And which birds are visiting them?

I was always told growing up that you shouldn't keep feeders out during the winter months So I've always taken mine down around November. What kinds are OK to keep up all year?

Are you talking about feeders for hummers or for other birds? I'm not talking about hummers.

Here, we start to put out feeders by the middle of Fall. That way birds know they are there to help get them through the winter. It is suggested that we leave feeders out here year around with just a little food in them so birds become familiar with where there are potential sources of winter food.

I have finch socks, suet baskets, long wire feeder full of black oil sunflower for the birds that like to feed while clinging. I also have several feeders for the birds that prefer to perch while feeding.

I throw out seed for my ground feeders like the doves.

I can't do ground feeders here because of cats. They prey on the cardinals and doves that like them best. I will suspend a tray under a feeder sometimes for them though. The baffle here was to keep rain from getting the seed block wet and to deter starlings from hanging on it.

I'm using one on my porch just like the one in your first pic - kind of a collapsible mesh basket, along with a more decorative tube-and-resin feeder, both are filled 100% with sunflower seeds.

I also have my home-made bird treats hung out in a tree, the response has been kinda disappointing on them.

I wonder why?

Not sure, I guess the loose stuff is easier to get to?

They do have their favorites ... plus it has been so much warmer around here so far this winter.

I just had a large bird in my back yard, obviously a bird of prey. I've only seen one around before, a couple of years ago, and someone on cubits ID'd him as a northern harrier. When I stepped onto the deck to take a pic of him today, I scared him away. He was very close.

The problem with feeding bird seed around here is that it attracts so many rodents. It's mostly squirrels who raid the feeders, but it also attracts possoms, chipmunks, and all kinds of things that I don't want. Now I only feed hummers in summer, and occasionally put out black niger seed for the goldfinches. That doesn't seem to attract rodents.

Karen

I only keep out nyjer seed. I don't want to feed the starlings & everyone here (goldfinches/purple house finches) seems to love it. Sparrows are meh on it. I also have some falcons that hang out in our area, so they keep the prairie dog populations down, which is good. But they don't seem to go after the squirrels, dunno why. The doves don't care too much for the nyjer seed, but every time I put out the "wild bird food" seed, I have it growing all over the place! Hate that... don't need millet growing all over my yard. Used to put out sunflower chips but the squirrels were destroying my feeders.

Supposedly, the reason why northern people aren't supposed to put out feeders during the winter is that it encourages earlier breeding for spring birds & for those who migrate not to migrate.. why should they when they have a ready food source? Earlier breeding means that the young probably won't survive the cold. But I've noticed that a lot of our birds that used to migrate aren't migrating anyways, and it's not because I'm feeding them (robins & starlings). I have been seeing this little grey bird that looks kinda like a chickadee, but doesn't have the cap. Really pretty little bird. Can't wait until summer when all the goldfinches are in full dress.. soooo pretty!!

Same here. They don't migrate but hang out here anyway so I will feed them ... at least a little to help them survive the winter. Otherwise, they wouldn't.

My new hour-glass NONO feeder!

That big old bird of prey is still hanging around my yard. He's been here at least a couple of hours. Can you ID him? I'd guess it's at least a foot long. Northern harrier?




Karen

looks like the prairie falcons that we have in my neighborhood. Here's one that visited me at work. well, not really, but sounds cool. The thread "Had a neat visitor for work!" in Roses forum

Might be a harrier ... looks a little different but it's not always as easy to tell in the winter when the coloring can be a bit more drab.

Nice shots, Karen and Toni.

Karen, your hawk looks more like a Red-shouldered hawk to me.

I feed birds year round. I feed Safflower and BOSS(Black Oil Sunflower Seed) and suet all the time and in the winter I add extra suet feeders and a feeder to feed shelled peanut pieces. I also will trow a bit of corn out in an area every morning for the crows & blue jays. Cardinals enjoy corn too and then the squirrels clean up any that is left!

Tufted Titmouse getting peanuts



White-breasted Nuthatch like suet and enjoy peanuts too

I never get any pictures of the birds around here even though I have plenty of them around. Right now I only have a suet feeder out for the woodpeckers. I put out a cheep seed blend and cracked corn directly out on the driveway on ground. Don't see any reason to try and put it in the feeder. That is what I do each winter.

Rita - Putting the food on the driveway.. don't you just drive over it & turn it into dust? Or do the birds eat it up that fast you don't have to worry about it? When I move feeders, it usually take the birds 2-3 weeks to figure it out. If I put the food on my driveway, it'd sit there forEVER! Plus I don't want to attract any more mice than necessary. Haven't had mouse problems this year 'cuz of the thistle-only policy I created for myself but in years past I had pretty bad mousey problems due to the millet seed.

There are unusally mice in my garage and I always have some rat/mouse blocks bait in the garage to kill them. The garage is detached from the house and a single car garage that I use to store all my gardening supplies. It was built long ago, same as my house and much smaller than they make garages these days. Even empty, my mini van would never fit in there. So I put the bird seed out in the area directly at the top of the driveway, between the garage and the car which I leave slightly down the driveway and never drive over the birdseed. Works out well. All the birds and squirels have no problem finding the food and I find having it scattered like that makes it easier for lots of birds to feed all at once. Believe me the food doesn't last as I need to scatter more each morning which is pretty much gone by dark.

I have 2 feeders and plan to purchase a Finch feeder next week.
I have seen:
Red Bellied Woodpecker.Downey woodpecker
Flicker
Slate colored Juncoes
Carolina wren( only twice this winter )
White Breasted nuthatch
Red Breasted Nuthatch
Titmouse
Chickadee
4 pairs of Cardinals
Mourning Doves


Red Bellied Woodpecker