links in the columns/????///

Generally--I miss the ODG. Now and then I scoot over there--but it also now seems to have changed their format. I like same old--same old...it is easier to my pea brain.

I will look for a Nuthatch. Like I said--maybe there is something wrong with the suet cakes (from Aldis)
I was putting out. I will go and put out 2 regular ones and see how many birds notice those....

You going to the Swap???? Where are you living now? Sttill in your old house?

Happy New Year to you! I miss hearing from the "old crowd".... Gita

I never saw the suet at Aldi last year, or ever.
Yay for nuthatches! I don't see them much in seed feeders but do see them for suet. Their voice is a little honking like chirp, makes me think of a mini goose.

It WAS a squirrel pigging on my front feeder! We saw it after we refilled.

Judy--

I went out this evening and put up 2 regular Suets (NOT from Aldis).
They will be very close to the "other ones". I will be looking to see who is pecking at it.
To keep squirrels from chowing down on your suet --get the ones with the hot pepper in them.
We sell them at HD. Same price as all the others.
Sally--
The Suet from Aldis, that I bought last fall, was in a non-descript, small, cardboard box. (Easy to miss)
in the "Aldis Finds" aisle. Wonder where it came from?????? I already threw out the box.
LOVE these FINDS aisles!!! I have gotten some great deals there...
Anything from kitchen gadgets, blankets, socks, frying pans, etc. LOVE the "mystery"...
My last purchase from these aisles was a pkg. of 2 pairs of fuzzy socks for $2.99.
I LOVE them! Wear them to work all the time. Keeps my footssies warm and comfortable.

OH......
No one seems to e eating the Safflower seeds from my feeders. As usual.
One of the 3 tubes (on my feeder) has only Safflower seeds in them. It is half empty--so someone
MUST be eating them....VERY slowly......the feeder has been up a month.

AHHH a new season on "FEEDING BIRDS" and seeing who likes what. G.
I hate to be buying cracked Corn--as it will bring all the Starlings out of hiding....
G.

so don't buy cracked corn

Brrrr.
I woke up to bluebirds on the suet and mealworm cake, and birds in the heated birdbath

Added a dish of seed on the deck railing, lots of little visitors right outside

Glad to hear it is working, Sally.

We have sunflower seeds on the second floor deck, with chickadees, titmice, juncos, wrens, sparrows and blue jays visiting. The cats are totally entertained since there are French doors to the deck. So much butt wiggling going on.

hello! we're having a heavy snowfall right now! lots of bird activity at the feeders. Earlier this morning Harry put out a pile of regular peanuts on a stainless steel plate that was quite popular. We have the plate laying in the bottom of a hanging plant holder. Besides squirrels, the bluejays really love whole peanuts. It is so fun to watch them fly away holding a whole peanut in their beak. A smaller bird likes the whole peanuts too. I have to look up what kind of bird it is...not sure. It has a small peak on its head? almost like a small version of a female cardinal.

We have 2 heated water bowls out too that we bought at Petsmart.

Double entertainment for you. Pat!

Titmouse, Diana

Well--I did put out 2 fresh Suet cakes on the trunks of my 2 big Maples. Hung on nails and onion nbags.
The onion bags work really great. They can peck right through the mesh.

In no time at all--some Downy WP were at it. BUT--there was also a red Bellied WP happily
munching away at the Aldis suet cake???????? Must be OK! Glad to see both used...

Seems no WP had discovered the other new Suet cake I hung in the crotch of my maple tree stems.
A lonely Junko had it all to itself most of the day. Smart bird!

duh, forgot about the heated water bowl, getting it up from the basement stat! I've been distracted by other things and neglected filling feeders, but I've been tossing 2 cups each of black sunflower, millet-safflower mix, and "squirrel chow" out the door onto the snowy deck. That works pretty well, and the area behind Jim's grill (close to the door) is a bit sheltered -- not an easy flight path for hawk strikes. I do love our hawks, but I don't want to see one carry off a feathered friend! (I'm with Sally, hoping they'll stick to english sparrows - or voles!)

Wayne said "Well that's a bid woodpecker!" So I rushed to the window to see a hawk perched on top of one of the feeders. Guess it couldn't forever ignore the clamour of sparrows at lunch time' I made it known his presence was unwelcome and he flew off to a high oak tree branch and watched for a while as I watched back. Will readjust feeder placement to give even more protection from over head or easy swoops. Hawks around here usually hang out along the main highway....first I have seen in my yard.

There are hawks circling this area all day long. Of course-there are woods all around here, so they
may have nests nearby. Lots of old oak trees.
Also--because of the heavy traffic in this area--there may be a road kill available too.
Do hawks eat road kill? or--do they eat only fresh-killed animals/birds???

I suppose that my big, high patio roof shelters all the feeding birds, so they are pretty safe.
All my feeders hang under this roof and I also spread seed on the floor below. Easy access for me.

Would love to see a hawk close up. Only once I have seen one. G.

What happened? I did not get the news any longer. And I did not unsubscribed. There is something about twitter. I do not know twitter. I am staying home because it is so cold. Just thinking about standing there waiting for the bus makes me shiver. Are we going to meet sometime in January? Seed swap? I harvested seeds from my lemon basil, and I have several tomato seeds to share.

Please let me know what is happening. I still get the Dave's Garden, although I still have not paid, had some problems there too.