Does your bird feeder have snow or ice on it?

[Omaha Steve]

The storm has left us here with over 6 inches with more on the way. We have snow/rain covers over our feeders. Even with covers the snow that came in sideways accumulates. Marta and I keep clearing snow and ice off the feeders so the birds can get to them. You may need to remove frozen seeds etc. with new. Bring the frozen seeds in to thaw and dry to be reused later.

Be an

OS

[outside]

1. Sorry Steve

it's a 50 sun screen day here in Laguna Beach Calif. Keep warm.

[Omaha Steve]

3. We needed the moisture anyway

This is our first snow this winter. It was 59 the other day. I spent a couple hours root feeding water to our evergreens. The drought a few years ago almost killed them. They have been stressed since then.

[jwirr]

2. Thanks for that tip. Also do you have any answers for keeping squirrels out of the feeders? I was

thinking that I would make it easier for the squirrels to feed by making a special one for them but they are greedy little guys.

[Omaha Steve]

4. You can buy a squrrel cage in several styles to keep them out

Even the largest birds like woodpeckers can get a head through the space to eat. (Then there are feeders to keep the grackles out.)


This will give you an idea: http://www.songbirdgarden.com/store/scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=66

[tridim]

10. Squirrels will do anything for food:

[jwirr]

15. That is great I think we could even make our own.

[shraby]

14. We feed the squirrels too. They get hungry in the snow and cold weather. We have a big

old maple tree that we put shelled peanuts in the crotches we can reach and put a couple ears of corn a day on the ground below. The corn is probably there for about a half hour before it's dragged away and the birds enjoy the peanuts with the squirrels.
We feed the birds on the ground about 40 feet away. The doves get safflower seed which they seem to prefer, the others get bird seed and we toss a few peanuts there too. All the birds seem to prefer eating on the ground, so we took down the bird feeders a couple years ago.
The crows are fed in a separate spot and they get food leftovers of all kinds which disappear quickly. A ham bone will get picked cleaner than a whistle. They get a ham bone after I've used it to make bean soup and there is usually enough to make them happy.

[Siwsan]

5. I just went out and filled my feeders and suet cage

I hang them from the bottom branches of a high cut pine tree, so they stay pretty snow and ice free.

We've gotten about 3 inches of snow, so far, but could get as much as 11 before the storm ends. I would never let my little feathered friends go hungry, just like I couldn't rob my cats of their quality bird watching time, from the safe and warm confines of the kitchen window seat.

[antiquie]

6. Wild birds are eating millet and leaving our tomatoes alone.

Thinking good thoughts for you all not enjoying our Southern California winters...

[In_The_Wind]

7. Our feeders are snow-covered and half full of fresh seed. We refill daily.

The little guys love the feeder out front. It's sheltered from the snow by the roof of our porch.


Stay warm!

[cyberswede]

8. I cleared snow off our biggest one about an hour ago...

And more snow is collecting on top already. The cardinal seems ok with it.

[hack89]

9. No just a $@#%£ squirrel. Nt

[HereSince1628]

11. Platformless feeders so not a problem...but only a bird brain would be out in this...

I rather suspect today they are pretty satisfied sheltering deep in the white cedars

[bigwillq]

12. No.

We clean it off after every storm and refill it with seed each day. We are getting a lot of birds.

[Oilwellian]

13. It sure does

We just went out and added warm water to melt it a little and give our furry and feathery friends a drink. They wasted no time swarming to it. I recently read how a bird's feathers will freeze if they go into ice-cold water, and to put rocks in the bottom of your bird bath during the winter to prevent them from submerging in the water. We found the half melted ice in the bird bath does the same thing.