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Date Posted: 10:06:13 04/13/03 Sun
Author: Greg
Author Host/IP: cblmdm63-162-23-175.buckeye-express.com / 63.162.23.175
Subject: Some Spring Feeding Tips

Here are a couple of tips that may prove useful in attracting a few favorite songsters to your yard in the upcoming weeks.

1) Feed safflower. Rose-breasted grosbeaks are addicted to the stuff, and if they find it, they could hang around for days, and attract more. I find the best feeder types to offer this rather expensive (but worth every penny when a grosbeak shows up!) delicacy are hopper types, but most especially wire-mesh types, i.e. the Magnum. I think the wire mesh is a little better, because the birds actually see the safflower. A table feeder should work as well.

You will see the grosbeaks show up on cool, rainy days especially. Last spring was the first time I offered safflower, and I had at least 1 RB grosbeak at my feeder every single day from May 5-May 31. They peaked with 6 or 7 birds on several days around Mother's Day.


2) Hang an oriole feeder. You can pick up a feeder made especially for attracting orioles at any of the garden stores pretty cheaply. They are a nectar feeder, and orioles prefer a 3:1 (water:sugar) ratio. You can also buy the commercially made oriole mix, which works very well. If you mix your own, be sure to add orange food coloring. Orioles will also indulge in regular old orange slices which you can set on a table, or nail to a tree. In my yard at least, I offer both, but they almost exclusively go to the feeder. I have never had an Orchard oriole go to the feeder in my yard (despite having them in my treetops a few days each spring), but have seen them at the same type of feeder along the lakeshore.

3) Get your hummingbird feeders out. Even if you do not think you live in an area that would harbor hummingbirds, they surely pass through your yard/neighborhood in migration, and will be happy to entertain you throughout the month of May, if only you offer them a treat. There are a wide array of feeders available, and all potentially are fine. Two things you want with any hummingbird feeder are an ant trap and bee guards. Hummers like a 4:1 (water:sugar) ratio, and as long as there is plenty of red on the feeder itself, there is no need to add food coloring or buy the commercial stuff.

Be sure to clean the nectar feeders about every 3 days. It's time to get these things up! While you cannot expect these visitors for about 3 weeks or a little more, anything is possible in spring migration, especially in April when the winds start blowin' from the SW. Mine are going up today.

Sorry for the length of the message, and good luck. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them if I can.

Greg Links

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