Bird Photography - Feeders? Northeast US

[wallybud]

Im new to the forums as Ive been on here reading for about 8 months and finally decided to join up and give for all that I have recieved. However I must ask to recieve once again before giving=)

Ive recently(about a month) become obsessed with bird photography. I live in a very bird rich section of NJ and was wondering what bird I might be able to attract with different seed. I have three feeders around my house and they work fantastically however Id like to start sticking to specific birds. any help would be wonderful=)))

Happy shooting

[johnstoy]

I use "Oiled Black Sunflower Seed" primarily... Mix in some "blended seeds" too, creating layers in the tube feeders...

Since I have major "Black Bear" problems during spring, summer, fall, I only keep the feeders out during the cold winter months...

This year however, I'll be putting the feeders out more often, but taking them in for the night.

Thistle seed is also good for finches... But the Oiled Black Sunflower Seed is by far the best and attracts nearly all of the bird species.

And Hummingbirds will require a "nectar" feeder... Good luck.

[Jon]

Our Nijer (thistle) feeder attracts Goldfinches in quantity; the House/Purple Finches and (*GAH*) English Sparrows flit between the black oil sunflower feeder and the Nijer. We have even gotten some of the local Red-bellied Woodpeckers at the sunflowers, along with the Chickadees, Cardinals, Nuthatches, Tufted Titmice and various and sundry sparrows. Mourning Doves will clean up under both feeders. I expect that if we had suet out, the woodpeckers would head over there. We also have one or two hawks who seem to view both feeders as their feeding stations. For that reason, I have to set them so they're screened from the hawks' preferred roosts.

[wallybud]

Thank you so much for the info! very helpful. WOuld any of you happen to know any links to good birdfeeders that squirrels and other animals wont interfere with?

[Jon]

Thank you so much for the info! very helpful. WOuld any of you happen to know any links to good birdfeeders that squirrels and other animals wont interfere with?Surely you jest . . . Squirrel-proof is a delusion. Your best bet is to keep them distracted with something else. Fortunately, our birds spill enough ATM that the squirrels tend to stay on the ground. Last "squirrel-proof" feeder, they enlarged the holes to get past the baffles . . .

[wallybud]

thanks a lot sir moderator. That is actually true when I hit up the bird blinds at a national wildlife refuge the squirrels are always underneith the feeder. but actually i dont know why i even asked because my dad has these dry corn cobs that he hangs from a bungee from our trees and the squirrels love them (which in turn keeps them away from the feeders?) i feel like such an ass for not even realizing that. hope that helps haha. ill post a couple pics as soon as my body and lens come back from calibration=( jeez i miss them

[Woolburr]

This is the closest I have ever seen to a squirrel proof feeder (http://www.blissfulbirds.com/site/1550166/product/BBF124)...it does a darn good job of shutting them down.


If you don't want to support John Deere, these are also options (http://feathersandfeeders.com/squirrel_proof_bird_feeders.html).

[wallybud]

im pretty crafty I think for way less than 92$ i can make or buy a normal one and modify it lol

[oldtimingman]

Wally- Just add water.......really. Provide a year round source of water with your feeders and the number and type of 'posers' will go up. Worked for me.


.............old

[MDJAK]

I have a very similar feeder to the John Deere shown above. The squirrels figured out how to place their weight on the body of the feeder instead of the perches so it doesn't close.

However, I would respectfully disagree with Jon. While there may not be a squirrel proof feeder, there certainly is squirrel proof poles. I have a pole that's perhaps ten feet tall with a large baffle halfway up. I have never seen a squirrel defeat that. They just can't and have given up trying long ago.

Most recently I saw two squirrels on the feeder that is above the baffles, and frankly I was baffled. Until I saw how they did it. I have a pole about three feet away with bird houses on it and no baffle. They climbed it, sat atop the houses and jumped to the pole they are unable to climb. I then moved that pole further away and the squirrels have to be content with eating off the ground.
mark

[PhotosByEric]

I have a feeder similar to this:
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=2553308

It is designed to shut off the ports when to much weight, squirel, gets on the perch. They have figured out if they sit on top on strectch out they can reach the top ports and feed from those.

I recently got something like this but with two hooks for the feeders:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=1560444

They haven't figured out how to get the feeders yet but it's only been 2 weeks. I'm sure they are sitting up in the tree every day discussing how to make it up the pole:p

As far as what to feed birds love black oil sunflower seed, it's like candy to them. I used to buy the mixed bird sed but the would pick out all the sunflowers seeds and leave the rest.

Eric

[oldtimingman]

This double tube Niger/Thistle seed feeder will bring finches in by the herd.

[oldtimingman]

Drop a woodpecker bar in one of these metal cages and see what turns up.