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claireplymouth

Birds and other mobile features in the garden 2012 #6

This thread is intended to give people a place to post photos and/or talk about birds, critters, wildlife, fish, whatever - topics you might not want to start a whole thread on, but are still garden-related. You can see the range of possible topics in the previous threads:

All of the threads in the Birds and other mobile features in the garden series prior to 2012 are now stored in the New England Garden Forum Gallery. See the top of the main page to switch between Discussions and Gallery. For 2012, see

Birds and other mobile features in the garden 2012 #1,

Birds and other mobile features in the garden 2012 #2,

Birds and other mobile features in the garden 2012 #3,

Birds and other mobile features in the garden 2012 #4 and

Birds and other mobile features in the garden 2012 #5.

...............................................................................................................................................................

What would a new thread be like without turkeys as a starter? Some might say refreshing, but I stick with my obsession with the big dinosaur lookalikes.

They spend a lot of time lounging at the top of the coastal bank - grass is useful sometimes - and lately they've been climbing onto the old Adirondack chairs (so rotted that I would hesitate to sit on them, but I don't have wings).

These two turkeys aren't really headless, they were just preening themselves.

Claire

Comments (78)

  • Steve Massachusetts
    11 years ago

    One of the things that significantly diminished bird strikes on our picture window was to close a bedroom door in our house. Sometimes if birds see a way through, they will try to fly through your window. It's not always true, but it's worth checking to try to cut down on these dangerous and sometimes deadly strikes.

    Steve

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Very good point, Steve. I have several windows with a clear view of a large window on the other side of the house so you can see through, and birds do sometimes try to fly through. In one case it's a breezeway. Unfortunately, there are no interior doors to close for these areas - I do have decals placed to try to block the visual access.

    In other windows it's the reflection of trees in the window at certain times of the day that seems to cause the birds to try to fly to those trees. I have decals placed there too. It makes it challenging sometimes to photograph through the windows, dodging the decals (why is this pic out of focus?).

    Claire

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Why does the wooly bear caterpillar cross the path? I have no idea, but it may be thinking "this wasn't here the last time I came through." I guess it's easier for the caterpillar than crawling through grass, but when it grows up it will fly right over.

    Claire

  • corunum z6 CT
    11 years ago

    Steve, Claire-- Even with the window blind down, the mourning dove smacked into the window to make that impression. Little guy lived, although stunned. The triple window is only 30" away from me, so I know when they hit. The hawks hit the outside of the house (no window)while in pursuit, the woodpeckers smack into the screens, and they all whiz at mach 1 around the house corner where the feeders are, so after putting up window alerts where previous strikes have occurred, they are now on their own. They miss me by bare inches when I'm out there, so if they're all Barney Oldfield bent, let it be.

    Jane

  • pixie_lou
    11 years ago

    Jane - I realy love that photo of the spider web.

    I'm really amazed at the bird activity in the back yard these days. Especially mid morning. I barely get any work done since I spend so much time looking at the birds. Though they all disappear as soon as I get my camera out!

    Found this daddy long legs climbing on my hollyhock.

    The bees have been feasting on the verbena bonasiris.

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Pixie_lou: I haven't seen a daddy long legs for years,thanks for the reminder. That's a nice photo - the hollyhock looks good too. That's a really pretty color (the hollyhock).

    Some of my miscanthus seedheads are opening and the birds are enjoying them. No glamorous birds here but I enjoy seeing them negotiating a floppy stem with a seedhead on the end.

    House Sparrows

    Brown-headed Cowbirds

    I wish I could grow a huge ornamental grass that would form a canopy like this for me to sit under.

    Claire

  • pixie_lou
    11 years ago

    Not quite my garden. And a crappy photo taken on my phone. But this turkey was wandering around Harvard Square causing traffic jams yesterday afternoon. This was down on Mt Auburn Street by Bow Street.

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    New admissions policy at Harvard? Probably had high SAT's though. Or maybe fruitlessly looking for Elsie's for a sandwich...

    Claire

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    For the last week or so I've been working around a spider that's laid eggs in my bluestone paver pile. There's a chip on the side of one paver which is apparently a good spot to lay eggs since there's another paver on top protecting it. Every time I lift the top paver I see the spider and the egg sac in the depression and each time I carefully replace the paver and pick up a different one.

    Sooner or later, though, I'm going to have to relocate that spider family (I don't want to kill them and I'd rather not abandon a whole stack of pavers to spiders. I also don't want to be bitten by a spider protecting its eggs).

    Today I decided to try to get a photo and identify the spider so I lifted the cover paver again and now there are two spiders there. The light wasn't good enough for a real closeup.

    I don't know spiders so I googled around and ran into a post on the Garden Clinic Forum by prairemoon2 from a few years ago showing a pic of a spider that was identified as a funnel weaver/grass spider. Looks like mine, so I'm tentatively calling it/them grass spiders, but I'm open to any corrections.

    Anybody have experience relocating spiders on bluestone pavers?

    Claire

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    A little more googling and I learned how to sex grass spiders. The one on the left is probably a male and the one on the right a female.

    The reference, SuttonMass.org, says:
    "There are actually sub-groups of grass spiders but they all look alike and can apparently be told apart by looking at the spiders' genitals. We're not quite that interested. We're happy enough to know it is a grass spider."

    Well said.

    Claire

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    This morning I tossed out a few defective blueberries from my breakfast bowl, but I didn't throw them as far as usual (didn't want to bother putting shoes on so I leaned out the door and tossed. That rarely works well.)

    Anyway, I looked out a little later and a robin had found the blueberries. I just got one photo before it got annoyed and left.

    I usually don't see robins in the fall until the winterberries are ripe. I don't know if this is a leftover summer robin or a winter robin newly migrated down here.

    Claire

  • molie
    11 years ago

    Pixie-Lou, loved the spider photo and the pink hollyhock. I had, but lost, one just like yours. Is it an old standard that you've grown from seeds? And HA! --- turkey at Harvard--- looks like something a Yalie would cook up in photoshop.

    Claire, I know that spiders have an important role to play but, gee, that link to Wagga Wagga was gross. I loved the pictures of birds-on-miscanthus. Being away for a month, I came home to find my grasses with tired, floppy seed heads and most of my perennials done for the season. So I missed the rush for seed that makes gardening and bird watching so special in the fall. We're getting ready to move our bird feeders closer to the deck and just got more birdseed--- also a new 'squirrel-proof' bird feeder. (Well see about that.)

    Sped, interesting facts about little Mr. Woolly Bear. I didn't know about the connection between color and the winter cold, but it makes sense. At this stage in his life, he's a plumb tasty treat that can't fly away, but that large orange segment probably works as camouflage as he ambles through fallen leaves.

    Jane, I love that pic of the squirrel with a feather in his mouth and the startled chipmunk. The squirrels are so cheeky this time of year. We find them, and blue jays, on our deck railings every morning because that's where we put peanuts.

    Molie

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    11 years ago

    That's interesting Claire. I had forgotten about that spider. Yours is only the second time I've heard of that one.

    About the only suggestion I can come up with, is to move the pavers where you want the spiders to go, with gloves on. Maybe keep the two pavers away from each other so there is no protection for them to get shelter and I would imagine they would relocate on their own. Just leave the paver in that location until they are gone. ???

    I've had a group of robins eating the white berries on our Cornus racemosa for the past couple of weeks. I wonder if the berries ripen gradually instead of all at once? They are not stripping the shrub of berries, just keep coming back in a steady stream.

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    PM2: If it was just the adult spiders I would have carefully shaken them off the paver (wearing heavy gloves) and taken it away. They wouldn't have been hurt and they would have found a new home.

    The problem was that the female spider was valiantly protecting her eggs every time I lifted the top and I was touched by this really small spider standing up to a very large giant (me) even though she seemed to be terrified.

    I finally made a small pile of stones (dug up during excavation for the path) in a quiet spot away from the bird feeding area, and I found an old concrete paver I wasn't going to use and made it a roof. My plan was to catch the female spider in a plastic container then carefully lift the egg sack with a spackle knife and move it to the stone pile. I would then release the spider in the stone pile and cover it, making a new spider shelter.

    One cold morning I went into action, and it was easier than I expected. The spider was motionless, probably because of the cold, and I just scooped her up and moved the spider family into the new shelter. In the spring the spiderlings should hatch and move out and I can demolish the spider shelter. Mission accomplished.

    I now have the whole paver pile to myself again and I haven't found any new spider eggs.

    Claire

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    11 years ago

    LOL....you are amazing, Claire! You are so 'one' with nature. Thinking about how the spider thinks and seeing his defense against you the giant. Very nice story and love the ending. Good job!

  • molie
    11 years ago

    Great rescue, Claire! And I'm sure when Spider-Mom thawed, she was completely unaware of the move. You certainly did the babies a favor by moving them away from the bird feeding area.
    Molie

  • corunum z6 CT
    11 years ago

    There is a family of six crows that lives on our/their property and this afternoon it appeared that Mom had a heart-to-heart with one of the kids. Had to overexpose these photos a bit to show as much detail of their eyes meeting as possible (it was a distance away). I was struck by their intensity and the amount of lasting attentiveness over the few minutes of meeting between them that I saw. There was a steady exchange of soft verbalizations during this eye-to-eye exchange. No food involved. One could innately know that they were relating perfectly.

    And, a very free cardinal that appears to be caught in one of nature's nets:

    Jane

  • corunum z6 CT
    11 years ago

    Claire? Are your chipmunks still with you? The pair that was here since last spring is gone. They have been noticeably absent since the arrival of the dark-eyed juncos two weeks ago...really. Just wondering.

    Jane

    Here is a link that might be useful: blueplanetbiomes.org

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    OK, I'm back. Finally finished the pre-storm preparation - the deck always takes longer than I planned, mostly because I told myself (to get me moving) that I could just shove all the junk in a corner, cover it with a tarp, weigh it down and voila! secure deck! It would have worked too, but once I got moving I decided to do the job well, which involved storing or dumping all that junk (this happens most years).

    Fascinating crow conversation and well photographed! If it had happened here, I would suspect the mom was telling the kid to stop baiting the Cooper's Hawk, they can turn on you! For a while here, one of the juveniles was baiting a hawk and getting the hawk to chase it into the surrounding trees. I'd see a crow flying quickly and making ruk-ruk-ruk sounds, closely followed by a hawk. The two would fly to a tree and somehow the crow would go home without the hawk. At least once I saw the triumphant crow meet with the other youngsters, and I heard the ruk-ruk-ruk sound again like laughter.

    Nice capture of the cardinal with the branches enclosing him.

    I still have at least one chipmunk here; I saw one yesterday on the deck.

    First junco today!

    Claire

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Taking my mind off the Sandy storm, I saw robins today on my winterberry and they were eating the fruit! I've never seen robins (or any bird) eat the berries this early. They shouldn't be ripe yet but the robins don't seem to agree (what do I know). They usually start feasting at the end of December when the leaves are long gone and we've had a hard freeze. I'm curious whether they'll come back tomorrow, or if the unripe fruit gave them a stomach ache.

    The photos are a little blurry because I shot through the windows which were wet/dirty from the storm.

    Claire

  • corunum z6 CT
    11 years ago

    The setting is perfect, Claire. Hope you can capture them when you're outside. That beautiful winterberry should keep them happy for a while. One protective robin is now guarding both the ornamental pear and the Prairiefire crabapple that each have a bumper crop of fruit this year. I did see a robin trying the chokeberries recently, but like you, I thought it was too early. He took one and has not returned to the bush. I think the berries need to freeze twice before the birds find them delectable. Don't remember - do you also get Cedar Waxwings on the winterberry? They come in February here to glean the crabapples and chokeberries.

    Jane

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I haven't seen the robins on the winterberry since Tuesday, Jane, so I guess the berries weren't really ripe yet. I'm sure they're still checking it though - robins are very good at planning ahead.

    I do get Cedar Waxwings on the red cedars and the winterberry, but that's usually in December.

    This year my little seedling winterberry also has berries, but on a much much smaller scale so it will probably be stripped in a few hours when it's ready.

    Claire

  • pixie_lou
    11 years ago

    A little hard to see - but I have had an otter visiting the pond. He gave me the big stare down as I tried to take his picture. Then he sauntered out of the pond and out to the brook. I took this photo Monday. But he was back yesterday and again today.

    Not sure how happy I am if an otter takes up residence. On the one hand I think it is pretty cool - I can pretend we have a pet otter. Yet I have no idea about the life style of otters - are they going to eat all my fish? And I hope otters don't eat flowers!

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    It looks like you have a Loch Ness Otter! I don't know much about them except that they're supposed to be playful. I just found this National Geographic video:

    Otter Chaos

    Maybe you could build it a slide by your pond?

    Claire

  • pixie_lou
    11 years ago

    That video used the perfect work - frolicking! He has been having a blast swimming and splashing around.

    DD no longer plays on her backyard slide. Maybe I could put it in the pond. Still not sure if I want to entice the otter to stay.

  • corunum z6 CT
    11 years ago

    Forget the envy. PIXIE! I want your pond! How great is that?...unless one is a fish...now known as l'entree. Otters are great. There must be a river nearby. I keep hoping to see them on the Connecticut River. Ever thought about setting up a nature cam on your pond?

    First snow of the season is happening now.

    I hope 'Snowbird' is happy! (Dark-eyed junco)

    I can't even pretend this an otter.

    Jane

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    No snow (or otters here), got squirrels though. Lots of wind and some token rain. I'm now seeing grim little birds out that stayed in shelters for a while, probably hoping the wind would let up, but got hungry. I've put seed on the ground in relatively sheltered places so they can eat.

    I put a suet feeder back up a few days ago and a Tufted Titmouse discovered it. It's hard to see but the grass is whipping around (the feeder is partly protected by a big rose).

    A chickadee is on the feeder now but it's too dark to photograph.

    Your squirrel looks like it could use a blanket - one of mine apparently stole one. I put my usual Halloween ghosts (made out of frost blankets) out under the white pine the day before Halloween and only brought them in when this new storm appeared.

    A few days ago I noticed one of the ghosts had come loose and seemed to be stuck partway up the pine trunk. I was surprised because it hadn't been particularly windy and I thought it was well anchored, but I figured I'd get it down when the rest of the ghosts came in. Well, yesterday I went to get the ghosts and the loose one was completely gone. That's when I remembered seeing squirrels in past years yanking at burlap trying to get a piece loose. I think a squirrel now has a nicely insulated nest up in that pine, lined with soft warm frost blanket. The squirrel is probably purring now, if squirrels purr.

    Claire

  • corunum z6 CT
    11 years ago

    Ah, life and its contrasts. From Halloween above to winter below with the stroke of a Nor'easter.

    Got 8" of wet snow and a busy birch tree.

    Jane

    P.S. Frost blanket ghosts--do frost blankets really work better than old sheets or a tarp?

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I think one advantage of frost blankets is that they let a lot of light through, just diffused. I've kept house plants under frost blankets outdoors for weeks and they've been happy. The frost blanket is also light so you can easily put it on a frame.

    Under that blanket is two clivias and two Christmas cacti. I don't have appropriate place indoors to induce the cacti to set bud, so I count on cold outside.

    I waited until the night temps got close to freezing and then brought them in. The Christmas cacti were covered in buds. This is them today.

    The clivias just ignore me but I keep trying.

    Claire

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Forgot to mention that the first photo was taken on October 10. As it got colder I threw some heavier frost blankets on top, but the light still came through.

    Claire

  • corunum z6 CT
    11 years ago

    Thanks for the explanation, Claire. Lovely colors on the Christmas cacti. A neighbor who is moving after living here for 55 years, offered me her clivia a few months ago; I declined. She said words similar to yours about its willingness to bloom, but when it does bloom, it is lovely.
    Jane

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    The robins are back checking on the winterberry ripeness.

    It's hard to tell from up here (they did go down later).

    I know this isn't a robin - a starling just showed up. I don't see them often but it sure looks pretty here with the berries.

    Meanwhile, the practical cardinals continue to work on the dried pokeberry fruits. This female is particularly beautiful, to me at least. I like the soft coloring of her feathers.

    Claire

  • Tina_n_Sam
    11 years ago

    Jane, your yard looks beautiful with the snow.

    Claire, thanks for the explanation about the frost blanket. I have christmas cacti that have buds too. I'm crossing my fingers that they will bloom this year.

    I bought a couple of winterberry bush last month for 40% off at VanWilgens. They have since lost the last of their leaves with the snow but the berries are still there. I hope the birds here will like them.

    As for the female cardinal, she is a beauty. I like the peachy color with the brown in her feathers.

    -Tina

  • corunum z6 CT
    11 years ago

    Wonderful shots, Claire! That winterberry creates a perfect setting. I planted a m/f pair about 6 years ago only to have them eaten by deer. I sprayed too late apparently. Same thing just happened last night; my yard became the Deer Buffet. Had not sprayed recently because of the storms, snow and wet leaves on the shrubs, now the hydrangeas, shrub roses, purple sand cherry, et al, are a lot shorter. So, for those of us with no winterberry, please keep shooting.

    Jane

  • Tina_n_Sam
    11 years ago

    Jane, your yard looks beautiful with the snow.

    Claire, thanks for the explanation about the frost blanket. I have christmas cacti that have buds too. I'm crossing my fingers that they will bloom this year.

    I bought a couple of winterberry bush last month for 40% off at VanWilgens. They have since lost the last of their leaves with the snow but the berries are still there. I hope the birds here will like them.

    As for the female cardinal, she is a beauty. I like the peachy color with the brown in her feathers.

    -Tina

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Ten robins here yesterday sampling the winterberry, none so far today (although I haven't been spending much time looking). At the rate they're eating the unripe berries there won't be much left when they're actually ripe.

    Pine Siskins have arrived! One yesterday and four today. It's a nice change to see "goldfinches" with tiger stripes.

    And for the crow appreciators here, I saw two very shiny crows today on the shepherd's crook, a favorite crow perch and staging area.

    Claire

  • corunum z6 CT
    11 years ago

    For the love of Mike, I had pine siskins and thought they were juvi goldfinches? Apparently so. Good thing you posted this, Claire. Also saw 1 - only one - yellow warbler last month - first sighting ever. Was definitely a "butter butt" - haven't seen him since. But, IF these are pine siskins - without the tinge of yellow on wings, then they arrived before the hurricane. Good looking young crows (for those of us who feed them).

    Jane

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I don't think that's a Pine Siskin, Jane - the bill is too thick and it doesn't have the wing bars. It looks more like a female House Finch.

    Check the Similar Species pic at the bottom of the Pine Siskin page on All About Birds.

    Do you have other photos showing the back and head? The siskin is the same size as a goldfinch if you've seen them together.

    Claire

  • corunum z6 CT
    11 years ago

    Yup, I believe you're right. Honestly, it would be easier if they didn't all shop for feathers at Macy's. Do only blue-feathered birds and woodpeckers go to Bergdorf's?
    Anyway, I do have another shot, but, they're probably finches and my 'Pine Siskins' folder will remain empty until a thin little beak shows up finch outerwear. Good thing I didn't do the PFW count yet.

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Jane: Those two look like siskins to me - they're much less stocky than your first bird and have that quizzical look to them with a forked tail. I would send the photo off to PFW for confirmation, but I think you do have siskins (along with House Finches).

    I went through a period where I kept sending photos of streaky birds to PFW and asking if this was a Pine Siskin, and getting the answer, no, it's another House Finch. Eventually I got a real one. and then many, many siskins last year. This may also be an irruptive year and they've headed south again, at least I've read they're in MA now.

    The fact that you thought they were juvenile goldfinches is telling. They do look just like goldfinches, but with stripes and some yellow highlights.

    Claire

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    This is a photo of a Pine Siskin on top with an American Goldfinch on the bottom taken in December 2008. Very similar birds.

    Claire

  • corunum z6 CT
    11 years ago

    That's a good example, Claire. The pine siskins, if they are, didn't show up during my PFW count, so no worry about incorrect reporting. Will verify photo with PFW.

    Woodpeckers: Other than seeming to be comfortable for tree clingers, do you notice any difference in suet feeding with the new 'tail support' model?

    The yellow-bellied sapsucker has returned.

    Jane

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    That's a wonderful photo of the sapsucker, Jane! I've never seen one here.

    I haven't had that much experience with a free-hanging single cake suet feeder, so I'm not sure if the tail-prop feeder is much better. The bigger birds certainly look more comfortable and even the titmouse was feeding using its tail for support.

    The best suet arrangement I had was when I hung a single suet cage in the wisteria standard just outside my window. The birds could perch on the wisteria in many different positions (I'm watching a titmouse on the feeder again using the tail prop). Unfortunately, the squirrels not only climbed the wisteria for the suet, they discovered the wisteria flower buds in the spring and ate those for dessert. That's why I moved to a free-hanging suet feeder. I also had good results with a double suet cake feeder, i.e., rectangular and longer.

    Claire

  • corunum z6 CT
    11 years ago

    Well, he crashed into the house again this morning. Poor chap, maybe he needs flying lessons, but in his pursuit of sunning sparrows on the edge of the roof, my house gets in his way. After each crash, he stops for (seemingly) reflection and to regain his composure. This cedar post is right next to the deck, so he's about 15' away from the house (aka 'crash site'). Looks like a sharp shinned hawk to me and if so, looking at those talons, I'd say he is correctly named.


    Jane

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    And a fine hawk it is - I'm leaning to Cooper's rather than Sharpie, but I'm often wrong. (I keep looking at this Tricky Bird IDs: Sharp-shinned Hawk and Cooper's Hawk site).

    Those are serious talons; I'm glad I'm much bigger than hawks.

    Claire

  • corunum z6 CT
    11 years ago

    You're right, I think, after looking at a few other pictures of Cooper's. They are very similar at certain stages of plumage. Might be the same chap who lands in the rhodies outside - still in search of those sparrows.

    As an aside, on the most recent PBS Nature program ducks were featured and as they signed off, the next program will be about wild turkeys. Thought you and the other turkeys fans here might like to see it. Should be viewable online next week if TV isn't your thing.
    Jane

    Here is a link that might be useful: Ducks/Turkeys- Nature, PBS

  • pixie_lou
    11 years ago

    Had a red bellied woodpecker on my suet this morning. First time I've seen one in my yard. I think this one is a male.

    As for suet - I just buy the unprocessed suet from the butcher. I don't even render it - just put the chunks in an onion bag and hand it from a shephard hook. The squirrels leave it alone. I get lots of downy woodpeckers. And now that it is cold out - I'm getting quite a few nuthatches and chickadees on it. But the woodpeckers dominate.

    The depth perception is really off in photo. This hook is on the edge of my patio - about 20-25' from the back of my house. And the edge of the pond you see is at least another 100-150' beyond the patio.

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Nice shots of the red-belly, pixie_lou. I see them off and on here but they're still staying in the trees and I hear them more than I see them. It's such a very distinctive call - I hear it then look and see them working their way along the branches.

    It's still relatively warm here and I guess they're finding bugs to eat on the trees. Later on they'll come to the feeders. Maybe when it gets colder I'll try the unprocessed suet. I'm afraid it'll get really rancid in warm weather.

    Claire

  • Tina_n_Sam
    11 years ago

    I had no idea what a suet is until I looked it up. Didn't know that some birds will eat it neither.

    I learn quite a bit from this forum. Thanks for posting it.

    I definitely will put one up in a couple of weeks.

    Thanks,
    Tina

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Tina: Suet is mostly appreciated by insect-eating birds. I read somewhere that insects contain very high levels of fat and suet is a good substitute in the winter when insects are scarce.

    This thread is getting long so I just started a new one, #7. I'm not sure how the RERE got in the title (and got past me) but the new thread works. As always, if people want to continue the discussion here, that's fine with me.

    Claie