I found a solution that has kept my feeders from dripping and attracting yellow jackets and other unwanted pests. This only works for Humzinger-style feeders (not the standard large flower, smaller feeders.) I bought pipe sealant in the hardware section of my grocery store; pipe sealant is non-toxic. I also bought a roll of plumber's tape--the really thin tape used to help pipes seal up. First I cleaned everything really well. Then popped out all of the flowers and slathered a bunch of I then slathered the pipe sealant around where the flowers go in--you want to use a really good amount--and pushed them back in. I then did the same where the top met the bottom "bowl". Next, I wrapped a generous amount of the plumber's tape around that same place to really seal it up. The pipe sealant comes in little tubes and is kind of like working with toothpaste and putty mixed together. (Note: It doesn't fully dry up. It's not supposed to.) The end result is somewhat ugly with the white tape and the white goop around the flowers, but it sufficiently not only stopped the yellow jackets from coming (they tried and tried, but finally stopped.) You will have to replace the tape and pipe sealant now and then around the base, as it expands and contracts with the day heating up and cooling off--and especially so if it's in direct sunlight like mine are. I have a lot of hummingbirds who come my way all summer and all winter (we have Anna's Hummingbirds here in Oregon, and they don't migrate), and they've been very happy about not having the yellow jackets scare them off in the warmer months.

True Linda - they are not yellowthroats - only looked a bit like them. I saw one in Nova Scotia 2 years ago (attached) and was reminded of it.

Hi Rachel, Sorry - I live in eastern Massachusetts, 7 miles north of Boston and I live in a suburb with a little wooded area bordering my backyard, and a wildlife reservation and ponds about 1/2 a mile away (I am very fortunate!). It has been very cold here the last few days and we got our first dusting of snow yesterday. I have seen different kinds of birds here within a mile of the house - woodpeckers, hawks, swans, geese, the common feeder birds, we even have a heron who flies back and forth over our neighborhood every day - so we do get a variety of birds. We definitely do have house sparrows, but these little guys I saw yesterday were not those. They were just about a solid brown from where I could see. No striping or definitive marks. They just hopped around eating stray sunflower seeds. I've gone through photos of species, both genders and juvenile appearances, on the internet and in my books, and I am not sure what this bird was. The only even remote possibilities I could come up with were: field sparrow; junco; and female indigo bunting. If you have thoughts on this I would be most appreciative. Thanks, Donna P.S. Your last set of photos was, as always, astounding. Congrats on your new lifer!

I just posted the Winter Finch Forecast for 2012-2013. It says "COMMON REDPOLL: There should be a good southward flight because the white birch seed crop is poor to fair across the north. Watch for redpolls on birches and in weedy fields and at bird feeders offering nyger (preferred) and black oil sunflower seeds." I've been seeing a Red-breasted Nuthatch for a few months now and I saw one Pine Siskin a while ago. Neither is a regular here but they come in irruptive years. It's not unreasonable for a redpoll to fly to NJ if it's hungry enough. Claire