Is anyone feeding birds yet.
I just hung the winter 2012 feeders 2 days ago.




Seen so far.
Red Breasted nuthatch
White breasted nuthatch
Downy Woodpecker
Chickadees
Titmouse
RosyFinch
Cardinal
Bluejay

later in wnter I have Flickers and larger Woodpeckers

I had taken my feeders down cause we were supposed to be getting a pool, and they were where the pool was going to go(never got the pool and hadn't put the feeders back up all summer)
I'll be putting them up shortly

They have been eating my flowers, does that count?


I haven't gotten around to filling them up. I got a good jump on things because I never took them down. The empty feeders have been hanging there all summer. (my bad)

Birds are maniacs here.You would think they hadnt eaten all summer.

I haven't seen that many birds lately, We had a storm roll through a few weeks ago and after that they did not come back, probably a coincidence they always fly south at a certain time of year. But not all, some will stay if there is a food source, I don't want to encourage them to stay, it gets really bad sometimes and all I want to do is help the ones who do not migrate by nature. It is time to put out the suet, there are some woodpeckers and I know they do not migrate. I put out sunflower seeds, nuts, and suet. I wanted a heated bird bath but they are so expensive. Do you know that there is such a thing as a heated dog bowl, some hold up to two gallons of water!!
They are around 20.00 and they plug in so I will just sit it on something near by the outlet and it will provide water without freezing, I think it has a thermostat and only heats up when needed.

My hubby doesn't want me to "waste" electricity on something like that

I feel bad when they peck on the frozen water. How much electricity do they use? At the old house I had a giant two gallon concrete birdbath in the middle of the yard and the sun would thaw it by noon. Maybe I should just find a more sunny place in the winter.

DH and I have been feeding the birds every day, year round, since December 2000.

For many years, we've had a water heater in the bird bath during the cool/colder days.

I scatter birdseed on the ground for the ground feeding birds and wild rabbits every day and I have feeder up year round.

Birds and wild rabbits are such a joy (but not when the rabbits are eating my plants).

During the warm/hot days, we have a water wiggler in the birdbath and this year we got a babbling brook water wiggler. We've been getting birds that never use to come to the birdbath! It's worth the extra money for it to us!

I'll post pics when it's not 2:50 am.

I haven't gotten a bird bath heater yet. We do feed birds tho. Yesterday I saw 3 bluebirds eating the sumac berries! Also a nuthatch on the suet bar. I don't know where the Christmas cardinals are ?

Titmice and a finches also. My favorites might be the woodpeckers. We have the pilated ones, they nest in our woods in old snags that are left. They don't come to the feeders but I have seen them on the electric pole!

I put out suet for the woodpeckers and they love it, they come everyday! Get the hot pepper suet whenever you can because the squirrels won't mess with it. The cage inside a cage works also.

Just a thought but the heated birdbaths are kind of expensive and I could not help but notice that they make heated dog bowls and they come as big as two gallon size, for around 20 bucks. This would make a great place for birds and such to get a drink of water.

Susan,

Put large enough rocks in, so the water isn't deep for the birds. Think it's suppose to be an inch or two for birds. We don't want them to drown.

Have to remember to look at the local Tractor Supply store to see if they carry the hot pepper suet. I had to give up on the peanut suet, because of squirrels and coons. I've been buying the woodpecker suet there instead and seems that the animals stay off the suet.

Tractor Supply has the best prices (in my town) for bird seed/food.

Yes, rocks are good. I've been buying the suet at Walmart, there is a TS about 15 miles from here and we were planing a visit so I will check on that.

Before I ever heard of hot pepper suet, I would get the big cakes and sprinkle the cayenne pepper all over them, also mix it with the bird seed. I'm so glad they make it already mixed.

Hmmm never heard of hot pepper suet. I am away from the woods so I don't have a problem with the critters here. I am thinking about putting out a salt block or corn to watch the deer and turkey this winter down by the woods. I know call me crazy!

If they stay in the woods, count your blessings. I hear they eat Hostas.

good idea about salt lick. deffinatly keep it as far from the house as possible.
once the deer get used to a spot they will come back.
if the lick is too close to the garden,the deer will help themselves to your plants.

I live in a very rural area and we see deer often. I am just thinking that I may try to direct them in a path where I can enjoy them.
No I have to much invested in my plants to want them near the house.

I live with 2 hunters but I like to photography wildlife.

How about planting a 'food plot.'

;s illegal to feed deer here.

No, I think you are just planting stuff for them. The hunters do it, to attract them to a particular area.

http://www.squidoo.com/small-f...

http://www.americanhunter.org/...

Jo Ann,

It is?!

For years they have been coming during the cold months to eat the bird seed that I have on the ground for the birds and rabbits. Some years I have cracked corn on the ground, so the deer won't be eating the more expensive bird seed.