i've had suet feeders up here for years and most winters they get mobbed by the birds but this year its a open winter with just scattered snow showers and no ground cover except a few patches in the shade. i am getting some birds but just not what numbers or variety i usually get. the few snowy days we've had the woodpeckers and nuthatches and chickadees did show up but seldom in between storms.

If I purchase the store bought suet, birds don't touch it. They love my homemade suet recipes.

Last year had lots of birds, this year the HOSP are hoarding my suet feeder, so I stopped feeding them. Grrrrrr.......

I've experienced the same thing dominoswrath. Once I started making my own suet, the birds wouldn't go near the store bought stuff. Plus the store bought suet almost always has cracked corn, which attracts the HOSP. So far this year I've been lucky and only a few HOSP have shown up. But like you, I've had to take down the suet feeder in the past if it attracted them. Very frustrating when you're trying to feed the native birds.

Well we just had another snow storm so cross your fingers. The day I wrote this post, last week, there were so many birds in the yard eating the scattered Nyjer seed. I had Chickadees, an American Tree Sparrow, tons of Juncos, House Finches and Gold Finches. NO HOSP it was amazing! The Chickadees were curious about the suet feeder and tried it out but didn't stick around long but I don't think they do that any way. It still doesn't look like much has happened to it except maybe a few nibbles around the edges. I think they just need to figure it out. I threw out more seed in hopes to get all the birds back and have a few more come across it and explore the area. I would love to see woodpeckers or jays but I don't think I'm going to, probably just my regulars.

I am very encouraged to hear this as I am in Illinois and struggle to attract birds to my yard! I've set up an entire buffet and have added a log suet feeder. I have seen an increase in the birds, but so far only finches, juncos and sparrows, NO HOSP, yet!
I, too, am hoping for woodpeckers or cardinals. I will be following your progress, good luck!

I'm in Illinois too...We have a log we drilled holes in and I grind suet to put into it. We get all kinds of birds, even ones you wouldn't think would eat suet. It took a couple weeks for it to attract birds last year when we put it up the first time. This winter, as soon as it was put out the birds were there. I think they remembered it!! Hang in there, they'll find it!!

What is NO HOSP??

Here are a couple of our regular diners...

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

As others mentioned it may take awhile for birds to find your suet feeder but before long you should see birds you've never had before.
We now keep suet feeders up year round since around spring time we often see the woodpeckers, and others, bring their babies for feeding. And I no longer complain when the Blue Jays show up after a wildlife rehabber told me how they're seeing more starving babies with the cool wet springs we've had the last couple of years. She said the babies need a high fat diet so we buy suet that has the highest % of fat. Right now, Home Depot's Woodpecker mix is everyone's favorite!

Mojavelove, what kind of suet did you put in your new feeder? From what I've read, and is confirmed by other posters, some of those prepackaged suet cakes are not preferred by birds. You could try a different brand, or make your own. I make a home-made suet mixture that the birds go crazy over including Bluebirds.

Also, during the winter I put plain raw suet in a suet cage that is hanging on the trunk of a large oak tree near the bird feeding area. Raw suet is the fat that is cut off the kidney area of cows and our grocery store sells it. This is the woodpecker's favorite suet, and many other birds snack on it too.

Bluebirds eating home-made suet nuggets earlier this month -

This is the first year I have tried suet. I recently moved from a home in MI to an apartment in CO and have hung a suet feeder on the balcony of my 2nd floor apartment. I am using a basic suet cake from the local hardware store and the birds eat about one cake every 5 days. I get a lot of downy woodpeckers , chickadees, titmouse (titmice?), and flickers. I love the chickadees (so cute), the titmouse (love the punk hairdo), and the overall antics of the flickers! The appetite of the downy woodpecker is voracious.

It took about 4 days for the birds to find the suet. I overlook a golf course and mountains and there is a huge tree that comes up right to my balcony so that might be a factor. Anyway, the store bought suet cake is a hit for me. Since the birds eat so much, I am going to try some homemade treats to save a little money.

I feed suet year round to the birds and all my birds prefer Kaytee Woodpecker suet to any other store bought brand. I don't buy any other brand cause when I have the birds won't eat it. They love Kaytee though and I like it cause it doesn't melt in the hot summers either.

Donna