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Borrego Springs, CA

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Setting up the Hard Rock Bird Café

A couple of years ago, I decided to call my bird feeder set ups at places I’m at for extended periods the Hard Rock Bird Café.  At the time, I was at Balcones Canyonlands NWR which is in the hill country of Texas and has a lot of hard rocks around.  I got a comment on my post yesterday from SHERRY with a question:  “Since we are in most parks for at least 2 weeks and sometimes more, I want to set up some birdfeeders around the coach. Can you talk about what you have and why and how you carry them from place to place??”  You bet I can!  It’s always nice to get an idea for a post topic.

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Over time, I’ve decided upon a few different feeders.  My latest choices center around the problem of squirrels.  I’ve had this feeder for over a year, and it has proven quite good at foiling those little rascals.  The birds don’t have any problems getting to the seeds, and the metal top and grid around the seed portals tends to keep the squirrels from destroying the feeder.

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This setup has two feeders on a dual shepherd’s crook.  The feeder on the right is plastic and is filled with Niger seed that the goldfinches and pine siskins really like.  For some reason unknown to me, squirrels aren’t interested in this seed.  Normally squirrels will chew right through a plastic feeder.

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The other feeder is all metal, and was given to me by my sister for Christmas.  The squirrels can’t chew through it, but they do tend to just sit on the bottom plate and munch away…hence my latest little air gun to dissuade them from this habit.  Ninja  I place these two feeders rather close to the window by my table where I sit to eat and have my computer set up.

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My other bird feeding area is located to the right of my outside rocking chair, and is located so that it is surrounded by plenty of perching areas and cover for less bold birds.  Yesterday I hung the hummingbird feeder there as well.  I’ve made a birdbath cheaply out of an inverted flower pot.  In the afternoons, I scatter some extra seed on the ground under the seed feeder.  This is where I get many of my bird pictures around the rig.  Since Emma doesn’t really care much about birds, they come within about five feet of her to visit this area.  I keep my birdseed in one of those medium sized plastic bins, and when I move all of the feeders fit into it for easy storage when moving down the road.  Others do their feeders differently, but that’s how it goes at the Hard Rock Bird Café!

I leave you tonight with a little bird vignette starring a brown thrasher from under the above feeder…

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                                                         HMM… A CAFÉ IN THE WOODS??

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                                                                    CAN I GRAB A BITE TO EAT?

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                                                               OH BOY!  A HALF A PEANUT!

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                                  I’D BETTER GET OUT OF HERE BEFORE SOMEBODY GIVES ME A BILL!

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

19 comments:

  1. I was going to ask "Is that a cactus wren?" and then I remembered where you are.

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  2. I absolutely love today's blog

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  3. Love the story at the end. Great pictures and it made me smile.

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  4. You've given me some ideas for when I finally set up a feeder. I didn't get many birds last year when I lived in an apartment, but had two finches a couple of times. It really wasn't worth hanging it. I have my hummingbird feeder hanging from the porch roof but think I'll put something in my "front yard" this summer. Great pictures tonight.

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  5. Neat setup for the birds. I like the squirrel proof feeder, finally one that foils them.

    Looking forward to pictures of the yellow spotted squirrels...

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  6. I never had many feeders because I thought it was unfair to attract birds when I had cats. There weren't many good place to hang them that didn't also provide cover for lurking hunters.
    Now that I am petless I might get a couple again this summer. I do enjoy the squirrels and toss them a few nuts from time to time.

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  7. Thanks for the post of your birding ideas. We are very partial to birding and feeding them too. I like your water system...very clever. Great pics of the brown thrasher.

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  8. Looks like the Brown Thrasher knows his role quite well. Plenty of practice, perhaps? :-))

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  9. In another few short weeks I will once again be doing battle with the pesky Squirrels back home as well:((

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  10. We've not had much problems with squirrels... but lots of places we've been we've had to take our feeders down at night because the raccoons are so resourceful! And in Maine, a bear carried of a metal feeder that we never did find... I kept looking for the skat ... thought THAT would be interesting!

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  11. Thanks for the info.... Love the bird feeders.
    Have fun & Travel safe
    Donna

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  12. We weren't allowed to feed the birds in Goliad State Park..They had a camouflaged viewing area for that...Personally, I don't see the difference,, do you?? That bird didn't need to worry about getting a bill...he already has one!! (couldn't resist)

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  13. I absolutely adore that picture of the bee laying up on the stamens of that flower. . .what a wonderful thing to capture. . .great post today!

    Janice
    ReadyToGoFullTimeRVing.com

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  15. Well I'm late to chirp in on this. Sketchy connections here at Manatee Springs but thanks so much for such detail and great pictures. I'm on the hunt for feeders and a shepherd's crook.

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  16. You have a regular little village going on there. Great post. Have you used the suction cup window feeders with much luck?

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  17. We had the finch feeders with the niger seed in a feeder when we had our house. The squirrels didn't bother it but I lost several from deer who would come around and nose them off the hook. Then they would fall and break. The hoof prints gave the culprits away!

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  18. Great tips on bird feeders...always appreciate help on that! I carry a shepard's crook and a couple of feeders but sometime have trouble with the location being right for attracting birds (lack of cover, right kind of seed, etc.) What kind of seed do you use besides niger?

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  19. Thanks for the tips. We hope to be full-time RVers within 6 months and I was looking for ways to continue feeding the birds in the future.

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