Baiting birds?

Heya,

The feeder has been moved into a shady area near my back porch, easier for me to get to, and a lot more coverage to make the birds feel safe. Otherwise, it's producing color nicely.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/mLSt​Xx

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/mLSo​7X

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/mLSm​Q8

Update:

Here's what's been at my feeder lately, now that it's well known and established to the local song birds.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/nFwS​Wu

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/npfm​2r

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/nFwT​7u

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/nFHm​es

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/nHw3​JM

I'm still kicking around the idea of a backyard setup.
I just have so many skyrats ( doves and house sparrow)
that they eat a whole feeder a day. Its crazy. I even cut the
Posts on the feeder to be very short so the doves couldn't perch
and eat. Now they sit on the ground and wait for the sparrows to drop
food.
Ugh.

jhayesvw wrote in post #16918468
I'm still kicking around the idea of a backyard setup.
I just have so many skyrats ( doves and house sparrow)
that they eat a whole feeder a day. Its crazy. I even cut the
Posts on the feeder to be very short so the doves couldn't perch
and eat. Now they sit on the ground and wait for the sparrows to drop
food.
Ugh.

You pretty much have to deal with them. It's free food and if there's a will there's a way. I get Starlings that will hang upside down to get at my suet that's set up for woodpeckers, chicadees and titmouse. Again, if there's a will, there's a way. I don't worry so much anymore. You will drive yourself nuts trying to deter them.

Mal, consider getting some larger branches that way you can drill holes and put food in them to capture them without the food. I use large branches, roots etc. and drill holes in them and put seeds, suet, peanut butter, jelly etc. in them and they love it.

Heh! A bit over a year ago I was temporarily living with a friend (a disabled Viet Nam War vet who passed away after about 4 months of me being there). He enjoyed putting out feeders of various types. There was a humming bird feeder outside the living room window, but I wasn't able to get into a position for good shooting.

But, there was one in a tree that was quite entertaining! It had a large opening, and my friend Jim would put peanuts and walnuts (in-shell) into it. The two critters that got attracted to it were scrub jays and squirrels, groups of them both would come around and perch, giving the others turns, around and around, like I said, it was entertaining!

Fortunately, there were times when I set up with my rig, and got some shots!

One of the jays: