Monitoring our yard feeders, a couple of interesting things have turned up this
week.
This afternoon, a female Rose-Breasted Grosbeak spent awhile at the seed feeder.
All week, we've had a Hermit Thrush hanging out for a few minutes every day
under an upside-down suet feeder. (Oriented that way to suppress the
Starlings). The Thrush flutters up to feed from beneath the suet cage without
attempting to "perch" under it, then returns to the ground below.
Chipping Sparrows have also shown up here, in the past few days.
Thanks to whoever it was here, who suggested the inverted suet feeders. This
idea is working well for us. The Starlings still come and feed on the suet,
but very little each day.
The same suet cake is lasting for several days, where it used to only last for
an hour or two before the Starlings demolished it. We have had Bluebirds and
Woodpeckers using the upside-down suet, as well as the Thrush. And of course
several species take advantage of the crumbs on the ground underneath.
Steve Johnson
Fairfax, Virginia
