By trial & error, I found that the “berry suet” doesn’t attract starlings. So, that’s the only suet I’ll put out now. I purchase it already packaged. There are multiple others but the “berry” one attracts only woodpeckers, nuthatches & chickadees. Plus, the occasional comical magpie trying to hover to nab a piece of suet from the basket. I put the suet block in a basket feeder & only from late fall through the winter.
Brian Carrigan
Doesn’t the suet block attract starlings?
MaDWhitham
It’s not the years in your life, it’s the life in your years!!!
On May 20, 2018, at 3:38 PM, lcarrigan_55@yahoo.com [ible]
For Sharon, my direct email response to your question wouldn’t go through. But, answering, I only feed black-oil sunflower seeds, Nyjer seed & a berry suet block. I stopped all “mixed” bird seeds years ago, as any of the mixes I tried all attracted House Sparrows. Didn’t matter what the mix combination was, House Sparrows would arrive.
Since going to “straight” seeds as noted, I get maybe 5 or 6 House Sparrows a year now. Believe the last one I saw at the feeder was a lone male for about a half day, last month. Last year I started a hummingbird feeder again &, now, a bright orange plastic Oriole feeder with 2 pegs for orange halves & 2 cups for jam. The Orioles love it! I have stopped the suet & always do when the weather warms up, as it can get rancid quickly. Hope this helps.
Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot
For Sharon, my direct email response to your question wouldn’t go through. But, answering, I only feed black-oil sunflower seeds, Nyjer seed & a berry suet block. I stopped all “mixed” bird seeds years ago, as any of the mixes I tried all attracted House Sparrows. Didn’t matter what the mix combination was, House Sparrows would arrive.
Since going to “straight” seeds as noted, I get maybe 5 or 6 House Sparrows a year now. Believe the last one I saw at the feeder was a lone male for about a half day, last month. Last year I started a hummingbird feeder again &, now, a bright orange plastic Oriole feeder with 2 pegs for orange halves & 2 cups for jam. The Orioles love it! I have stopped the suet & always do when the weather warms up, as it can get rancid quickly. Hope this helps.
Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot
Today has presented a big change in feeder visitors. Appears all the Pine Siskins, Cassin’s Finches & about 1/2 the Am Goldfinches have moved on during the night. The Black-headed Grosbeaks, House Finches & remaining Goldfinches are the main visitors today. And, the Bullock’s Orioles have changed the pattern to visiting their feeder today.
Yesterday, they would announce their arrival with their call, perch in a tree for a bit, then fly in & attack both an orange half & jam cup. Today, they’re stealth visitors. No song, still perch in a tree & then suddenly appear at the feeder. Then, they take off just as silently. Interesting. Maybe, starting to nest & trying not to draw attention to themselves. Others today have been Violet-green & Tree Swallows.
Brian Carrigan
Blackfoot
At lake Lowell West of Nampa many nesting cliff swallows structure off of
upper dam.probably 200 or more mud nest easy to photograph sibley guide to
bird behavior states they use about 1000 mud pellets to construct them