I gave my wife a birdfeeder for x-mas this year, and while she enjoys it well enough, I've become completely hooked. I have it hanging off the back deck, about 9' off the ground, 5' off the deck. There are a couple Hydgrageas nearby. Nearby is a birdbath, which I have now dumped, hosed off, and refilled for the first time in a long while. (It's skimmed with ice first thing in the AM, but melts pretty soon.) I'm in a low-density suburb with plenty of mixed-forest outside my approx. 1/5 ac lawn, but little forest undergrowth.
The feeder is the mid-size WBU-branded, Brome Squirrelproof Feeder. (The squirrel-proof-ness seems to work pretty well, the squirrels just kind of sit on the deck railing and stare at it. I've seen one climb the shepherd's hook I have it hanging from, but it just looked at the feeder and climbed back down. This feeder is very highly rated on Amazon.) It has four small-ish perches protruding from the spring-loaded squirrel-protection cage.
Note to self: Don't buy more birdfeeders from WBU; they are a bit overpriced (almost double) vs. the identical feeder from Amazon. I don't mind paying the premium once in return for their advice, but continuing to pay that premium could get expensive...
The feeder has been loaded with a local WBU-branded mix, the ingredient list shows mostly BOSS, along with some striped sunflower, safflower, shelled peanuts, sunflower chips, dried berries, and I think a trace of cracked corn. (Heck, if the sunflower hulls didn't bother me, it'd make a half-way decent trail mix!) I don't remember seeing any millet, and certainly no milo.
In the 1 1/2 weeks or so it's been up, it's attracted several Tufted Titmice and Carolina Chickadees. I see several Cardinals around the yard, but they won't use the feeder; I suspect it's too small. They do, however, eat the spillage, as does a Junco or two. (It's hard to watch the ground-feeding birds as the angle from the window makes it tough.) I saw a woodpecker in the trees, and a blue jay fly by, but I think it was just a coincidence.
I've had to refill the feeder only once, and it still had plenty left.
My questions:
- I don't remember how much that special seed blend cost me, but I have a funny feeling it wasn't cheap; especially seeing as how I can buy BOSS for less than $1 a pound. What would be a good BOSS-based homemade mix that won't break the bank? Cost isn't a huge consideration now, but it could be in the future... should I just try 100% BOSS?
- I'd like to attract more variety. While the two species that use the feeder are cute, I'd like to attract more... do I give it a couple more weeks before even worrying about it?
- If (ok... when) I put up another feeder, what would be the best choice for feeder # 2? Suet? A hopper feeder to attract Cardinals? While a lot of places say that a platform feeder attracts the most birds, I'm not sure I have time for the daily maintenance...
- The idea of a bunch of goldfinches is attractive to me... should I wait to see at least a couple on the tube feeder before setting up a finch feeder?
- Should each feeder get it's own pole (and squirrel baffle, so I don't have to buy 100% squirrel-proofed feeders), or is hanging 3 or 4 from a single pole ok?
- Ground cover? My backyard has no shrubbery except for the previously-mentioned hydrangeas next to the deck. Will birds not even touch a hanging feeder surrounded by nothing but lawn, and the nearest branches a good 15-ft or so away?
- When cleaning a feeder, do you throw away the food that was remaining, or only do that if there are problems with mold or moisture? (Throwing it away every time seems a bit wasteful...)
Sorry about all the rambling and many questions, but I'm just so excited and enjoying watching the birds.
The feeder is the mid-size WBU-branded, Brome Squirrelproof Feeder. (The squirrel-proof-ness seems to work pretty well, the squirrels just kind of sit on the deck railing and stare at it. I've seen one climb the shepherd's hook I have it hanging from, but it just looked at the feeder and climbed back down. This feeder is very highly rated on Amazon.) It has four small-ish perches protruding from the spring-loaded squirrel-protection cage.
Note to self: Don't buy more birdfeeders from WBU; they are a bit overpriced (almost double) vs. the identical feeder from Amazon. I don't mind paying the premium once in return for their advice, but continuing to pay that premium could get expensive...
The feeder has been loaded with a local WBU-branded mix, the ingredient list shows mostly BOSS, along with some striped sunflower, safflower, shelled peanuts, sunflower chips, dried berries, and I think a trace of cracked corn. (Heck, if the sunflower hulls didn't bother me, it'd make a half-way decent trail mix!) I don't remember seeing any millet, and certainly no milo.
In the 1 1/2 weeks or so it's been up, it's attracted several Tufted Titmice and Carolina Chickadees. I see several Cardinals around the yard, but they won't use the feeder; I suspect it's too small. They do, however, eat the spillage, as does a Junco or two. (It's hard to watch the ground-feeding birds as the angle from the window makes it tough.) I saw a woodpecker in the trees, and a blue jay fly by, but I think it was just a coincidence.
I've had to refill the feeder only once, and it still had plenty left.
My questions:
- I don't remember how much that special seed blend cost me, but I have a funny feeling it wasn't cheap; especially seeing as how I can buy BOSS for less than $1 a pound. What would be a good BOSS-based homemade mix that won't break the bank? Cost isn't a huge consideration now, but it could be in the future... should I just try 100% BOSS?
- I'd like to attract more variety. While the two species that use the feeder are cute, I'd like to attract more... do I give it a couple more weeks before even worrying about it?
- If (ok... when) I put up another feeder, what would be the best choice for feeder # 2? Suet? A hopper feeder to attract Cardinals? While a lot of places say that a platform feeder attracts the most birds, I'm not sure I have time for the daily maintenance...
- The idea of a bunch of goldfinches is attractive to me... should I wait to see at least a couple on the tube feeder before setting up a finch feeder?
- Should each feeder get it's own pole (and squirrel baffle, so I don't have to buy 100% squirrel-proofed feeders), or is hanging 3 or 4 from a single pole ok?
- Ground cover? My backyard has no shrubbery except for the previously-mentioned hydrangeas next to the deck. Will birds not even touch a hanging feeder surrounded by nothing but lawn, and the nearest branches a good 15-ft or so away?
- When cleaning a feeder, do you throw away the food that was remaining, or only do that if there are problems with mold or moisture? (Throwing it away every time seems a bit wasteful...)
Sorry about all the rambling and many questions, but I'm just so excited and enjoying watching the birds.
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