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BIRD FOOD IS NOT CREATED EQUAL! Its human nature to buy the cheapest item in a store, and bird food is no different.There are lots of bird seed mixes on the market that are incredibly inexpensive.Milo is inexpensive and an easy way for manufacturers to lower the price.My advice is to experiment with different foods to see what your local birds prefer at your feeding station.Recently I took a trip to a local hardware store to check out the quality of the bird food they were selling, and the results shocked me.Only a few birds, such as sparrows and doves eat millet.Here is a picture I snapped through the bag.Even though this bird food was very inexpensive, most of the bag wont be eaten and is a massive waste of money and resources.To be honest, I am a bit shocked that the NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY would put their name on such an inferior product! I have so much respect for them as an organization and have been a member for years; I figured they would know better than to attach themselves to such poor bird food.If you buy a general bird seed blend, try to make sure it contains some combination of sunflower seed, safflower, peanuts, corn, and maybe a small amount of white millet.Its going to cost a bit more to acquire up front than a cheap shepherds hook, but I think the cost is justified.View Today’s Price I love it because it does its job.The base screws deep into the ground with the includedauger, so the wind wont knock the Squirrel Stopper down.I love the way it looks in my backyard with its black finish, thick steel poles, and cardinal topper.Only certain birds are considered feeder birds.Many species will never visit your feeding station regardless of the food you offer.But guess what?In addition, birds also like to bathe periodically to clean their feathers.Its incredibly beneficial to provide a fresh water source, such as a birdbath, at your bird feeding station.A bird bath will not only attract species that dont typically visit feeders, like warblers, but it is going to make all the birds that visit your backyard happier and more likely to keep returning.If not, its going to become a breeding ground for bacteria and look gross.My routine is to scrub out my bird bath once for every two times that I change the water.This can be accomplished with a pump placed inside the bird bath or by buying a fountain that is designed for birds.My guess is the extra work that is required to change the water and keep the bird bath clean keeps people away.But take it from me, the extra effort is going to pay off big time, and you will be able to add some new species to your yard list soon after providing a constant source of water.You probably imagine beautiful songbirds like cardinals and goldfinches singing in your backyard.Or youre dreaming about the bluebirds that may decide to call your yard home and raise their babies.But then they start jumping on your feeders to devour all of your expensive bird food.They combine the worst qualities of squirrels and House Sparrows.Blackbirds are aggressive and HUNGRY.Luckily, no matter what problem you encounter in your backyard, someone else has probably faced the same challenges, and simple solutions already exist.My recommendation is to observe your bird feeding station and see what issues arise.Please excuse the randomness, but here is a list of some of the things I found as I went through my shed, garage, and home that help in some way.The storage boxes that I bought are thick plastic, so mice have not been able to chew through the side.If mice become a problem for you, consider a metal storage option.First, they are great for bird food storage.Its made of thick plastic, so I can scoop away and not worry about it breaking.I cant tell you how many times I poked a hole or ripped the bag open with my hands only to have seed spill everywhere.I love experimenting with new ideas in my backyard.I am always trying different bird feeders, foods, and bird baths, to name a few of the endless possibilities.Its okay if you only want to hang one bird feeder.Its also fine to become obsessed and have a shed full of bird seed, nest boxes, feeders, and other accessories.I am a middle school English teacher, and I have large windows that span my classroom.So, I thought Id create a bird feeding station for my students.I thought it would be fun and educational to feed and learn about our native wildlife.I am completely uneducated about what Id eed to do to create this area at my school though.Im looking to upgrade my current shepherds hook to make room for more feeders.How do you handle the feeders when its raining? I live in Portland OR, where rains a lot.
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