The Zen Birdfeeder

Lured by Peanuts

At about 4pm the other day, I had some nice sunshine for taking pictures so I put out a sure thing to attract some birds to the feeder: shelled peanuts.

Black-capped Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, and Red- and White-breasted Nuthatches absolutely LOVE peanuts.  Even with lots of other good food around, they often prefer this high-calorie, high-fat food, especially in cold weather.

I didn't hide in a blind to take the pictures - I just stood there, about 6 feet from the birdfeeder.  I knew my close proximity to the feeders would probably keep the titmouse away and most likely the white-breasted as well.  But I felt sure the chickadees and red-breasted nuthatches would take the chance.  They'd be cautious, and would make their trips quick, but I knew the peanuts would be too much to resist.

And they didn't disappoint.  The sun was so bright reflecting off the peanuts that some of the images are overexposed, but I'll still share some of the cuties that enjoyed some delicious peanuts.

Shelled peanuts and this Wild Birds Unlimited Eco-clean Peanut Feeder are available at WBU - Saratoga Springs NY or online.

FAQ - How to Keep Squirrels from Eating Suet?

Q.  How can I keep squirrels from eating all my suet?

A.  Believe it or not, squirrels don't particularly like suet!  "What?", you say, "they're always eating MY suet!"

Squirrels are not going for the suet - suet in its pure form is just rendered beef fat.  They're going for what's put into the suet!

Most suet cakes have other goodies in them that squirrels like, such as seed, nuts, fruit, or bugs.  That's what they're after.  So here are some ways to keep them from eating your suet:

1)  Offer plain suet cakes such as WBU Simply Suet. 
It's just a cake of plain suet, no seeds, nuts, or anything else. 

2)  Put suet in a cage within a cage. 
An On-Guard cage with 1" openings surrounding your suet cage will keep Gray Squirrels out but let birds in.  Larger suet-loving birds like your Hairy or Red-bellied Woodpeckers, however, may also be excluded.

3)  Use a suet with capsaicin in it, such as WBU Hot Pepper Suet Dough cakes.
Squirrels taste the hot and don't like it, birds can't taste the hot.  We especially like our locally made suet log feeders filled with hot pepper suet plugs.  Note: always wash your hands thoroughly when handling hot pepper products.

4)  Hang your suet on a properly placed baffled birdfeeding pole.
That means the station is placed 8-10' from squirrel-jumping-off-points.  The top of the baffle should be 4-5' above the ground and the feeders should not be dangling below the top of the baffle.

We admit it:  Squirrels are persistent.  They're athletic.  They're creative.  But we still have the advantage over them - we're SMARTER than them and if we just take the right steps, we can keep them from eating up all our valuable suet!

Late Winter Storm

A late winter storm is just winding down, a storm that delivered over 11" of snow and a busy day at the birdfeeders.  Here's just a few pictures from the storm.

 

Tufted Titmouse

 

Northern Cardinal and Dark-eyed Junco

 

A flock of Common Redpolls

Blue Jay taking off from WBU Cafe Feeder

 

Gone in a Flash

Though I'd rather have them stay, I love seeing and hearing when a flock of Common Redpolls departs in a flash.  There's not only the visual flush of dozens (or even hundreds) of birds, but also an auditory whooosh, as they all leave at once to a high perch in a nearby tree.

This image captures a little of the visual; you'll have to hear the whoooosh for yourself next time you have a flock in your yard.  Let me know what you think and feel when you do!

FAQ - What's the Difference between Suet Cakes and Suet from the Butcher?

Q.  What is the difference between suet in cake form and suet from the butcher?

A.  First of all, what exactly IS suet?  It is the hard fat around the kidneys and loins of a cow. 

Ask for it at the butcher's or at the meat counter of the grocery store and what you'll get is RAW suet, or big chunks of unadulterated cow fat.

Raw suet in this form is solid at temperatures below 70 degrees.  Above 70 degrees, raw suet will begin to melt.  It can also turn black and go rancid.  This is not good for the birds or other wildlife.  To store raw suet, it must be refrigerated or frozen.

Suet purchased in cakes, plugs, tubs or some other shape has been RENDERED.  Rendering is a process of melting the fat down and putting it through a process of lengthy simmering and straining to remove impurities. (It is a stinky, smelly process...believe me, I did it.  Once.)

The end result is a suet that takes longer to go rancid and does not need to be refrigerated.  After rendering, it is commonly shaped to easily fit into a product designed specifically to hold suet, such as a cage or a log feeder.

You can buy suet in cakes, plugs, pellets, cylinders, Stackables, and spreadable Bark Butter at Wild Birds Unlimited - Saratoga Springs NY or online at the WBU store.

Fun fact:  Rendered beef fat is used in some traditional British fare such as Christmas pudding.

Fun fact:  Suet is added to the food rations of sled dogs to meet their high energy needs.

Is It Spring Yet? Some Say Yes, Some Say Not Yet!

Most of us are just programmed to believe that spring will begin around March 20th.  But in fact there are a number of definitions of when spring begins.  I'm not going to get in depth but just cut to the bone: 

• The "spring begins on March 20th" definition is based on the date of the vernal equinox, an ASTRONOMICAL definition based on the earth's position in relation to the sun.
• The "spring begins on March 1st" definition is based on a METEOROLOGICAL definition, which is based on temperatures. 

There are even more interpretations out there, but these are the two most common.  Bottom line is that there has been no official decree or law setting the date, so you get to decide. 

For me, with all the changes going on in nature already, especially with the birds, I say "it's already spring!" 

Now watch another snowstorm happen.....

Sources:  Old Farmers Almanac, Accuweather.com

FAQ - How Long Will Cardinals Strike our Windows?

Q. How long will the cardinal in our backyard persist in striking against our windows?

A. The behavior will last through the breeding season.  But in some individuals it may go on year-round, for years.  It's a territorial reaction to seeing, in its own reflection, an intruder on its turf.

Covering the windows with screens will help, but the bird may just move to another window. You may try screening, or plastic wrap on the ouside surfaces of the window. Another temporary solution is to soap the outside of window to break up the reflection.

Remove any perches from which the bird can see itself in the windows. And continue to harass the bird to try to shock it out of its pattern of territoriality. (Spraying the bird with the garden hose may work, and rubber snakes hung by the windsows sometimes do the trick.)

Adapted from material in the Winter 2005 edition of WBU BIRDTracks®