Not as good as up north or near water, but... (my amateur feeder report)

[bigG]

I think a jar of grape jelly brings in the orioles.

For hummingbirds, if you plant nice hostas and tobacco plants (they have the biggest trumpeted flowers) you get the hummers.

Mt first year with the little goldfinch feeder, and I only got a few; but they were there every day.

I think I'm going blue jay hunting soon. Good lookin' guy; but just mean.

[Dale Einerson]

How do you present the jar of grape jelly?

[bigG]

Take lid off jelly jar. Tie baler twine around the screw off part (lip) tie other end of twine 'round tree branch. Let 'er hang. Use a big enough jar so they can stick their heads in there. They'll land right on it and gobble it up. Every year I've done it, they've come. Every year I did nothing, they didn't come. Gotta earn your orioles.

[bigG]

For awhile by me these jars of jelly on a mug shaped glass container were perfect because you could tie onto the handle. I bet if you dumped the jelly into a strong coffee cup and hung it, you'd get good results. Those "mug" jard were prefectly ablanced so they'd stay just enough upright so as to not lose the jelly.

[Dale Einerson]

Thanks!

Very glad you added the part on taking the lid off!

[imnofish]

A friend of mine puts his on top of his deck rail, in a small saucer, and has also had good results.

[bigG]

Thanks!

Very glad you added the part on taking the lid off!

I said that for me, not you. Reminds me of Bill Cosby telling his kids how to bathe. "Be sure to turn on the water...please use soap...."

I just threw in the lid thing, because that's where you tie 'er off.

My wife hung one of the little sticky kind on our kitchen window. I don't like it; but goldies sure seem to dig it better than the goldfinch feeder.

[Dale Einerson]

I think I have a plan then...I have a glass plate that is attractive but 80% of the feed gets knocked to the ground and the chipmunks are already chunky...

[bigG]

Use the hot pepper and those chippies will lose some weight. I don't even have squirrels any more. Now my dog is fat.

[bigG]

Yeah. That's the drawback. Those things are WI's meanest. Make yellow jackets look like weaklings. Baldies and Os, that's still a lotta jelly. I'm thinking every two weeks for me, but I have open fields near me and fewer spots for them to nest nearby that I won't find and finish. If you've been dinged by a few, you know they have a tenacity that's a little worrying.

Last few years I've had relatively few issues with skeeters or bees in my neck. Last year: 3 mice. This year: 14... so far, it's stinkin' October, still. I'm a pretty good mousetrapper, though. I still say, the most effective reusable trap for home and camper is the tall wastebasket with dog food sprinkled at the bottom. Jump in...no jump out; must look like a swimming pool to them. Stupid. So long as I get to my camper while the freeze is still on, they don't stink. At home, they're alive when I find them and I dump them in the road, and my dog rather enjoys their playful nature. 14..it's October.    Oh, did I mention the shrews? I'm afraid I'd break the profanity pledge if I continued. 

[littleguy301]

Tom, your better than me to say the least.

I have a suit feeder outside the kitchen window and some birds come there.

I have 2 finch/small bird feeders but this year I got very few and I think those black birds got that feed.

I have 1 large bird feeder, holds a couple of 1 gallon ice cream pails of food and once again those black birds get that.

I did have some orioles and I really liked them but they havent been back for a few years and I was using the grape trick at that time and will have to go back to it.

I have 1 or 2 yearly robin nests under the deck. Not bad but when I walk out of the basement there is some "leaving" to contend with.

I dont know my birds but my mother-in-law was a huge bird lady so in memory of her I have the feeders and feed the birds. Dont know my birds but none the less.

[bigG]

You guys are better men than I am. Aside from the occasional jelly jar and two small feeders, I try to plant attractives to birds: berry bushes, hostas, grapes, raspberries last year was the year of the hummingbird moth with the hostas.

I get enough to be entertained. Robins can nest pretty much wherever. I get three pair per year, usually, and they don't need a feeder. They're good on the ground. Some of you guys are mad men. :)Enjoy. I do love robins. Funny how the ones you like kinda have the run of the place.

[imnofish]

I live in the woods, so I see lots of birds, whether we feed them or not.  Feeding sure steps up the variety, though.  Same story up north at the campsite.  Both places, have to be watch for bears hitting the feeders, though. 

[Dale Einerson]

Thanks guys, I am already making plans to upgrade...

Am I correct in presuming it is too late to start efforts to attract orioles? Great advice on the cheapest grape jelly, though I am wondering if it is time to get that Sams Club membership and see what they have in bulk grape jelly!

I went with a new kind of feeder and feed in September, and it has become a favorite of the birds and therefore, me.  The top 2/3 is a cylinder of seeds and bugs, different types of cylinders are available; the bottom 1/3 is 4 sides with 2 holes each that hold something called "bark batter."  The cylinder lasts about 2-3 weeks, but attracts all kinds and the blue jays leave the other feeders to the smaller birds.  The woodpeckers love the cylinder (I am sure somebody on here can turn that into a double entendre). The bottom bark batter (think peanut butter only less viscous) has to be filled daily, and I am sure it could be filled more to keep the little buggers happy.  It is nice to see 2-6 birds at any time on that feeder.

[bigG]

The kind in the mug were a buck a pop, too, but not as big as the Shurfine jar (which I now spoon into the mugs I hang.)

(I am sure somebody on here can turn that into a double entendre)

You sum sort o sicky?