Success at the Feeding Station « Philly Expatriate

Friday, October 08, 2004

Success at the Feeding Station

A few weeks ago, I decided to setup a feeding station for my backyard birds that would be visible from my daughter's bedroom window. I located a 4-hook shepherd's crook and hung up a "tradtional" house-style 2-sided birdfeeder with seed and sunflower, a suet feeder and a finch "sock" with nyjer and millet.

At first, the only visitor was a lone chickadee who would steal a few sunflower seeds and flit away. Then the sparrows took note, leading the grackles, blue jays, and cardinals to the seed feeder with all of their activity. The goldfinches have been very regular and somewhat "tenacious" visitors to the finch sock, and are the least afraid when I go outside to the car or out into the yard, passing the station on the way. Then on Wednesday I was thrilled to note that male and female downy woodpeckers "discovered" the suet and have been making multiple trips to it each day.

Yesterday I looked out the window and it was a virtual "Old Country Buffet" for birds: 6 sparrows, mourning doves on the ground, a grackle, two goldfinches and a male woodpecker - all on the various feeding devices at once!

Of course I defeated the 8 or so squirrels that visit by installing a highly effective squrrel baffle on the post, but there is enough "litter" from all of the avian activity that there is plenty for the furry critters to munch on the ground.

My husband noted that yesterday when he went out to his car on the way to work, about 6 squirrels a few rabbits, and likely 50 birds of various species dashed away when they heard him approach. He was a *little bit* freaked out - probably more than they were!

Update: right after I posted this I went outside and hid behind my car in the rain hoping to just get a shot of a "common" bird on the feeder; sure enough a downy woodpecker(female) flew right over my head and landed on the finch feeder (see pic). She leaned over and picked at the suet from that spot. She has now become a very regular (and noisy!) visitor.

Posted at 03:49 pm by brandy101


	Gigglesbee October 12, 2004 11:51 AM PDT You mean those things actually can work? I've tried single feeders before with no success. Sounds like you've found the magic wand! Very cool!


	brandy101 October 10, 2004 11:48 AM PDT I'll put a link on the bird names so you can see a pic and maybe even hear their song...


	Lyly October 9, 2004 04:58 PM PDT Ooh we have grackles in abundance here. Scott-they are noisy large black birds, like crows. They are poop machines. One even dive-bombed my head twice when leaving a hair salon (touched my cheek!). I thought it was Mom torturing me from the grave...


	scott October 9, 2004 06:24 AM PDT What is a grackle? Sounds like a prehistoric Dr Seuss character...


	raejane October 8, 2004 08:17 PM PDT hehe. I love birds. The squirrels don't bother me either. Some people really hate them. I think they are cute. Anyway, hope the hubby has recovered from his shock :)

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