Feeding Wild Birds

[R2elk]

Happy New Year!​

 

[R2elk]

A branch came down on his normal roost.

 

[R2elk]

He was awake and alert everytime I saw him yesterday. He is back on his normal limb today.

 

[R2elk]

 

[SourRoses]

We have a very busy feeder since this summer, with constant visits from Cardinals, Blue Jays, Pine Martens, Tufted Titmouse, two kinds of Woodpeckers, Morning Doves, and a variety of tiny birds with different markings on the face and chest that my mom identified and I've forgotten, oops.

Our feeder is so busy they are costing us a lot to feed. Any suggestions on cheaper sources with a good variety and quality?
The mealworms especially! The only thing these guys don't seem to eat is the tiny seeds that form the bulk of most mixes, so we've been buying ingredients separately (tsc mostly) and mixing ourselves.

Mr. Woody Woodpecker here...

(I got rid of the side suet brackets since this was taken, which they appreciate for landing purposes).

 

[TwoCrows]

We have a very busy feeder since this summer, with constant visits from Cardinals, Blue Jays, Pine Martens, Tufted Titmouse, two kinds of Woodpeckers, Morning Doves, and a variety of tiny birds with different markings on the face and chest that my mom identified and I've forgotten, oops.

Our feeder is so busy they are costing us a lot to feed. Any suggestions on cheaper sources with a good variety and quality?
The mealworms especially! The only thing these guys don't seem to eat is the tiny seeds that form the bulk of most mixes, so we've been buying ingredients separately (tsc mostly) and mixing ourselves.

Mr. Woody Woodpecker here...View attachment 4277468
View attachment 4277470View attachment 4277471

(I got rid of the side suet brackets since this was taken, which they appreciate for landing purposes).

Nice feeder!

The cheapest way to feed birds is to feed only seeds they will eat. Don't purchase mixed seeds unless you have birds that will eat every seed in that bag. If all they are eating are the sunflower seeds, you are wasting money on seed that never gets eaten. Some of these mixes contain some very inferior quality seed or seed that only a few types of birds will eat. Sunflower seeds, either with hulls or chips/hearts, are eaten by pretty much every feeder and ground feeding bird. Suet is very popular as well. All I feed is sunflower, (with hulls and chips) and suet, not a crumb gets left behind and my birds are satisfied. No waste in my yard and I am not wasting money on seed nobody eats. It really depends on what birds are coming to your feeders too.

 

[R2elk]

Nice feeder!

The cheapest way to feed birds is to feed only seeds they will eat. Don't purchase mixed seeds unless you have birds that will eat every seed in that bag. If all they are eating are the sunflower seeds, you are wasting money on seed that never gets eaten. Some of these mixes contain some very inferior quality seed or seed that only a few types of birds will eat. Sunflower seeds, either with hulls or chips/hearts, are eaten by pretty much every feeder and ground feeding bird. Suet is very popular as well. All I feed is sunflower, (with hulls and chips) and suet, not a crumb gets left behind and my birds are satisfied. No waste in my yard and I am not wasting money on seed nobody eats. It really depends on what birds are coming to your feeders too.

I quit using the mixed seeds because they would dump all the small seeds to get at the BOSS. The main feeder gets only BOSS now.

I have a separate feeder for the thistle seeds.

I have a separate feeder for the suet blocks.

 

[R2elk]

 

[TwoCrows]

I quit using the mixed seeds because they would dump all the small seeds to get at the BOSS. The main feeder gets only BOSS now.

I have a separate feeder for the thistle seeds.

I have a separate feeder for the suet blocks.

Same here, I stopped with mixed seeds this past spring. All my birds desire Sunflower or Suet. I should do Thistle too, I have a lot of Gold Finches and occasionally Pine Siskins, both do eat sunflower chips though. Next time I go to town I will pick up some Thistle.

 

[R2elk]

Same here, I stopped with mixed seeds this past spring. All my birds desire Sunflower or Suet. I should do Thistle too, I have a lot of Gold Finches and occasionally Pine Siskins, both do eat sunflower chips though. Next time I go to town I will pick up some Thistle.

The House Finches, Red-winged Blackbirds and Mountain Chickadees like the thistle seeds too.