Feeding the birds in our backyard has brought lots of enjoyment to us. We

View from our Dining Room Table

sit at our dining room table and look out the sliding glass door at the songbirds and woodpeckers that we attract to our feeders. During these cold winter days it is more important than ever to feed your backyard birds. The birds need large amounts of protein daily in order to survive the cold winter nights.  I already wrote about the suet feeders in our yard last week. This week we will discuss the other feeders and the bird seed

Sunflower Feeder & Finch Feeder

we feed our feathered friends.

We feed the wild birds high quality black oil sunflower seed which we purchase in bulk in 40 pound bags. To feed them to our backyard birds we use the Brome Bird Care Squirrel Buster Plus. This feeder helps to keep out squirrels and the larger birds by using an adjustable weight mechanism that closes access to the seed. This squirrel proof bird feeder features seed tube ventilation to keep seed fresher. We have never had a problem with the seed becoming moldy in our wet Pacific Northwest environment. Squirrel Buster Plus holds 3 quarts of seed. The adjustable perches allow you to position them where you feel they will work the best and also give you a good viewing angle of the birds feeding. It also comes with a large ring perch that attaches to the bottom which cardinals prefer. This wild bird

Duncraft Squirrel Blocker Platform Bird Feeder

feeder is made of metal which the squirrels can’t chew through and destroy the feeder. It disassembles making it very easy to clean and it dishwasher safe and has a lifetime warranty.

The manufactures all claim to make squirrel proof feeders and if the squirrels followed the manufactures instructions they are indeed squirrel proof. These are designed for them to jump on from the bottom and hang on. The weight of the squirrel

Duncarft Squirrel Blocker Platform Feeder in our Meditation Garden

then closes the feeding ports preventing them from reaching the seed. They work great when a squirrel does this. The problem is a squirrel is very smart and can jump up to a distance of 12 feet. If your feeders are anywhere near a roof,fence, tree, bush or trellis that the squirrel can jump from and land on top of your feeders you will be feeding the squirrels. They will hang down from the pole so they have no weight on the feeder and help themselves to the seed. This is just a fact of life and the best advice is to keep your feeder at least 12 feet away from anything high that a squirrel can jump from.  As you can see from the photos there is no place in our yard where we are free from something a squirrel can jump from. I am talking from actual experience here.

I have attached a Songbird Essentials 30” Diameter Seed Hoop to catch the seed that the birds drop.  This saves me having to clean it up off the ground and makes for a more sanitary environment for the birds to feed. I have modified the seed hoop to attach to this feeder. I first placed a 16” nylon tie strap with three 1” diameter brass rings from the hardware store around the bottom of the feeding tube. I replaced the metal chain and S hooks that came with the feeder with some decorative black chain that is attached to the seed hoop with a short nylon tie. On the other end of the chain I have a brass sliding hook. With this set up it is very easy to remove the seed tray for cleaning and yet still have it very secure on the feeder.

The other tube feeder we use is a Brome Bird Care Squirrel Buster Finch Bird Feeder. We feed a mixture of nyjer and ground sunflower finch seed mix in this feeder. The feeder has a metal cage on the outside that prevents the squirrels from reaching the seed and this works!  We have never seen a squirrel get into this feeder. The Squirrel Buster Finch Bird Feeder holds 1.4 quarts of seed and has 4 feeding ports and adjustable perches. This feeder has a seed ventilation system that keeps the feed fresh. We have never had a problem with mold in this feeder. The feeder disassembles for easy cleaning and can be safely put into the dishwasher.  We recommend this feeder highly for anyone who is fighting the never ending squirrel battle.

We also have two Duncraft Squirrel Blocker Platform Bird Feeders. These are

Songbird Essentials All Weather Feeder with Squirrel Cage

all metal construction and can be hung, attached to a pole, or placed on the ground. These are a good squirrel deterrent seed feeder. It has a squirrel-blocker grid that keeps out squirrel noses and paws from most of the feeder. What we have found is the squirrels can get into the four corners.  The secret to using this platform feeder is to put a thin layer of seed on the bottom of the feeder. As long as the seed is just covering the fine screen mesh bottom, which allows for drainage and air flow, the squirrels paws can’t reach it. We have one on the ground. The ground feeding birds such as the Towhees feed in it all day long. As long as the seed is kept away from the corners the squirrels can’t get into it and go away.

The other Squirrel Blocker Platform Feeder is hanging from a pole which has a fence and a bush that the squirrels use to jump onto the pole. On this feeder the squirrels have learned that if they hang off one end and tip the feeder they can get some of the seed to go into the corner where they can get at it. I am going to pole mount the feeder so it will be stable and they can’t tip it which I think will solve this problem. The feeders all metal construction is great. The squirrels can’t chew into it and destroy it. The squirrel blocker grid is too heavy for them to move. This feeder comes with a 5 year guarantee.

We also have a Songbird Essentials All Weather Feeder with the Squirrel Cage attachment. The squirrels have not been able to get into this feeder. They also have not chewed through the heavy gauge plastic. The only problem we have experienced is that the squirrels jump and hanging on the feeder will turn the feeder and unscrew it from its top and cause it to fall away from its top onto the ground and they can have a feast. It is just like Thanksgiving Day when 4 quarts of seed hit the ground! To prevent this put a swivel snap between the feeder and your hanger and this problem is solved.

One additional item we have added is a set of 3 Ancient Graffiti Large Single Twig Garden Stake lawn ornaments. These are wrought iron bird perches that are a decorative garden decor item. The birds land on them as they go to and from the feeders.

We are enjoying our feathered friends this winter and hope our experiences help you to enjoy watching your backyard birds also.