# Finally bought my birdfeeder



## Marie5656 (Aug 10, 2019)

*I got a $40 rebate on a card from Home Depot, for buying the paint for my deck.  So, I decided to put some of it toward the birdfeeder I wanted to get.  I could not find exactly what I was looking for in a feeder, but I got a good starter one. Probably next year I will buy another one, plus something to use as a more secure pole for it.  I would like to buy a piece of lumber to use as a base to hang it from.  The shepherd's hooks are attractive, but I am a bit leary of their strength.
I just wanted the birds to get used to finding the food here, before winter sets in.  I got seed, but want to switch to more sunflower seeds,  Maybe some corn for the squirrels.  Another friend suggested safflower seeds.  Any other suggestions?    
Here are pictures, I know the feeder looks a bit crooked. I fixed it after I took the pictures.

*


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## tortiecat (Aug 10, 2019)

I hope you get a lot of pleasure watching the birds at your feeder!
We always had several in our backyard, one for sunflower seed, one for
niger seed and one for corn.  Also a hummingbird feeder.  If you do ever get
a hummingbird feeder, may I remind you to change the liquid every 2 or 3 days
as it goes rancid.


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## Marie5656 (Aug 10, 2019)

@tortiecat  thanks. I have never heard of niger seed.


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## Aunt Bea (Aug 10, 2019)

That little feeder should provide you with many hours of entertainment. 

Try mixing a bag of cracked corn in with your mixed seed or sunflower seeds to help keep the cost down.  It can be purchased at feed stores or Tractor Supply for under $10.00/fifty pound bag.  A garbage can with a tight-fitting lid to keep it in might also be a good investment.


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## Gary O' (Aug 10, 2019)

Aunt Bea said:


> Try mixing a bag of cracked corn in with your mixed seed or sunflower seeds to help keep the cost down. It can be purchased at feed stores or Tractor Supply for under $10.00/fifty pound bag. *A garbage can with a tight-fitting lid to keep it *


Yes

Unless you have visiting bears


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## Marie5656 (Aug 10, 2019)

*My dinner guests

*


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## Marie5656 (Aug 10, 2019)

More guests


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## SeaBreeze (Aug 10, 2019)

Very cool Marie, guests like that would be always welcome in my yard!


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## Ruth n Jersey (Aug 10, 2019)

That's great Marie. You have already attracted so many birds. I hope the squirrels don't become a problem. Here they eat all kinds of seed and leave none for the birds. If you get a humming bird feeder you don't have to buy the red colored liquid food. I boil up sugar and water,proportions are on the internet, and keep it in the refrigerator or freezer. If the feeder is colored red they will come to it. Mine wasn't so I spray painted it red and it worked fine. The smaller feeders are better because as Tortiecat mentioned it should be cleaned and changed every couple of days. I hope you have many happy hours watching your new feathered friends.


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## Marie5656 (Aug 10, 2019)

*@Ruth n Jersey  I have already gotten the squirrels.  I put peanuts and sunflower seeds down on the ground for them, but they still wanted in to the feeder.  I tried to get a picture of the squirrels, but they heard me and dashed.*


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## hollydolly (Aug 11, 2019)

Marie5656 said:


> @tortiecat  thanks. I have never heard of niger seed.


Marie, we use Niger seed here in our garden..it's a tiny black seed.. which you can see in the  feeder to the far right .. it's used to feed  mainly  Finches and sparrows... , etc..


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## Trade (Aug 11, 2019)

After several years of trying out different scenarios most of which turned out to be a pain to fill and an even bigger pain to keep clean I finally settled on this simple arrangement.


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## Trade (Aug 11, 2019)

I got the feeder from Amazon. I've had it almost six years. The bottom is screen fine enough that water drains out when it rains but the seed stays put. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001C459EK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


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## JustBonee (Aug 11, 2019)

Looking at these pictures of the bird feeders really makes me miss my old backyard.    Had so many birds (many cardinals and bluejays), along with mischievous squirrels,    to give so much entertainment.


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## Trade (Aug 11, 2019)

The black wrought Iron stand is called a Sheppard's hook. They have them in the garden section of places like Lowes and Home Depot. You don't need to get the fancy one with 4 hooks like mine. The also have single and double hooked ones.


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## Trade (Aug 11, 2019)

And I got the squirrel baffle as it's called also off of Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Woodlink-NAB...GZXPKGVBWEV&psc=1&refRID=9FB6DK96WGZXPKGVBWEV
It's the only thing I've found that will stop those little buggers from getting up there and hogging all the seed for themselves.


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## Trade (Aug 11, 2019)

Every morning I go out and clean the leftover seed hulls out with a 4 inch plastic putting knife. Easy peasey. And then I put 4 cups of new seed in. I get that at the grocery store. The birds love it. I get lot of different kinds.


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## Marie5656 (Aug 11, 2019)

@Trade thanks for the ideas. Something to ponder


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## Trade (Aug 12, 2019)

This morning it was mostly Doves, although I did see a couple of Blue Jays and a Cardinal. Although Doves are sometimes refered to as birds of peace, they are bullies when it comes to the bird feeder. When they come they take the place over and don't let any of the other birds in.


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## JustBonee (Aug 12, 2019)

Used to watch Doves in action around my yard and they are as you describe Trade .... they did come in packs and quickly take command of things.   They loved a raised flower bed I had off the back patio and made it home.


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## RadishRose (Aug 12, 2019)

I'm glad you're enjoying your feeder so much, @Marie5656 !  You might decide to move it back a little so the bird poop doesn't land directly on the deck, or maybe it's just the camera angle.


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## Liberty (Aug 12, 2019)

Marie, we have problems with squirrels so feed safflower seeds to them when the squirrels start hitting the feeders, squirrels don't like those seeds, but the other songbirds and regular birds like them.  Squirrels will come and taste them, but they don't come back.  
I'm a messy feeder, love to put seed on the deck too so more birds can feed at once.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Aug 12, 2019)

I noticed that also about the Doves. One of them scared off a Blue Jay and that takes some doing. I always thought Jays were the more aggressive bird. They all are part of Mother Nature and they all have to eat. 

My son reminds me of that when I complain about a mouse or a groundhog. He tells me if it had beautiful brown eyes or looked like a little lamb or calf I wouldn't complain at all. He is totally right.


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## Marie5656 (Aug 12, 2019)

RadishRose said:


> I'm glad you're enjoying your feeder so much, @Marie5656 !  You might decide to move it back a little so the bird poop doesn't land directly on the deck, or maybe it's just the camera angle.



I agree.  I do want to get a pole that I can attach to the ground, and have feeder face over the grass, but still reachable from the deck.  That will be my next project


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## Liberty (Aug 12, 2019)

Marie, this is the bird feeder we always buy...have tried many others and none holds up to this one as far as accommodating the birds and being strong and stout for years.  Its a Duncraft exclusive.  The large tray at the bottom is metal as are the feeding perches and top/hanging hook.
It comes with or without a top baffle.  We get the one with the baffle as it keeps seeds from getting wet.  Do recommend it - cardinals and other songbirds, wild canaries, buntings, finches and many types of  birds really love it - lots of places to perch and nibble away without too much competition.


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## Marie5656 (Aug 12, 2019)

@Liberty  Thanks.  I want to get one or two more feeders, will get one of those next


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## Liberty (Aug 12, 2019)

Marie5656 said:


> @Liberty  Thanks.  I want to get one or two more feeders, will get one of those next


You will like it, Marie.  We've never seen another one like it - one that's built as well and is as useful as it is.


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## Patio Life (Aug 13, 2019)

I do want a bird feeder for the patio, love watching them. We don't have any squirrels to worry about. I won't get metal as it would get way too hot in the summer sun.


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## Liberty (Aug 13, 2019)

Patio Life said:


> I do want a bird feeder for the patio, love watching them. We don't have any squirrels to worry about. I won't get metal as it would get way too hot in the summer sun.


Hey, we have metal and its hotter than the hinges of hell here in the summer...those cardinals and other little birds don't mind it at all.


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## Patio Life (Aug 13, 2019)

Liberty said:


> Hey, we have metal and its hotter than the hinges of hell here in the summer...those cardinals and other little birds don't mind it at all.


The birds probably wouldn't care, they walk on the hot pavement and the metal parking cover - it would just bother me. LOL


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## RadishRose (Aug 13, 2019)

@Marie do you have a bird bath?

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=bird+baths&t=ffab&atb=v1-1&ia=images&iax=images


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## Liberty (Aug 13, 2019)

Patio Life said:


> The birds probably wouldn't care, they walk on the hot pavement and the metal parking cover - it would just bother me. LOL


Remember in Cancun, there's an old joke "how do you know its hot?  Its when the iguana's carry sticks in their mouths to walk across the road on".  Yep, the birds could care less. They are birds, not humans!


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## Pecos (Aug 13, 2019)

Marie5656 said:


> @tortiecat  thanks. I have never heard of niger seed.


  I never had any luck with it. Finally the owner of the bird seed store admitted that even he had given up on it.
Now for hummingbirds I have a feeder in the front of the house and one in the back. Our ruby throated  birds are extremely possessive  about "their" feeder and spend a lot of time squabbling over it. I suspect that they belong to that other political party.


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## Marie5656 (Aug 13, 2019)

RadishRose said:


> @Marie do you have a bird bath?
> 
> https://duckduckgo.com/?q=bird+baths&t=ffab&atb=v1-1&ia=images&iax=images



Not yet. But I want to get one.  For right now, I keep a shallow tub of water out side.  Figure animals can use it for drinking too. A birdbath will have to wait until spring, though.  Between the deck, the birdfeeder and a supply of seed, I am kind of tapped out right now.  Have to tighten up for a few months


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