I've got 2 bird feeders & 3 bird houses. One feeder(squirrel proof) is attached to the deck which is set on a piece of wood with a hinge so I can swing it in to put the feed into it. I use 20lb bag of wild bird seed & have filled it at least 10 times so far this winter. It looks like a bird port with as many as 25 birds(finches, cardinals, bluejays, woodpeckers, etc of course when the bluejays & woodpeckers show up all the rest go to the railing of the deck) at a time. I see 3 red tail hawks circling in the woods behind my house on a regular basis. I can always tell when they have spotted 'dinner' because they just make a nose dive to the ground after sitting in a tree looking down.

Now my other bird feeder is at the back edge of my backyard & the woods. I asked my brother to build me one several years ago. He called me when he was finished & said well I need to bring it to you in a truck. So I said, "Hey, I'm not feeding ostriches!" It is huge!!! I keep crack corn in it since squirrels need to eat too. I use to feed them corn on the cob however it was like carry out to them this way I get to watch them eat instead of scurrying away.

Sold. Any recommendations -- preferably with Amazon Prime.

 

My shot is about 10 feet away so obviously I don't care much about a scope.

 

No real recommendations, no. I know you can spend anywhere from $30 to $300+ on them. Just a little thinking though...don't get anything that's spring-action - that won't get enough projectile speed to humanely kill the starlings. I'd also try to get something that doesn't require those obnoxious little CO² canisters. My basic other guess is that the quieter the fire the better. See if you can read up anything on what fires the queitest.

No real recommendations, no. I know you can spend anywhere from $30 to $300+ on them. Just a little thinking though...don't get anything that's spring-action - that won't get enough projectile speed to humanely kill the starlings. I'd also try to get something that doesn't require those obnoxious little CO² canisters. My basic other guess is that the quieter the fire the better. See if you can read up anything on what fires the queitest.

Awesome, I have one on the way. Read a ton of reviews and decided on a Crosman Optimus. It does have a spring but everything I've read said i'ts quite capable of humanely killing small birds.

 

Funny thing is, I haven't saw one Starling since I hit buy.

Just saw my third species, a White-breasted Nuthatch!

I just learned something today. I was wondering why I only see green Goldfinches at my feeder, so I did a little research, and I found out that the males don't turn bright yellow until late spring until late fall, then turn green again.

Lots of bird feeders = lots of bird poop.

 

I hate bird poop.

Big day for the feeding station.

1. Had my first sighting of two species I've been waiting for:

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)

American Goldfinch (Spinus tristus)

 

2. Spotted what I believe was an American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) lurking in a tree.

 

3. Plunked my third European Starling (Sturnus vulagris) of the day!

I've also recently grabbed these to get a better view of birds sitting around in the trees:

 

Amazon.com: Tasco Essentials 7x35 Zip Binocular (Black): Sports & Outdoors

 

On a similar note, does anyone have a recommendation for a pair of smaller binoculars I can carry on short hikes around town?

I have 7 feeders in my back yard and one in my front yard + 2 hummingbird feeders . Also 3 suet cages . See tons of cardinals , Goldfinches , purple finches , house finches , tufted titmice ,blacked capped chickadees , Blue jays ,mockingbirds , red breasted woodpeckers , hairy woodpeckers and downy woodpeckers blue jays and even a rose breasted grosbeak last year

Posting for two reasons:

 

1. If you are at all interested in identifying the birds you see the Merlin Bird ID app is awesome!

 

2. Add a Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula to the list of new species!

The hummingbirds are working my feeder over today.

The hummingbirds are working my feeder over today.

 

My mom has 2 and has to fill them everyday. She did switch to making her own, instead of buying it several years ago.

My mom has 2 and has to fill them everyday. She did switch to making her own, instead of buying it several years ago.

 

 

Recipe please!

Recipe please!

 

Just sugar and water. It's clear v/s the red stuff you buy but they love it all the same.

My brother's in-laws sent my wife and I a really nice bird feeder as a housewarming gift. It's called the Squirrel Buster Plus...and it's worked flawlessly for the week we've had it up. I've got it filled with black oil sunflower seeds. I also went ahead and got a suet feeder to see if that would increase interest from birds, although most of them seem most interested in the sunflower seeds.

 

Thus far I've seen cardinals, house finches, goldfinches, black-capped chickadee, and a few visits from a downy woodpecker. There's been a bluejay hanging around a little, but I haven't seen it at either of the feeders yet.