I am using peanut butter marketed for feeding to birds, it not having the added salt which is found in the varieties for human consumption. At first I wondered whether the butter would be soft enough to manipulate as the jars are meant to be put up horizontally and the peanut butter is fairly solid. As it turned out it was easy to scrape out with a round ended knife and pack in the holes in the log.
After a short trial with the log hanging on a hook I soon found out that Starlings could stand on the top and reach down so I hastily adder a 'roof' to the log. This does not stop them but makes it much harder work as they have to cling to the vertical wood and don't stay very long.
This is a very short first visit (slowed down to half speed) by a Blue Tit so it looks as though the log will attract some visitors.
Here's hoping for a few visits from the Woodpecker which occasionally visits the garden.
I'm sure that will prove very popular John.
ReplyDeleteIt is Keith, with Blue Tits and Starlings so far.
DeleteJohn, the birds will be dizzy but they will be alert. Bet they are all thinking 'What will he give us next.' Starlings are bright....they 'twig' straight away.
ReplyDeleteStarlings are very quick to learn Adrian and they don't give up easily.
DeleteWell done John, that looks just the job! Thank you for the links the other day.
ReplyDeleteSeems to be doing the job Jan. Was going to make another one but it's bally cold out there today.
DeleteThat didn't take you long ~ and it even contains a few round tuits ;) Looks really good. Over here there are suet plugs for sale to fill the hangers. Wondering if they are available in the UK, not that you need them when you use the peanut butter. Great to have a visitor already.
ReplyDeleteSuper charged Round Tuits this week Glo. ;) Getting ready for the first snow which could arrive tomorrow, though it won't last long this time of year.
DeleteHad a look at your link. Not noticed anything like that here. I think the jars of PB will work out cheaper. $27 for a bit of holy wood and some suet is a bit much, not that things are any cheaper here, usually more expensive. Heath Robinson and DIY saves a lot of dosh.
This is more my kind of peanut butter feeder, John. A couple of years ago, I bought a homemade one very similar from my favourite SWT Reserve shop. One of the volunteers had made them in the same way has you have. A roof was added as you have with yours, plus he also nailed wine corks below the holes to act as perches.
ReplyDeleteNeedless to say, the Starlings had a ball and I found myself quickly removing the perches. At that time this feeder wasn’t’ a huge hit so I stopped putting it up. Perhaps, I should have used it during the cold winter months but by then I had forgotten about it and moved on to something else.
Enjoy your feeder, I’ll tell you about what I am using now in another comment :-)
Shirl. The Starlings don't need perches. They seem to be able to cling on well enough without.
ReplyDelete