I’ve noticed that in my yard, water brings in a lot more birds than food in the winter.  I think this may be because a lot of people feed, but not many offer water during frozen conditions.

We feed all these seeds that you mentioned and then some all year round.  We have cardinals, nuthatches, chickadees, several kinds of sparrows and blue jays now.  The juncos will appear here in Maine shortly.  We also feed the hummingbirds from June through October with the liquid feeders.  They come right to the dining room window where one feeder is hung and the other further out in the yard.
Throughout the year the bird populations change and we see red winged blackbirds, yellow bellied sapsuckers, orioles and indigo buntings earlier in the season.
We also have tons of yellow finches and warblers most of the year. 
Feeding the birds is extremely rewarding!!!!!
Marie Bartsch

I like to buy raw peanuts in the shell from the local grocery. I spread them on the deck for jays , red bellied woodpeckers and tufted titmouse. It is really great fur to watch the titmice comig in and picking up the peanufts. I hae one that shops. It checks out every peanut before deiding which one to take. I have also found hat critter food placed on trays on my deck attracts a variety of laarger birds like wood peckers and jays buy also does, cardinals, etc.

In addition to purchased seed and suet, I try to grow foods that birds appreciate. Migrating yellow rumps and other birds love the bayberry shrubs I planted on my sandy back hill. After the first frost, many birds relish the crabapples that are now soft and delicious.  I also have a mountain ash tree and some arrowwood viburnum shrubs. Seed eaters love the annual millet and the seeds from the big and small bluestem grasses.  Springtime brings the fruits of juneberry that the waxwings and grossbeaks devour. All of these natives support a host of insects that several bird species appreciate.

I feed wild birds year around in my yard.I use safflower,black oil sunflower,and thistle seed+ i put out peanuts in the shell for bluejays

My reward for the day is after I feed my birds, sitting back and watch them devour (and fight) over the favorite seeds. My bird feeder is rather unique. Years ago we had a tree cut down in our front yard that was dieing. My husband cut a large log about 2 1/2 ft tall. I nailed a foil pie tin to the log and that is what I put my bird seed in. They gather around that like crazy and it is so fun to watch. They even take their feet and scrape some out and onto the ground to feed the ones walking around. Isn’t that sweet?

I feed my birds all year here in Central Texas. I use two different brands. Valley Splendor has blackoil sunflower seed, white millet, safflower, sunflower chips, peanuts, and raisins. My finch feeder gets Wagners Deluxe and has white millet, niger, finch millet, canary seed, red millet, and sunflower chips.  The birds love it and literaly swamp all the feeders fighting over the seeds. I also make my own suet cakes and put some of this seed in them. They watch and know when I have just filled them and spread the word while I’m doing it. I can hear the differnce in their calls.  I have sparrows, cardinals, 4 different doves, chickadee, titmouse, wrens and more that come to my feeders.  I also have 5 hummingbird feeders.  When they get low, the hummers come right up to the window to let me know it’s time to refill them.  I love it!

I feed all year round. I have a finch feeder ,squirrel proof,  of finch food. Lots of different finches and wood peckers like that. Then I feed safflower in the regular feeder. There is a hummer feeder. and a hanging one, from my Red Bud tree that is a tire recycled with screen in the middle to let water but not feed thru.  We have water year round . And suet cakes as soon as it gets cool enough. I have 5 different kinds of wood Peckers that visit that. and of course the starlings and grackles if they can fit.  It is a busy front yard and I sit and watch out the front yard. 
  My neighbors like watching too. Everyone is happy. Even the squirrels who have to work pretty hard to get the seed out.

I have been feeding chicken scratch (because it’s much less expensive per 50# than the wild bird mix), with the addition of black oil sunflower seeds; tried the gray striped ones, but the birds don’t like them.  The jays get peanuts in the shell and put on quite a show.  The little birds, wrens, titmice, chicadees, cardinals, finches, woodpeckers have 2 squirrel proof feeders where I use either Wagner’s or Songbird..it’s really funny watching the doves trying to get seeds out of those feeders.  Two birdbaths, filled daily…I also have wildflowers planted to attract butterflies and hummingbirds.

Thanks for the tip, Rosa. aI will give that a try. My neighbor has a few chickens so maybe I can buy just a bit from her first just to see how well my birds like it. Hope so, that will save me a LOT of money.

Rosa thats funny! I also discovered scratch grains and cracked corn at or local tractor supply was far cheaper than store brand bird seed. Quite a few ground feeders like the scratch grain, and it seems to help divert squirrels from my black oil feeders. Last year I planted millet at the fence line, and have let thistle plants grow. I get so many finches, buntings, sparrows, cardinals, jays, orioles, nuthatches, woodpeckers and titmice by feeding black oil, millet, nyjer and suet. I use the 99 cent no melt suet all year. Oh, and bluebirds love suet and dried mealworms, also available where you can get scratch grains….tractor store….

The one I replied to was signed Rosa. Was that not you? I, too, feed all year long but I think I should think about making a few changes and add some variety because I buy the very same 40 lb. bag all year long. I will start doing that.
Thanks.

I feed the birds all year long.  I feed black oil sunflower, safflower, niger thistle, peanuts in the shell and shelled peanuts.  I also feed suet cakes and bark butter.  Lately I have added a special seed mix for finches with a great deal of success.  Several years ago we added heated bird baths for the winter and saw a great increase in the number and variety of birds in our backyard.  We also have a small water garden which we filled with pea gravel leaving about 3-4 inches of water above the gravel.  This has been a great bird bath for our larger birds and we have even had Cooper’s Hawks visit it to bathe.

I had trouble with many squirrels at my feeders a few years ago. I changed to just feeding safflower seed and I have eliminated most of the squirrel problem and still see cardinals, blue jays, goldfinches, house finches. purple finches, doves, nuthatches, grosbeaks,  chickadees, juncos, woodpeckers and many kinds of sparrows.

I feed sunflower seed and thistle seed along with a mixed seed in my feeders. I have a huge problem most of the summer with grackels and blackbirds just devouring my seed. Any suggestions? 

My problem is how to NOT attract house sparrows. 
They gang up and take over the feeder, and run most other birds off.  I tried striped sunflower, but they love that as much as what I ususally put out (hulled sunflower) and it makes a horrible mess.  Any suggestions?

not to attract sparrows is a very hard task as they will eat any type of seed but i have noticed they do shy away from safflower seed which i put out for the blue jays

I HATE sparrows because they start nesting so early and try to take over the bluebird and purple Martin houses and their cheeping is not music to my ears, so I only feed black sunflower seed and that seems to do the trick.

I have a feeder with white millet. It’s cheap from the feed store and most birds love it. Unfortunately so do the chipmunks. I also put out peanuts everyday for the jays. The birdbath is heated which the birds love in winter. I put out orange slices to attract Orioles when they’re migrating. Chickadees love dried mealy worms. I also put out suet which is important in winter. I notice that there’s suet with bugs in it which I plan to try this year. Love those birds:)

well i also put out peanuts in shell for blue jays and a squirrel who visits my platform feader
i put sugar water out for the hummers who are now leaving WV for a warmer winter.

Yes, peanuts are popular. I have to refill the raw peanuts in the shell daily because between the squirrels and Blue Jays, they deplete the feeder. This week I bought a new “squirrel proof” feeder which holds peanut pieces. So far it’s working out well for the smaller birds to be able to enjoy peanuts, too. I’ll still put out the peanuts in the shell. I can hear them in the trees “cracking” nuts. Kind of funny.

I also have hummingbird feeders and will be sad to see them leave but of course know they must. I make the nectar 4c of water and 1c of white sugar, boil 2 minutes to kill any bacteria. Store in refrigerator for about 2 weeks in a glass bottle. You all probably know this. I’m talking to bird lovers.

Holy crap!
eNature’s bird expert is George Harrison
and all this time I thought he was the guitar player for hte Beatles

who knew this guy was so multitalented!

I licked the sparrow problem by making a feeder that has a narrow opening. The feeder is a clear plastic covered ,like a box. The opening is about 2 inches wide. The sparrows don’t like to be enclosed but the Cick a-dees don’t mind it at all. They go inside the feeder, grab a sunflower seed and out they go. Try it!@

We have Scrub Jays, finches, ravens and pigeons.  We keep a big bowl on the patio with mixed seeds and they just love it all.  And they enjoy the water dish beside it as we are in a very arid climate.  One side problem ... we have a friendly squirrel who LOVES the sunflower seeds and peanuts we put in with the mixed seed.  He picks them up in his little paws and munches happily (ignoring the birds).  If there aren’t enough nuts in the dish, he will boldly come to the door and complain.

How nice to have a squirrel. I’ve counted 15 at once in my yard and chipmunks are tripled that. I’m feeding the multitudes! On the upside, there’s a lot of trees which attract several kinds of woodpeckers, Northern Flicker,owls and a few types of hawks. Everyone has to eat!

We have a few, very friendly, squirrels ... especially that one.  Also some wild rabbits.  Used to have possums and raccoons but haven’t had any in quite some time ... I am afraid our local coyotes found them.  The scariest was finding a bear at the end of our driveway one morneing.  Animal control captured him and got him back to the hills.  But our variety of birds is not to be outnumbered ... I do miss the owls that once lived in some old hollow trees at our fence line.

Those darn coyotes. Once-in-a-while they pass thru here and reduce the bunny population. Fortunately right now the bunnies are thriving. I’ve given up trying to grow anything in the garden and have let nature take over. It’s quite pretty with gold and purple wildflowers (i.e. weeds)and it just flows into the empty field beyond which turns then into a small woods. Lots of places for critters to hide. Although, I think I’d notice if a bear showed up. Scary but kind of cool. Hope you got a picture of him.

The black capped chickadees that I get in my backyard every fall/winter love the nyger seeds

This year we have had a banner crop of figs (due I think to the more Mediterrean type summer weather).  However we have only gotten four of them!  The birds (and squirrles) are enjoying the rest.

If you feed chickadees they will stay all year for you. They also like mealy worms (dried) and peanut pieces. They are soooo cute.

I will put cob corn in another location different than where the birds are feed. This keeps the squirells population at the bird feeders down.

Our squirrel gets along very well with the birds.  They share nicely.  The only time they all run (or fly) away is when the neighbor’s Chihuahuas get out and run into our yard.  Pesky little critters THEY are !

Has anybody figured out how to keep the raccoons and possums out of their feeders? We have a feeder with a floating baffle under it. Mom and the kids just sit on top of the baffle, it goes down, but they still can reach the feeders and empty them pronto! Here in central Texas we feed year round, mostly sunflower and millet.

When squirrels and other critters are getting too much food, we shake some red pepper flakes in the bird seed. The birds don’t seem to mind it and it discourages other visitors.

To avoid those crazy blackbirds,  stay away from mixed seed. Just use sunflower seeds all year round. From finches to cardinals,

Water is very important as some of the usual sources freeze during the winter. I have a small pond, about 4’ across and less than a foot deep, that has a tiny pump in it circulating the water. Even in the coldest weather when the water freezes everywhere, that little pump keeps the water moving and an open area about 8” in diameter which attracts everything from birds, to bunnies to raccoons and deer.

I have a heated bird bath I plug in for the winter. It’s probably not cheap to run but I feel like it’s an important contribution to the well being of the birds who have the perseverance to stay here in a cold climate all winter.

I think protein is important, too.  I already mentioned dried mealy worms which the Chickadees eat like candy, but wondered if anyone else has put out suet with bugs in it? I’m trying that out this winter for the first time. I would think that it will be a hit with the birds.

Well glad to see all of the comments and they ways people help the wildlife.I also have a heater for my birdbath and i also put out suet year around but have never seen it with bugs in it

We are lucky here in California’s Ojai Valley.  Although we may get an occasionally frosty night in late winter, the days are never too cold and we have no problems keeping water handy nor do the birds find any problem finding protein ... we ALWAYS have worms of various types and even slugs.  Our birds find a favorite treat in sunflower seeds (or the larger ones love pecking open oranges or pomegranates which hang around all winter)

As for Raccoons and Possums getting into the bird feeders, nature took care of that for us.  We used to have sneaky possums peeking in our doors and raccoons wandering about trailing their babies with them.  No more.  The coyotes (and maybe even a bear or 2) seem to have done away with those visitors.  (And I would love to see them back)

I saw suet with “bugs” on Amazon. It penciled out to a reasonable price, about $2 a package, getting a case of 12. I’m saving it though. Wisconsin has lots of bugs right now but this winter when it’s 20 below (yes, California - you read that right!), and the snow is drifted to the door (dread), I think bugs will be a real treat for my stalwart birds.

Went birding yesterday to Horicon Marsh, one of our sanctuary gems for marsh birds. All those birds are preparing to leave soon but how amazing to enjoy them while they’re here during migration. Wow, birds are really amazing; aren’t they?

I do love feeding the birds, but the cost of the seed has gone up so much in this area, it is becoming more difficult. With the dry hot summer, the corn is the next to go up. I looked at the chicken scratch and it is as expensive as the mixed seed. 14.00 for 50lbs, and the oilers are 29.00 for 50lbs. I also have an acre pond, we have had 150 ducklings hatched,mostly mallards, with about 20-25 woodies. Thank goodness our resident Coopers’ and fledgling feed themselves.
Love the hummers too,

Reading this blog about feeding the birds touches my heart. You all are the best people I know. It is costly to do, I know, but it’s so worthwhile that only someone else who does it can appreciate what I’m saying.

I think my next project is housing. I’m thinking a Purple Martin condo and some Bluebird ranch homes:)

The desert makes it difficult to supply the kind of shelter birds like to have when they’re at the feeders. They need bushes to escape to when they feel threatened. Even tall grass (or weeds) help. I don’t know what kind of access you have to water and how feasible it would be to construct an oasis to attract the birds you want. I’m sure the ones you feed appreciate it immensely and there’s some joy in that. I don’t have marsh so the only way I can see egrets and blue herron is to drive to a marshland. With some good binoculars, birding is a great way to see some birds you could never attract to your yard.

I’ve been putting out suet cakes with insects for a couple of years now for the woodpeckers.  They love it.  And I’ve seen a huge brown thrasher trying to hang on to the suet cage long enough to get his fill.  The Tractor Supply places have great prices on cases of assorted suet cakes, black oil sunflower seed, and some specialty mixes (for ground feeders; niger mixes for finches, etc.)  Do any of you have problems with hawks dining on your
feeder guests?  I think one got my male Towhee.
At my wits end to figure out how to protect them from ‘death from above’.

Cheapest place for insect suet cakes is Doctors Foster and Smith website.  If you spend enough you don’t pay shipping! They also sell pet Rx’s, dog and cat foods; exotic bird supplies, toys,food, nuts, millet, etc.  Feeders.  Everything for wild birds too.

Good to hear about the insect suet cakes. I’m anxious to put them out but they were rather pricey so I’m saving them for when the snow flies and our bugs are gone. Right now there’s lots of bugs to eat. I, too, buy seed from a feed store but they don’t carry those. I suppose I could ask.

My birds have a lot of cover from the hawks. Once they got a mourning dove because I was putting food on the picnic table which was out in the open. Birds need cover. But hawks need a straight shot to get them so anything you can put up like an arbor would interfer with their flight pattern. Good luck:)

In my bird feeders all year long, I find the best birdseeds are the “hot meat” hulled sunflower seeds all by themselves.  I can also shake lots of them in a bag with other bird seeds.  The birds love them and the squirrels avoid them.  They come in bags in some bird stores or they can be made at home by shaking chili powder in bags of hulled sunflower seeds. They sure do work!  Squirrels run away. Lots more birds come.

Watch out - they can make you sneeze nonstop so be careful. Hot Stuff!!

Christene - cost of seed is up everywhere.  I pay $40 for 50lbs of oil sunflower seeds. 
Jillian - let the hawks eat, watching them swoop down on the feeders is one of the joys associated with feeding the birds.  Remember the hawks are birds too.  Besides the life expectancy of most of the feeder birds is less than 3 years. 
Kathy - I also have a problem with grackles (and starlings) it is difficult to keep them out but if you build a suet feeder with only one side exposed and hang that side facing down they will not be able to access the food.

We here in Ohio have a store called Marc’s and they sell suet cakes at 2 for $1.00 so I always have three suet feeders on hand for the woodpeckers, nuthatches, titmice and especially the chickadees.  There is nothing better than sitting on the back porch in the early morning or evening and watching the birds feeding.

Bob - I love raptors and enjoy watching them, too. I was just relating my observation for someone who wants to protect her birds. I have an occasional hawk but I know there are areas of the country where flocks are flying overhead and I can understand her not wanting the birds she’s feeding to be sitting ducks (no pun intended). After all, bird feeders are not exactly nature. They’re actually us intervening in nature so taking some responsibilty makes sense to me. Now if I could figure out how to get the raptors to eat the mice and chipmunks, it would be a win-win:)

ps: I like that suet idea! Earlier in this blog I mentioned I bought suet cakes with bugs and crickets in it (pricey) and am saving them for when there’s no bugs left in the garden (i.e. snow). I noticed some of my favorite birds like to eat upside down. Didn’t think arranging the suet that way for them. Thanks, Bob!