Mid-Atlantic bird lovers: any suggestions for my bird feeders?

[Flaxbee]

I live on the VA/WV border in the northern Virginia area and have many lovely birds and two feeders that are emptied almost faster than I can blink (any leftovers at the end of the day are cleaned out by the raccoons at night who swing from the feeders like trapeze artists). I buy Audubon's deluxe mix as well as black sunflower seeds from Lowe's and mix the two in each feeder.

Anyway, I'm going through a LOT of seed and while I'll continue to do so to feed my birdie friends, if you have any suggestions for stretching out what I feed and/or a way to help my bird seed budget a bit, that'd be great. I'm probably spending more per week on the bird seed than what it costs to feed my five cats and the office ferals...

If what I'm doing is best, that's fine. But if there are any suggestions, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!

[TreasonousBastard]

1. My guess is that squirrels and raccoons are eating...

at least as much seed as the birds are. I once found a squirrel who opened the door and was sitting in one of my feeders, happily lunching away!

First thing might be to try to find an equally nutritious, but cheaper, blend. Some of the cheaper ones use millet and some other stuff too many birds hate as a filler, so are a waste, but there might be something at an Agway, hardware store or feed supplier. I found a good blend hidden in the corner of a local horse feed place. Had to buy 50 pound bags, but it was cheaper with little waste. If you have a local Audubon, maybe ask them how they fill their feeders-- that's how I found out about the horse feed place.

Squirrels and raccoons are a constant nuisance and the little buggers seem to defeat every method ever designed to keep them out of the feed. I once had a couple of old VHS tapes with BBC's Daylight Robbery I & II on them and the Brits have the same problems with equally dim results. Try this: http://www.bing.com/search?q=Daylight+Robbery+Squirrel&FORM=QSRE3 or do your own search for "Daylight Robbery Squirrels" and have fun. It's really marvelously done.

But, keep at it and you might find some way in your area that works to keep the thieves out. For a while, anyway.

[Flaxbee]

5. Thanks for the reply ...

My feeders are mostly empty by sundown and I scatter some seed on the deck for the squirrels and our resident chipmunk... as well as some peanuts still in the shell. I don't refill at night -- I just have extremely active birds, I think.

I love them and will keep feeding them - it just gets $$. I want them to have good food, not just filler. And I"m already worried about them when we eventually move.

[csziggy]

2. I bring my feeders in at night

That doesn't stop the loss to squirrels, but it does keep the racoons and deer from emptying the feeders every night. The squirrels while a nuisance are at least fun to watch. The racoons are destructive and the deer are just voracious, especially in the winter.

I'd gotten a squirrel proof feeder - the squirrels made it shut so the rodents couldn't eat. The deer just stood there, sticking their tongues in the holes, lapping up all the bird seed.

Bringing the feeders in at night cut my birdseed bill down to less than half of what I was spending. It does mean I have to get up early - if I don't have the feeders out soon after dawn, the birds congregate outside my window and sing at me until I put them out. And I have to be home at dusk to bring them in before dark - or bring them in early before I go out.

[Flaxbee]

6. There's usually only about a half inch left in each feeder so I figure the raccoons can have that...

each feeder holds 2-3 cups. I have them hanging from the beams of the deck, right by the railing so they're protected from rain and too high for deer. We're usually up until 1-2 a.m., so my bird friends usually don't get fed until brunch. Ha ha. I provide the lunch and dinner shift, they most likely go elsewhere for breakfast. And they're clever, too - I let my cats out for about an hour every day when I get up and the birds don't arrive until after they're back in.

[Curmudgeoness]

3. I have worked at figuring out how much will be eaten in a day

and I don't put enough out to last into the evening. My feeders are totally empty by mid-afternoon so the raccoons have stopped coming by for a meal. All my birds are hanging out in the morning for a fresh supply. I can't help you with cost though, since I buy the most expensive seed there is---shelled sunflower seeds. I prefer no messes to clean up.

[Flaxbee]

7. Hey, Curmudgeoness ...

how are you doing? And Sammy and your new girl (forgot her name)?

We're usually up so late I feed them late morning and put out enough until sundown, I guess. We leave for the office anywhere between noon (early) or 2pm and I have food out there starting between 10-11 a.m. There's not much left in the feeders each day so I figure I"ll just let whomever comes by have it - I don't mind a little loss. But the bird guests are eating about 4-6 cups a day ... and that goes fast. I'd prefer they get good food, though, so I guess I'll just suck it up. Lol.

[Curmudgeoness]

9. Hey, Flaxbee.

I'm doing fine, as are Sammy and Leila. Leila is still anti-social with Sammy, and that really bothers him...he wants to play and she is a bitch to him hissing and rearing up. And he never seems to learn, or maybe he doesn't like her and just wants to agitate her. She still has occasional issues with peeing when she is fast asleep and totally relaxed, and we have done all that we can. The vet can only suppose that there was nerve damage when she was shot as a kitten because we have treated the infection and there are no longer crystals forming with her special food. It is not behavior related, since she is very good with the litter box all the time. So there isn't much else it can be. Not easy to live with.

Hope that all is well with you and business is going good.

As to the bird food, you don't want to use cheaper seed anyways, since it usually means a lot of waste and that makes a bigger mess. Then again, I wonder if the raccoons would eat the crap seed that the birds throw down on the ground. It wouldn't hurt to experiment with that.

[MH1]

4. I've found that cone type baffles work for my squirrels (so far)

http://shop.wbu.com/p/wbu-18-wrap-around-baffle?pp=12

It may seem expensive but if the squirrels are getting to your feeders, this will pay for itself pretty quickly.

Also keep your feeders 10 feet or so from any trees, fences, or other structures that they can jump from.

I haven't seen raccoons at mine so I can't tell about that. I would presume the anti-squirrel strategy would work for raccoons too. Or just bring the feeders in at night.

[Flaxbee]

8. They're mostly empty at night, but if they're not I may need to figure out a way to

bring them down ... I don't have a garage and don't want to bring bird feeders into the house with my cats around (too much chance for any sort of cootie transfer) but maybe I can get a cooler or something with a latch and put the feeders in there if they've still got a significant amount of seed in them....

I've diverted squirrels with no-salt peanuts still in the shell. Keeps them (and my husband - lol) busy.