This chart is a great reference so you know which bird seed to use to draw in the types of birds you want to see! (more…)

It is understandable that many people are concerned about causing any harm to our wild birds and squirrels by using food products containing capsaicin. Capsaicin is what makes chili peppers hot to the taste. There are several persistent rumors being passed around that play into these concerns. These rumors mention damage to animals’ eyes and to their mouths and throats. The facts are not nearly as exciting as the rumors. While capsaicin is an irritant that causes a burning sensation, the effects are temporary and  it does not cause any permanent damage. Capsaicin is present in most hot sauces we all eat. It is also the active ingredient in pepper sprays like Mace which are intended to be sprayed directly in the face and eyes and are approved for that purpose because the effects are temporary.

We do get a few reports of squirrels eating Hot Meats but the success stories far out number them. Since the capsaicin’s effect is on the taste buds there will always be a few squirrels that will be able to tolerate the hot taste especially if they are very hungry.

Overall Cole’s Hot Meats is a great product that is very effective at stopping the squirrels from eating all of your bird seed and is, of course, very safe for the birds and the squirrels.

Richard Cole

Cole’s Wild Bird Products

We at Bird Watcher Supply want to know what is going on in your backyard.  Please post information about where you are located and what kind of birds you are seeing in your yard.  Be sure to include what you are feeding them!

We have put signs in our stores to tell as many customers as possible about the reasons for the dramatic increase in bird seed prices. As a retailer we hope our customers understand. No one likes higher prices but maybe they are a little more palatable if we understand the reason for the increases.

The government recently started programs to spur the growth of alternative fuel sources. They offered a $1 tax credit to companies for each gallon of ethanol or bio-diesel they produce. The government has created a guaranteed market and a tax credit for growing corn for ethanol. Of course many farmers started growing corn instead of sunflower and other grain crops. About the same time Frito-Lay, a huge consumer of cooking oil, decided to switch from corn oil to sunflower oil. Suddenly there was more demand but a smaller supply of sunflower. As a result the price of sunflower climbed to record highs.

This same problem has affected the price of many food items. Beef is higher because cattle are fed corn on the feed lots and flour has more than doubled in cost because farmers are growing less wheat. The ripple effect is far reaching. The markets will adjust to balance the supply / demand problems but it will take time.

On the bright side, we recently noticed that Frito-Lay has changed the ingredient list on many products again. They now indicate their use of sunflower oil and/or corn oil. We suspect that some farmers will move back to sunflower production since the price is higher but only time will tell how much effect this will have on market prices.

The Bird Watcher

RARE WINTER HUMMINGBIRDS

Although most of you are familiar with the Ruby-throated hummingbird, did you know that eleven other species have been documented in our state? These other hummingbird species include Rufous, Allen’s, Broad-tailed, Broad-billed, Anna’s, Calliope, Black-chinned, Magnificent, Green-violet ear, Buff-bellied and Green-breasted Mango. These birds breed in the western United States and some will winter in the southeast. We have more than 100 wintering hummingbirds reported statewide every year and that number is steadily increasing!

As part of our ongoing research of these special little birds, we encourage everyone to leave at least one hummingbird feeder out all winter. You will NOT prevent any Ruby-throats from migrating and can possibly attract and help out a wintering western species.

If you see ANY hummingbird between November 1^st and March 1^st, please report it as soon as possible to one of our stores. Two of our employees, Karen Theodorou and Julia Elliott, are federally licensed hummingbird banders. They place a tiny, numbered band on the hummingbird’s leg and collect important data such as species, sex, age, weight and physical condition. An added bonus, homeowners are photographed releasing the hummingbird after the banding process. Wouldn’t it be cool to hold a hummingbird?

Wintering hummingbirds often return to the same yards each year; one female Rufous returned to the same Roswell yard for six years in a row!

You can keep your nectar from freezing by hanging your feeder a few inches away from an outdoor floodlight or shop light with a 100-watt bulb. Nectar only freezes when temperatures dip into the upper 20’s.

Nectar lasts longer in winter months and usually only needs to be changed every week or so.

Good luck and keep those reports coming!

The following are the Bird Watcher’s answers to the ten questions most asked by our customers. These answers are valid for the vast majority of situations but remember, birds don’t read the books and don’t always do what we think they should.

1. How can I stop squirrels from eating the seed and tearing up my feeders?

• Use squirrel proof feeders.
• Install a baffle that is designed to prevent squirrels from climbing down to a hanging feeder or up to a pole or post mounted feeder.
• Use pure safflower seed or Cole’s Hot Meats in your feeder. Safflower is bitter and most squirrels don’t like it. Hot Meats are treated with chili pepper oil and are very hot. Many birds enjoy both.
• Place inexpensive feed such as corn or Cole’s Critter Munchies in a squirrel feeder away from your feeders to give squirrels their own area to eat.

2. How do I attract more birds?

• Use several types of feeders spread around the area.
• Provide quality feed with at least a 35% sunflower content.
• Present thinly scattered seed in a low platform feeder. Inexpensive mixes with mostly millet are adequate for ground feeding.
• Maintain a source of clean, shallow water in a shady area. The sound of moving water is irresistible to birds.
• Be consistent. Keep food and water available all the time.
• Increase the number and species of bird-friendly shrubs and low trees to provide more cover and food for the birds.

3. How do I get rid of doves, pigeons and blackbirds?

• Use only small feeders that larger birds can’t perch on or a feeder that uses a wire cage to restrict big birds.
• Avoid using feeds with small seeds such as millet and milo.

4. Why is bird seed growing in my yard?

• If a cheap mix is put into a feeder, the birds will throw much of it out looking for sunflower seeds. If it stays on the ground long enough, it will germinate. Use a good quality feed that will be eaten. Better yet, use Coles Sunflower Meats, which have no shell and can’t grow even if they end up on the ground.

5. Can I feed birds in the summer time?

• It is not true that you will “spoil” the birds if you feed them when natural food is available. Summer feeding has the advantage of letting us observe the adults bringing their young to the feeders. Keep the feeders out and enjoy the birds.

6. How do I attract hummingbirds?

• Keep several small feeders spread out in visible locations.
• Clean the feeders often and change the nectar every three or four days to prevent fermentation and mold.
• Keep hummingbird feeders out for several weeks after the last bird is seen. Many hummers are still moving south as late as early October. A feeder provides these late migrants a little insurance on survival.

7. Why do birds hit my window?

• Birds sometimes hit a window in full flight, stunning or sometimes killing the bird. This happens most when birds are frightened and flee towards the reflected trees and shrubs they see in the window. To prevent this, use Window Alert decals to break up the reflection in the window.
• Some birds will sit and peck or flutter at a window repeatedly. This is a territorial defense against the “other bird” it sees as a reflection in the glass. The best solution for this behavior is to cover the window temporarily and let the bird think it has chased the “intruder” away.

8. When should I clean out my birdhouse?

• You should remove the old nesting material from a nest box just after each brood leaves the nest. This helps prevent problems to subsequent nesters from parasites such as feather lice and blow flies.

9. How can I attract bluebirds?

• Place proper nesting boxes on a post or pole about 5 feet high in an open, sunny location. Boxes mounted on trees in the shade are not as appealing to bluebirds.
• Install several nest boxes to provide a choice of location and to accommodate other species such as titmice and chickadees.
• Mealworms or Bluebird Nuggets can be presented in feeders nearby to make the area more attractive to a pair looking to nest.

10. Why do woodpeckers pound on my house?

• Woodpeckers use loud drumming to announce their territory. Our metal gutters and tall, hollow chimney boxes make excellent instruments for these birds to make their “music”.
• If you see damage in the form of a large, round hole you can bet the woodpecker is trying to create a new nesting cavity. Woodpeckers usually use dead trees but a wood or stucco house makes a great substitute when no dead trees are available.

At Bird Watcher Supply, on line and in the stores, the most frequently asked questions are about squirrels. How do you stop squirrels from eating the birdseed and tearing up the bird feeders? All wooden and plastic feeders can be damaged by squirrels if they can get to them. Most damage occurs when the seed is hard to get to, such as when the feeder is almost empty. Squirrels will chew into wood or plastic to get the last few seeds.

Keeping feeders full, using good quality feeders with metal ports such as those made by Droll Yankees, WoodLink and BirdQuest, or using open-tray style platform feeders where the seed is readily available will help eliminate squirrel damage. But if you are fed up, there are five good ways to stop squirrels from taking over your bird feeders:

1. Squirrel-Proof Feeders - There are several on the market including our favorite, the Flipper by Droll Yankees, and its cousins, the Tipper, the Whipper and the Dipper. All four are weight-activated, allowing birds to feed but not squirrels. The Flipper is motorized and rechargeable; it spins the squirrels off the feeder, which is quite fun to watch! All four have lifetime warranties against squirrel damage. The Flipper motor, called a power stick, has a one-year warranty, and replacements are available if ever needed. We have customers that have two or three Flippers and swear they’ll never buy a different feeder! Another good choice is the versatile Absolute Squirrel-Proof Feeder from Heritage Farms. It is also weight-activated and the heavy-duty aluminum will last for years! The Absolute is available in a single-sided and a double-sided model, both come with poles and hangers, so they can be mounted either way.

If you are on a budget, another way to go is to use a squirrel-resistant feeder. These tend to be less expensive, but are not as sturdy. Choices include cage feeders such as the Sanctuary by Duncraft, and lighter, weight-activated feeders like the Squirrel-Be-Gone by Woodstream/Perky Pet or the Vista feeder by Heritage Farms. These feeders will definitely slow down the seed consumption and might work if you only have an occasional squirrel, but are not truly squirrel-proof like the choices above.

2. Foods Squirrels Don’t Like - Try using our Cole’s Hot Meats or Cajun Cardinal Blend! Squirrels hate the hot pepper flavor, but birds don’t taste it at all! Cole’s Hot Meats are top quality sunflower meats infused with an exclusive chili pepper and safflower oil formulation. Researched by Cornell University, hot pepper is perfectly safe for birds. Hot Meats are eaten by all your feeder birds! Cajun Cardinal is a mixture of Hot Meats and safflower seed. Safflower seed is not a favorite of squirrels either, and this mixture will make your Cardinals sing! If squirrels are attacking your suet, try Coles Hot Meats Suet cakes! These spicy chili suet cakes are 100% natural, no melt and no waste! Your birds will devour them. During winter months, you can also try Pure Suet cakes or tubs, which don’t have a lot of flavor so the squirrels ignore them, but birds love the high protein and will flock to them.

3. Baffles - A baffle is a device used to prevent a squirrel or raccoon from climbing to a feeder. Baffles can be hung or placed on poles or posts. Baffles only work if used correctly and the magic formula is ten feet by five feet (athletic squirrels can jump ten feet horizontally and five feet vertically). Pole baffles are the easiest to situate. You can use either a straight pole or a shepherd’s staff pole, just make sure that it is tall enough. Place the pole ten feet away from any trees, fence or other structure from where the squirrel might jump. Mount the baffle five feet high on the pole. Make sure any feeders hang above the top of the baffle. Sit back and watch your frustrated squirrels try and try again to beat it! If you want to hang a baffle, the best way is to string a wire between two trees, place the baffle in the middle, ten feet away from either tree, and hang the feeder underneath the baffle. Make sure the bottom of the feeder is above five feet. Metal baffles tend to be most effective. Our favorite pole baffles are the SB1D by Erva and the Wrap Around Baffle by WoodLink.

4. Relocation - Not as effective as some of the other methods, but you can eliminate problem squirrels by using live traps, like the Hav-a-hart brand traps to harmlessly catch and relocate them to another area. Squirrel populations tend to build back up quickly though, so this can be an ongoing effort. Make sure to take the squirrels several miles away and give them a nice, new home with lots of trees! Please do not relocate nursing females.

5. Diversion feeding - You know this really doesn’t work very well, but if you can’t beat them, enjoy them! Come on, they are really cute. Get a squirrel feeder and give them a little corn or some Cole’s Critter Munchies. They can be very entertaining too!

Don’t let the squirrels take all the fun out of bird feeding! By following some of these tips, you should have flocks of birds at your feeders and be able to keep the squirrels at bay. Our staff is well trained to help you solve your unique squirrel problems and help you get the most enjoyment from your backyard habitat!