Birdfeeding at Shore Side Farm House

American Goldfinches on Nyjer seed feeder with Nyjer seed feed

I am missing the hummingbirds. They take a lot of work and dedication, but are so entertaining and fascinating that it is worth the effort.

More finches on the "squirrel proof" feeder, which is mostly squirrel proof

chainmail squirrel trapping birdfeeder......even though this feeder has a screw down
top the squirrel lifts the top and gets inside...folds flat for storage

Autumn has not brought a strong transition to feeding our winter bird population. There does not seem to be  large population of avian fall/winter residents in my garden. That is unusual. I have faith, so I continue to load up the feeders. The squirrels are very aware of my faith and offerings, making them the beneficiaries of my efforts. Constant visitors, they usurp my intention of supporting the bird population. We have beautiful pudgy and fluffy gray/brown squirrels scampering around the Crape Myrtle, park bench, and lawn. They are a happy crew, as long as I don't chase them out. I'm fine with their poaching, as long as it is a small take. Watching birds is my goal, not watching squirrels.

five feeders at my station

For several years I have been using four or five tired feeders . A concrete demonstration of just how useless one of the feeders had become, was obvious to me, when I stood at the window to watch the feeding population and noticed something weird about the biggest feeder.  What the heck was wrong? I gazed, observed and stood awed when the realization came to me that a squirrrel was stuck inside the feeder.  It was running laps inside the feeder. He was able to get into the feeder but had forgotten how to get out. His one raid inside the feeder knocked off several pounds of sunflower seeds. Not advisable for my feeding budget. Surely it was time to re-evaluate the hardware. Two of the five feeders are favorites of the little birds. Chickadees, Nuthatches, Sparrows and Finches all love the two tall slim feeders, they mimic a tree trunk fascilitating natural feeding behavior. The problem with those two feeders is that they run of of seed frequently. Some days the seeds don't last more than a few hours in the tall columns. Lazy as I am, eliminating refilling those feeders quite so often was my pursuit.

The new walk thru feeder that handles lots of birds simultaneously

Through dogged tweeking of placement and seeds in the feeders I have lured a larger population of birds into the garden.  A new bird feeder has brought me a broader spectrum of feeding birds. Replacing the offending "squirrel cage" feeder with a style of feeder I have never seen before, which I call a walk-thru feeder, has multiplied my visitors. The birds seem to love it and have brought friends to the banquet. Pleasantly, we now have a populaton to observe. Many birds can be on this feeder at the same time. The Tufted Titmouse and Chickadees love it, and for the first time in months Cardinals, Nuthatches and Carolina Wrens are at the feeders this morning. Success!