I wanted to share a solution I’ve found for deterring squirrels, rodents,
and even our many bears from my bird feeders. I recently switched (three
months ago now) to using pepper-treated bird seed from Wild Birds
Unlimited, and it’s made a huge difference. While it’s a bit pricey
upfront, it actually costs less than a 50-lb bag of untreated shelled
sunflower seeds—and it lasts just as long, if not longer. I apologize for
mentioning a brand, but I tried others and even made my own mixes, and none
were effective. Just a heads-up: you’ll want to avoid getting it on your
hands, as it is quite hot! They make both seed and suet.
At first, the chipmunks and squirrels gave it a try, but they quickly lost
interest. A bear did visit once, took a sniff, left the seed, and hasn’t
returned since. I’m very pleased to finally be able to feed the birds
without a herd of rotund squirrels and other critters in attendance.
If anyone else is struggling with wildlife around their feeders, this might
be worth a try.
Best,
Coleen Lawlor
Rockingham, Vermont
On Tue, Nov 5, 2024 at 8:55 AM Maeve Kim <maevekim7...> wrote:
> There really isn’t an inexpensive place to buy bird seed - although some
> places are considerably more pricey than others. Some years Pet Food
> Warehouse (on Williston Road and Shelburne Road) is less expensive than
> some others, but some years Guy’s is less. I’ve heard that there’s a feed
> store in Milton that can be worth the drive. In general, though, the price
> everywhere has skyrocketed over the past few years!
> Feeders that exclude larger, heavier birds might stretch the seed a bit,
> while platform feeders can lead to a lot of seed being tossed onto the
> ground and wasted. We’ve been pleased with two Brome Squirrel Busters, one
> big and one small, that allow finches, chickadees, titmice, etc. to feast
> but make it tricky for blue jays to take several seeds at once. A friend
> loves his Droll Yankee Whipper (or maybe it’s a Flipper, Tipper or Dipper -
> they all throw off larger birds).
> In general, wild birds don’t really need the food we provide; they hang
> out in places where there is enough natural food. Feeding birds is really
> for us humans (except in uniquely awful winters or late springs) - and it’s
> SO pleasing! It’s also educational and allows us to participate in citizen
> science projects such as Feederwatch.
> We can’t put out our feeders quite yet because bears have decided that
> Jericho Center is theirvillage, but already titmice and chickadees have
> come to where the feeders will be and checked it out.
> Maeve Kim, Jericho Center
>
>
>
> > On Nov 5, 2024, at 8:41 AM, Martha & Bill McClintock <
> <mbmcclintock...> wrote:
> >
> > Hi. Bill and I put up our feeders for the winter. We have two
> stations,
> > each with a platform for black oil sunflower seed, a hopper for a white
> > millet mix, and a suet cake. Just a few days and the birds (times when
> 14
> > blue jays are feeding at once!) have eaten through $60 dollars of seeds.
> > Bill asked, a yearly question, if we can afford to continue through the
> > winter. 1. Thoughts? 2. Cheapest place to buy seed near Essex, VT?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Martha
> > (usually birding in) Westford
>
