Attracitng Bluebirds Backyard Bird Feeders

Bluebird Treat Bird Feeders. Bluebirds are one of the most desirable birds to attract to a backyard. Food and water are the most important factors to consider if you wish them to visit a garden, and finding the best food and style of bird feeder is important. Below is a recipe fro a bluebird crumble treat which has been very successful for me. I have been attracting these beautiful birds to my backyard habitat with this food for the past five years and they love it! Along with the fact that the bluebirds will readily dine on this treat, it is a nutritious blend for them, helping them in winter along with being a quick bite of food in summer time during nesting season.

1 cup peanut butter
4 cups course ground yellow cornmeal
1 cup of unbleached or whole wheat flour

And then you can add the following ingredients. Experiment and find out what the bluebirds in your area prefer!

1 cup sunflower seed chips
1 cup peanut hearts or another type of chopped nuts, just make certain the pieces are small
1/2 to 1 cup of currants or raisins. I have also tried dried fruit finely chopped.

You can then mix in 1 cup rendered and melted suet

The mix should be in small pea sized limps at this point, which is the easiest form for bluebirds to take. This crumble treat can be placed on platform bird feeders, specialty bluebird feeders or even a dish on a deck rail. Specialty bluebird feeders are designed to accommodate a bluebird size and sometimes the style is made to keep out larger bully birds such as jays. Be sure to make a lot of this treat recipe! Chickadees will love it as well! . If too sticky after cooling, mix in a bit more flour. If too dry, drizzle in more melted suet.

Caged Bird Feeders for Squirrel Proofing

Here's some more detail on the problem of squirrels at bird feeders, and also if you have trouble with larger bully birds such as jays, crows, starlings or grackles. Often times a yard does not allow for putting up a pole system with a squirrel baffle, and even if you did this, bird feeders can still get hogged by large birds who keep smaller songbirds away from your feeder. The easiest solution to both of these problems is with a grid caged bird feeder. Caged bird feeders are just what they sound like - bird feeders with cages completely surrounding them, preventing access from squirrels or large birds but the grid is sized so that small songbirds can easily pass through and feed. They can perch on the metal of the grid itself and eat. These feeders are the best answer if you want a patio or balcony feeder, or wish to hang a feeder in a tree, but need to keep squirrels out or are being raided by bigger, bickering birds.

If you decide on one of these and squirrels are an issue, make sure that the grid is placed far enough away from the seed tube or food source that squirrels can't reach through. Most are designed that way but a few only have enough space to deny large bird access. The good points of this style feeder is that they are simple to use, can be hung just about anywhere. are effective and birds can see them well. The down side is that they can be harder to clean sometimes. The metal cage is most often chew proof to prevent squirrel damage and will lift off for cleaning and include a lock down mechanism for hanging.

Cage bird feeders are made for seeds such as black oil, suet baskets, thistle nyjer seed and even come in decorative designs. They are commonly made of a high grade stainless steel, again, to be chew proof, but this also makes them quite durable and one should last for years in a backyard. If starlings descend or the grackles take up residence in your yard, one of these feeders may be the answer to keep them away. Eventually they will need to go elsewhere to find their food and hopefully leave your yard alone.

Meanwhile, the small songbirds such as titmice, chickadees and nuthatches won't blink an eye and be able to happily feed in peace.

Blue Jays and Whole Peanuts

My new thing at my bird feeding stations is to provide wild birds with whole peanuts in the shell. I've been feeding seed eating birds for a couple, going on to "a few" yikes, decades now and surprisingly enough have never tried peanuts in the shell. I suppose this is because I have always feed shelled peanuts and didn't see the point. But lately I have given it a shot. Why didn't I do this sooner? It's been a lot of fun watching them. First of course came the titmice who went mad for them. They seriously emptied all the peanuts out in an afternoon, madly caching the things all over my yard. Not that I am thrilled with caching but it's what they do. Titmice don't usually cache as much as say nuthatches but I guess they were driven to for this new special food. The shelled peanut feeder was right next to it, but they ignored that for a bit.

Then came the chickadees. They made me laugh out loud. One little chickadee tried to fly off with a peanut in the shell and decided it was too heavy, dumped it and went to the shelled nuts. The nuthatches love them, but the blue jays are mad about them. Normally I am not a big blue hay fan, I have difficulties with them attacking songbird nests in summer during nesting season, but in winter I am not so irritated with them. Probably in summer I will discontinue the peanuts in the shell, but in winter, I will supply this food source. If you haven't tried them, give it a shot, even if it is just for the occasional treat.

Heated Bird Baths and Bird Bath Heaters

Heated Bird Baths and Bird Bath Heaters are a great item backyard bird watchers can add to their habitat to help wild birds in winter time. Among the more gratifying facets of backyard wildlife is that they behave in fascinating ways that occasionally appear to imitate our actions. Birds bear this leaning also. They shout to one another to follow and get some good food, or to be mindful of peril, they'll even bid another birds to follow and have a nice cleaning bath. For winter bird bathing using a bird bath heater will allow you make the best of a bird watching pastime.

Since birds require water to drink and to clean with, providing a bird bath close to a feeder is a great idea. The more knowledgeable watcher will offer several assorted treats available regardless what the season is like. Regrettably these treats might not be sufficient for the birds in the cold or freezing winter.

Birds have a difficult time in winter finding fresh water, sometimes more so than finding a food supply. Water freezes and wild birds can not access it. heated bird bath will furnish winter cooled birds with a dependable supply of clean water to drink and the opportunity to stay clean. It is important for people to keep in mind that heaters are not going to keep the water hot tub warm. A lot of people expect it to be very warm water, when reality it is simply warm enough to keep the water from freezing hard and instead remaining open. When you look at bird bath heaters, the manufacturer should tell you the temperature which it will work to. Also be sure to check out the length of the cord! Make sure the cord will reach from the bath to an outdoor outlet.

Squirrel Proof Backyard Bird Feeders

Squirrel Proofing Backyard Bird Feeders for Bird Watchers

You can shop for these products at squirrel proof and squirrel resistant bird feeders Most backyard bird watchers end up having to deal with squirrels and raccoons, chipmunks or other furry, not feathered, wildlife raiding and eating out of feeders. A squirrel or raccoon can do a lot of damage to an expensive bird feeder! They chew them up beyond repair, eat all of the costly bird seed you've set out for the birds and keep birds from feeding themselves by dominating the feed station. These are some tips and advice for keeping other wildlife away.

If a yard has the room, our favorite method of squirrel proofing bird feeders is to pole mount it and use a squirrel or raccoon proof baffle on the pole. Bird feeder / house poles, shepherds crooks, 4x4 posts and baffles are available is such a wide variety of styles from decorative to simple that you can find one that fits your taste and garden decor style. Poles themselves can be a single mount straight pole systems of either metal or 4x4 wood. We prefer shepherds crooks and multi hook pole systems like the one shown here

We like these because you can fit several hanging feeders on them or even get small dishes and bird baths which attach directly to the pole itself. You can add extra add on bird feeder pole arms and hooks that are most often simple coil arms that slip easily on to the pole.

With this pole or even a 4x4 post, a squirrel or raccoon bird feeder pole baffle is the answer. Most often these are the "stove pip" style of feeder baffles, bot other wrap around post and pole guards are available. The stove pipe baffle is very effective but you have to take care when you buy one. They are should be clearly marked as to what forms of wildlife they deter, either raccoons or squirrels. A raccoon baffle is longer than a squirrel baffle and a raccoon baffle will also keep out squirrels. A squirrel baffle is shorter and will keep out chipmunks and squirrels but they will not stop raccoons. A raccoon can climb right over a squirrel pipe so be aware of this! Place any pole at least 9 feet away from a tree or shrub since a squirrel will be able to jump that distance and access the food. Also, make sure that there is no way for them to jump down onto feeding stations from above. They are master acrobats and you may have to relocate a pole system a couple of times until you stop them completely. With a squirrel, where there is a will, there is a way, and they certainly have a will.

If you don't have the yard space for such a feeding system, there is the option of squirrel proof and squirrel resistant bird feeders. These come in a variety of options.

Caged Bird Feeders:

Caged tube bird feeders are exactly what they sound like - tube style bird feeders surrounded by a metal cage that squirrels can not get trough or reach through to access the seeds. They come in thistle or nyjer sized tubes or those that hold larger seed like sunflower or blends. The metal that the cage itself is made out of should be chew proof, and so should both the top and bottom of the bird feeder. If a squirrel can't crawl through or reach the bird seed, it will be happy to chew your feeder to shreds instead. If it is chew proof metal they can not do this.

This style feeder is best for smaller songbirds like chickadees, finches, titmice and nuthatches who cam all easily pass through the caged grid. They are also effective for keeping away larger bully birds like jays, crows, grackles and starlings since these bigger birds are too large to fit through the grid.



Weight Activated Squirrel Proof Bird Feeders

A weight activated squirrel proof bird feeder is a simple solution to keeping away squirrels and raccoons. The concept is simple - when a bird lands on the feeder to eat, the seed dispensers stay open. When a heavier critter such as a squirrel or raccoon lands on the perches to grab some food, a metal shield drops down over the seed dispensers and blocks off access completely to the food. Eventually squirrels get tired of not getting any food and leave the feeder alone. Being what they are, every once in awhile they will double check to make sure that maybe this time they can get to the seed, but they don't stay long. Often the weight activated bird feeders can be calibrated to bird size. If you want to keep jays, starlings, grackles or crows out of the feeder you can set the weight activation to shut under their weight. This only allows the small songbirds access. Or you can set it to accept a higher weight and feed all the backyard birds. These are great if you live in a townhouse, apartment or condo and can not use a pole system.


Built In Baffle Squirrel Proof Bird Feeders

Another method of keeping squirrels out of a bird feeder are those with built in baffles. These will be hanging feeders and are just the right thing for just the right spot. The one in the photo below is very effective for keeping squirrels off yet has plenty of room and easy access for the birds. Take care to think about your area before you buy one of these though. While they keep out squirrels from the top, they have to be hung in a space where a squirrel can not jump from below. That makes them great for higher decks or patios if they are hung by deck or rail mount bird feeder poles arms, but usually hanging from an overhead rail or tree arm is most effective. Each model suits a different hanging style so check them carefully first. Often they do not keep away raccoons so if this is an issue, take it into consideration first.



No matter what type of space you have in a backyard, there is a squirrel proof bird feeders which can be suitable. First decide where you want to place a feeding station, and then go shopping!

Bald Eagle Cam

This is pretty cool beans. The George M. Sutton Avian Research Center put up a Bald Eagle Nest Camera 2008. The Sutton Avian Research Center is a part of the Oklahoma Biological Survey at the University of Oklahoma and is "dedicated to finding cooperative conservation solutions for birds and the natural world through science and education" - and I quote. Now their page dose not have a lot of text on it but I have to believe this project was a lot of work. Comments such as "We monitor the camera daily" rather underestimates the job, along with finding an eagles nest and getting it up there in a timely fashion the first place. Apparently their first attempt was struck by lightning which had to be a bummer for them. Thank you for all the hard work, people!

Ivory Billed Woodpecker Thing

This whole Ivory Billed Woodpecker controversy has me at odds. While I really wish to believe this bird has come back from the dead, I'm not really throwing my lot in with those who say it exists. Now, the reputations of those who say the bird lives are quality but there is $27 million at stake here. One would think for $27 million the public would be more interested - but then again, we are at war and no one seems to notice except for a vague notion that the price of gas is going up, how annoying. Just for the heck of it here is a summary from Mystery Woodpecker Upends a Bird Lover's Life

Unlike reports of past sightings, this one seemed so solid that it provoked only elation, a public sigh of relief and wonder. The re-discoverers floated on the almost palpable gratitude of birders and others who treated the news as a sign of hope.

Until now.

Three scientists have a paper in the works at the Public Library of Science challenging the report in Science. No details have been released, but there are other signs of doubt.

David Allen Sibley, the prominent American birder and the author of popular field guides, said Thursday that he had concluded that in the Science paper, "the evidence they've presented falls short of proof."

Mr. Sibley said he decided this independently of the three scientists who wrote the rebuttal, although he had been in contact with them.

Kenn Kaufman, another major birding author, also said in an interview that he was not satisfied with the evidence. Although he said he believed the sighting was real, he did not think the re-discoverers had proved their case.

Mr. Harrison said that he could not comment on an unpublished paper, but that he was confident in the finding, and welcomed a scientific discussion.

"I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner," Mr. Harrison said.

Nor do the critics question his integrity or that of Mr. Gallagher or of the other authors of the Science paper.

"The people who originally announced this thoroughly believe they got an ivory-billed woodpecker," said Mark B. Robbins of the University of Kansas, one of the three scientists preparing the challenge to the Science report. "They believe one thing, we believe another. This is how science plays out, the fabric of science getting at the truth."...

...Usually, scientists and birders are skeptical. In fact, Mr. Kaufman said, "I've actually been shocked that virtually everyone has been embracing this."

He added, "I do in fact believe that there was a bird there last year, but it hasn't been proven and we could have a more honest discussion if people accept the fact that we don't have proof."

Mr. Sibley is unconvinced. At first, he, too, was elated, and went down to Arkansas for 10 days to look for the ivory bill without success.

It was only when he returned, he said, that he began to think critically about the Science report. "It's really crushing to come to the conclusion that it might not be true, that there is room for some reasonable doubt."

He has been reluctant to speak publicly about his doubts, and described doubters as being treated as "heretics" in online discussions.

The reason he is speaking out now, he said, is that he worried that money might be diverted from other conservation efforts.

now this is only part of the article so visit the NY Times for the rest. And here is a couple of photos from Harvard collection taken from the Harvard Gazette page:

Tim Gallagher at the Harvard collection with Jeremiah Trimble, curatorial assistant in the Museum of Comparative Zoology's Ornithology Department.