4 feeders, a lot of trial and error and I finally have a setup that both the birds, squirrels, rabbits, and I seemed satisfied with.
The large platform type feeder that I originally put up for the Cardinals now contains only Safflower seed. A 2 tier feeder with small holes, and a sunflower seed feeder all contain a mix of black oil sunflower seeds, the white striped sunflower seeds, safflower, white millet, peanut pieces and raisins. The finch feeder has Niger thistle.
I throw a handful or two of my seed mix on the ground to keep the sparrows happy and out of the feeders. This has encouraged more mourning doves and juncos to hang around as well.
Raw peanuts in the shell are put out for the Blue Jays and the squirrels. Already-shelled peanuts are the favorites of the Titmouse, Black Capped Chickadee and the Nuthatch.
Seems all the birds like the suet, but the Nuthatches and the Downy Woodpeckers are the most frequent visitors to those feeders.
I finally have some finches, but they seem to like the seed mix just as well or better than the Nyjer Thistle that, according the birders, they are supposed to LOVE. The feeder is slowly emptying so they apparently are feeding at it when I”m not looking.
Here is my list of visitors: (I’m hoping to be able to get pictures of all of them)
Carolina Wrens
Cardinals
Golden Finches
BlueJays
Chickadees
Juncos
Song Sparrow
Chipping Sparrows
Downy Woodpeckers
Mourning Doves
2 Starlings (yuck)
2 Grackles (yuck again)
3-4 Chipmunks
3 or so Squirrels (that is all that survived my husband’s gun)
1 rabbit (has a deformed leg, comes in at night)
I”m just glad I no longer going through 3lbs of seed a day.
