My suet blocks were not getting any business during our cold spell. As soon as the temperatures moved to 40 and above, the birds came back.
Suet lasts a long time, and Duncraft's blocks include seed. Birds pick seed out of the suet and drop some to the ground, where ground feeders get their share. Our dog Sassy follows me around when I have suet. She licks the bag every chance she gets.
I learned in Midland to have plenty of suet hanging from trees and bushes, because more birds can feed and tweet about food. Did you know birds invented twittering? Soon, children will say, "Birds twitter? What's a bird?"
Three suet bags were hanging on trees we could see easily from our living room, which faces the ravine. I added a fourth to a hook above the picture window. I was gazing at the bird convention on the more distant bags when I decided to move the window feeder away. The ingrates were not using it. Just then a chickadee landed on it and began feeding.
Birds are wary and need time to adjust to watering and feeding places. Once habituated, they chirp for more when humans fail to provide as generously and regularly as the Creator.
The best part was seeing my grandchildren watch the birds on Saturday. I just happened to have one more package left in the fridge, so I sent that home with them. The directions are easy. Keep cold. Open the plastic container with a knife. Drop the blob into the net provided. Hang from a bush or tree.
My friend suggested a spinning corn-cob feeder. They cost about $24, so I decided to use the basic feeder already in place, a spike on a board. I bought some field corn and put the first one on. It took a few days to get noticed. This morning it was bare, so I put a new one on. Watching squirrels eat is great fun too. They are real acrobats, so I will get a spinner later - for the grandchildren, of course.
