Great Time To Help Out Your Backyard Friends
February is National Bird Feeding Month sponsored by the National Bird Feeding Society It’s perfect timing too because winter is the time of year they really need the help.
This year’s theme focuses on America’s Top Ten Backyard Birds. Follow the link for all the details.
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Take a quick look at the National Bird Feeding Society’s site to get more info. It’s chock full of info about feeding birds in your backyard and even includes a Guide To Better Bird Feeding you can download for free.
So, take a few minutes and see if you can either step up or start your backyard bird feeding this month. Your backyard visitors will thank you for it.
I have been enjoying the birds at our feeder just outside our kitchen window and photographing the various species that have come to visit. I have issue with the squirrels, granted they too have to eat, but the constant jumping at the bird feeder scares the birds away. Any thoughts you can offer to stop this activity would be appreciated.
Peter
Peter@SharpEdgeCooking.com
http://www.SharpEdgeCooking.com
Stainless Steel Pots & Pans, Cutlery, Blenders, Coffee & Tea, Slow Cookers etc.
Hi Peter,
We too have squirrels in our backyard. What I recommend is getting a squirrel baffle for your feeder pole. You may need to get a new pole to accomodate the baffle. I found mine at Wild Birds Unlimited. Try to get a baffle as wide and tall as you can get. I actually use a raccoon baffle because it is longer. I’ve never had any problems with squirrels since I’ve installed it.
The other thing you need to be aware of is the proximity of the feeder to any trees or structures because squirrels are adept jumpers and can fall up to 100 feet to ground without injury.
If neither of these is possible in your backyard you might try the hot feed they have that has pepper on it.The birds don’t taste it but the squirrels supposedly hate it. I’ve never used it so I don’t know for sure.
I also have a squirrel feeding station on my back fence that has a metal box I put wildlife mix and a wooden corn cob feeder. I have a bouncing corn cob feeder called a squngee that’s hilarious to watch them feed on.
I hope I’ve given you some ideas. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to respond.
Peter,
Trust me…they WILL figure it out. The only way to keep them off your feeder is to make it impossible for them to get to or to make the reward much less inviting like the pepper treated seed. I just fill old gallon milk jugs and walk out to my feeders. No problem at all.
If you try the pepper treated seed do let me know how it works.
My bird feeder hangs from the porch roof ridge header just prior to the gutter. The unit has a rail below the feeder the squirrels jump from. Today, I installed a spiderweb array of clothes line from pole to pole. This held up most all afternoon, although the squirrels did spend much time figuring on the best approach. One finally got to the feeder, but I saw it and scared it off. Guess we will need to watch it over the next few days. Perhaps this summer we can install a bird feeder on a pole and get a squirrel guard as mentioned. That method just makes refilling harder, since you then need to drag feed through the snow.
Peter
Peter@SharpEdgeCooking.com
http://www.SharpEdgeCooking.com
Stainless Steel Pots & Pans, Cutlery, Blenders, Coffee & Tea, Slow Cookers etc.