My Bird Feeder Gets No Takers

Squirrels are pretty amazing when it comes to stealing bird food. They could easily perform in Cirque Du Soleil. Maybe they already do?

Last winter as the snow flew an idea came to me. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a bird feeder? We could fatten up the cute birdies who inhabit our neighborhood… and give me another target for photography.

OK–I’m not a saint.

We’ve been through the bird feeder fantasy before. I say fantasy because it always ends up being a squirrel feeder.

Squirrels are pretty amazing when it comes to stealing bird food. They could easily perform in Cirque Du Soleil. Maybe they already do?

An argument might even be made they’re not governed by the laws of gravity!

I looked for something squirrel resistant and ended up with a sock. While I was doing research I thought I read about squirrels not liking sock feeders. Now, sock in hand, that claim seems missing.

The sock sits seven feet off the ground hanging on a rope draped over a branch in our back yard. It’s been there since Monday. Not one bird has approached it. None! Seriously, as far as wildlife is concerned my suet filled sock is invisible! Even the squirrels haven’t been tempted.

Is there a Craigslist sub-board for hungry birds? Maybe I need to get listed on some bird oriented iPhone app?

“Maybe they haven’t found it yet,” offered Helaine.

“But it’s got a picture of a bird on it,” I said.

With this in mind I’m asking you the readers of my blog to get the word out. If you see any hungry birds please let the know the suet’s on me.

5 thoughts on “My Bird Feeder Gets No Takers”

  1. They are eating at my house Geoff. Cardinals, finches, you name it ….I got it! Helps to have marsh around. When I run out …I will tell them to go to your house!

  2. Hi I am having a problem with my squirell busting bird feeder, the birds used to use it but dont any more and i dont know why, I thought it may be that it was weighted badly but have altered that, any suggestions?

    Steph

  3. The birds will find the feeder. I feed year round (I know I am not supposed to but I love all the different birds that come to my feeders). We have several feeders; a typical bird feeder “house” which attracts many different birds as well as a “thistle” feeder which attracts goldfinches. (they are beautiful). My husband took an old log, drilled holes in it and I put suet in that. The woodpeckers love suet! He also made me a box made of wood, the bottom is screening and a 4 string of chains. We fill the box and watch the birds “sit” in it to feed. But, when the feeder is empty and it takes me a couple of days to get out to fill it, the birds do take a couple of days to return. As far as the squirrels are concerned, we hang our feeders on planters with 4 hooks on it and put baffles on all of them. It does keep the squirrels out of the feeds but not from grazing on the ground. There is a store in Hamden on Whitney Ave called the Robin’s Nest where you can purchase stuff for the feeders or get great ideas and have lots of your questions answered. Good Luck and be patient. The birds will come and it will be fun to identify the different species that arrive at your feeder!
    Meg

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