December Feeding Station Review
This Duncraft double hopper feeder with suet cages may be the ultimate combination feeder that allows you to provide 2 kinds of seeds and 2 flavors of suet.
At this point in the year, your feeding station is probably in winter or pre-winter mode, so it’s a good time to make sure you are familiar with all the options you have as far as your feeding station is concerned. Some birders provide a full-service feeding station to accommodate as many different species as possible, while others like to concentrate on providing a more focused feeding station, emphasizing foods for finches or woodpeckers and nuthatches. In southern California and south Texas, hummingbirds may even be the focus, as hard as that is to imagine for Michigan birders now.
Each feeding station is unique, with a lot of personal choices that show a level of personality considering the feeder types, colors, food choices, positioning, poles, hangers, perches – and a winter water feature. Even before we get to the feeders and foods, let start with winter water: Water is a most important component of any feeding station, however you offer it. During winter it may require a heated birdbath with an electric thermostat in northern latitudes, but if water doesn’t freeze in your area of the Sunbelt, it’s business as usual.
Birders tend to emphasize suet during winter, partly because it is the best bet to attract woodpeckers and nuthatches, although suet can attract any number of species. Suet Feeders usually consist of a simple wire cage that holds a suet cake. Even better are the suet feeders that include a tail prop on the lower end of the feeder, which is helpful for woodpeckers that get better balance when they prop their tail against the wood or plastic extension.
Tube Feeders are probably the most popular feeders these days, and for the most part they are divided into 3 categories – seed feeders, nyjer thistle feeders, and combination feeders that permit you to offer 2 kinds of seeds. Black oil sunflower seeds are the best foods for most birds, and we emphasize the convenience and cleanliness of providing shelled sunflower seeds.
Coming in a close second as the most popular type of bird feeders, Hopper Feeder permit you to offer any size of seeds ranging from shelled peanuts and black oil sunflower seeds to smaller nyjer thistle seeds. There are a few hopper style combination feeders that are divided to provide separate compartments for 2 types of seeds, which is a handy option.
Some birders like to add a separate Peanut Feeder, which is most often a decorative screened enclosure for birds to pick at whole peanuts or shelled peanuts, kept inside the screen. Many birds feed on peanuts, especially jays, nuthatches, and woodpeckers.
Many birders prefer to squirrel-proof their feeding stations, starting by using Squirrel-proof Feeders. The best of this line of feeders use some simple technology to keep squirrels from accessing seeds, nuts, or suet – the best of which are activated to close by the weight of a squirrel (Squirrel Buster feeders are a favorite of ours). Some birders use Baffles to prevent squirrels from climbing to feeders, and other squirrel-proof feeders essentially have the feeder positioned in a cage, which obstructs the view of the birds you wish to see as they visit the feeder.
The open feeding strategy of a Platform Feeder was likely the first form of bird feeder, which more than anything lifts the bird food off the ground, although how far above ground is something an option. Many platform feeders are a simple open square of wood with a bordering rim to keep seeds from falling out, but they can also take the form of a circular ceramic or clay bowl or tray with a surrounding rim that can be mounted on legs, attached to a post, or suspended by chain, wire, or rope hangers. Platform feeders provide easy access to foods provided there, but they are often easily accessed by a variety of small mammals, which may be a plus, or not.
If you feel you need to consolidate some feeders, Combination Feeders have become popular. A favorite combo option provides the utility of a hopper feeder, but it’s divided to let you offer 2 types of seeds in a single feeder; plus a combination feeder can have 1 or 2 suet cages affixed to one or both ends of the feeder, or even underneath it. Some combination feeders may also have a tray positioned underneath the hopper section that effectively acts as a platform feeder addition that also acts as a catch-all for fallen seeds.
In some areas between southern California and the southeast corner of Texas, even during winter a Hummingbird Feeder may be a primary element of a feeding station, providing sugar-water nectar for hummingbirds. Actually, December is the beginning of the nesting season for Anna’s Hummingbirds in southern California, so that adds a different wrinkle and emphasizes the importance of providing nectar for hummers there. In areas of south Texas and Florida, orioles ay be present throughout the winter months, which makes an Oriole Feeder filled with grape jelly and a sliced orange the best bet for attracting these colorful songbirds at your feeding station.
Wherever you live, and whatever kind of feeding station you have created, we encourage you to Photograph the birds that come to your feeders. It adds another dimension to feeding birds, and you can photograph birds on your feeders and water feature, or on natural perches adjacent to your feeding station. We like to add a couple natural-looking Perches a few feet away from our feeding station to provide a place where birds can perch as they approach a feeder, or as they wait their turn. We install each branch vertically, after attaching it to a metal anchor that is thrust into the ground for added stability. Birds perch on the top of such a branch, making it an element in your Photos of the birds that visit your feeders and water feature.
Where you position yourself to photograph is important, whether you are focusing on a perch, feeder, birdbath. You ideally want to have the sun behind you with the birds in front of you to get the best colors and sharp photos, and you can double-check your position by making sure your shadow is pointing at the bird you are photographing.
It’s always good to give each feeder and the ground beneath it a weekly look to be sure everything is Clean, and to monitor food levels at least daily. These points are important year-round, but they can be especially important during winter months when birds are closer to survival mode. While they don’t rely on your food or water, you definitely provide an important benefit to birds during winter months, and you can be proud of that, just as you are proud of how your feeding station looks and the birds it attracts.
Share your backyard birding experiences and photos with The Birding Wire at editorstbw2@gmail.com
