Window Watching - Birds Visiting My Gardens

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Female Downy Woodpecker discovers our homemade suet
 

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Terry, I tried some commercial suet a few times and the only consistent visitors seemed to be starlings and squirrels. I began making my own suet and now have a wide range of visitors who continue to keep coming back! Unfortunately this includes the darn starlings; squirrels not so much since I've included cayenne pepper flakes!
 

Terry O

Well-Known Member
Terry, I tried some commercial suet a few times and the only consistent visitors seemed to be starlings and squirrels. I began making my own suet and now have a wide range of visitors who continue to keep coming back! Unfortunately this includes the darn starlings; squirrels not so much since I've included cayenne pepper flakes!

What's your recipe, Debbie? I have one made with lard, peanut butter, oats, cornmeal, and sunflower seed, but its really too soft, and it gets gobbled down in two days!
 
Terry,
My recipe is basically the same.

1 c lard
1½ c chunky peanut butter
2c Cornmeal
1½-2c Oats

To this I add:
crushed egg shells that have been sterilized
¼ c crushed red pepper flakes (which the squirrels despise!)
½ c seed combo (2 or 3 types) nyger, white millet, quinoa, flax seed, buckwheat, poppy seed, sesame, hemp seed

Blend the PB and Lard well with electric mixer. Mix in the additional items- The meal should be firm but not crumbly. Form into burger size patties on paper or foil lined tray and freeze.
This makes 8+ generous portions. Usually lasts a few weeks unless I have an invasion of starlings. :(

In the summer it does get fairly soft so I make the portions half size. Generally I have suet out in three different types of feeders to cater to different types of birds. They don't care though...I found the pileated woodpecker trying to get suet from the tiny feeder for the chickadees, warbles and wrens...
 

Terry O

Well-Known Member
Thanks Debbie - ours is gobbled up by flickers, bushtits, chickadees, and nuthatches and the occassional downey and hairy, and rarely a pileated - guess I shouldn't complain! I'll just make a double batch this time :)
 
Bewick's Wren

We enjoy Bewick's Wrens as a year round residents! In the last fews years there have been several solitary Bewick's Wrens but this past summer brought us an inseparable pair! Currently they are nesting outside our front entryway.
 

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Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
The Bewick's wrens should give you many photo ops. Last year a pair nest under my deck. They were prolific bug hunters after their young hatched.
 

Terry O

Well-Known Member
One of my favorite birds. Love their songs too - they sure make a big sound for such little birds. Great shots, Debbie!
 
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