General, Non-Daffodil

Birds in the snow

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While this isn’t showing much snow, I love the colors of the popular woodpeckers in our climate. In our new place, I have finally observed a Northern Yellow Shafted Flicker and a Hairy Woodpecker. I thought by now in my life I would have watched many, many of these. The photo here is of a Female Hairy Woodpecker on my suet feeder with a male downy woodpecker in flight on the left. I have one more to come.
Tom

3 comments for “Birds in the snow”

  1. Great photo, Tom. And how could I forget the flicker? We get them throughout the day also.
    Bill Lee

  2. Tom and Bill,
    I also love the woodpeckers.  I get all the ones you mentioned and also the White-Breasted Nuthatch, but I never get the Pileated.   I make my own suet cakes for less than half the price of ones from the grocery.  There is no particular amount of each of the ingredients.  Render the oil from about a three pound chunk of suet.  Cut the suet into about 1-2 inch pieces.  Place in large kettle like a dutch oven.  Over med heat, stir the pieces frequently and when all are starting to get crisp, use a potato masher to press as much of the oil from the pieces as you can.  Remove and discard the crispy stuff.  Let the oil cool slightly, then stir in about half of a small jar of peanut butter until it is mixed.  Then pour in about two cups of corn meal.  Do the corn meal in three batches or the whole mess will bubble up and pour out over the sides of the pan and you will spend the next three hours wiping it up. (Voice of experience)  Pour into a jelly roll pan – which is a cookie sheet with higher sides and let sit until it hardens.  Cut into pieces that will fit into your suet feeder.  Put the rest of the squares in a plastic bag and freeze them.  All those little guys must watch for me to refill the feeder because within one minute they start coming to the feeder.  I even get sparrows,grackles, cardinals, chickadees and tufted titmouse at the feeder. (titmice?)  They really must like this stuff.
    Just in case you or someone else wants a sure fire suet mix for the birds.
    Donna

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  3. Have also heard that you can add hot sauce to the mix — the birds do not care since they are not affected by it, but it will keep the squirrels and raccoons out of it.
      Worth a try.

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