Tony, I'm with you. I have never had any luck with suet of any type or recipe in Florida. I DO think you are more likely to succeed with it in cooler weather because the birds need a much higher energy type food then. And also because many types of suet cakes and mixtures spoil quickly in the heat. But even in winter, my woodpeckers prefer to eat sunflower seeds directly from the tray feeder, and they ALL ignore the suet. I do buy the big SEED cakes (BirdOla, etc) that just look like lots of seeds, peanuts and fruit somehow molded into a large square. You probably know what I mean...there's no suet that you can see, just the seeds & fruit bits. I put that in a wire holder designed just for it, and the goldfinches will eat from that, until it gets too small for their short beaks to reach it through the wire. They still drop shells and a little bit of seed under the feeder, but they can't fling it all over while looking for something they like, so it's much less messy. My goldfinches finally showed up about 3 weeks ago, and I've had as many as 30 in the yard at once. There are at least 4 that are almost completely yellow and black now. Just gorgeous. I haven't seen any buntings or grosbeaks this year, though. And the chipping sparrows left right when the goldfinches showed up. But I'm happy...I have my cardinals back, my white-winged doves are here, and my goldfinches. My seed-eating catbird and my seed-eating Myrtle warbler both left, after stuffing themselves for several weeks. (They obviously didn't get the memo telling them they prefer insects and fruit.) I'm really happy now that the squirrels can't seem to reach the feeders any more. (Still knocking wood, though.) Try one of the big seed cakes and see if you like it! Marcia

Thanks, Claire, both for answering my question and for researching local information sources. NH Audubon & NH F&G are both within about 20 minutes of my house. Silly me, I didn't even think to check local sources of info or even Google, just started with GW. ;>) I actually don't mind the bears or the coyotes or any other critters. Having grown up in the suburbs, I like sharing the woods and fields with such a wonderful range of wildlife. I did stop walking in the woods in the really early morning, however, after I startled a large deer one morning in a brushy wooded area. It gave a loud snort, and in the instants before I saw it was a deer, I did have a brief moment of concern - what would I do if it were the bear?! In reality, I have more to be concerned about with the occasional moose, as the bears really don't want to meet people (I just have to make noise so they know I'm coming & they will take off) whereas the moose are big enough to not care and can be aggressive. (We still have those pesky red squirrels, though . . . )

Hi birders, checking in although nothing too exciting to report here. I'm doing my PFW every week, on a Sun-Mon schedule. This past weekend the birds were sparse. I hardly saw a bird in the yard or feeders for about 2 days during the snow that didn't really stop for about 3 days. Usually they are busy on the feeders during inclement weather, but for some reason they were nowhere to be seen. I do see the Bluebirds frequently, there are more hanging around this winter than the previous 2 years. I wonder if my suet log has influenced their decision not to migrate? If so, lots of pressure on me to keep the home-made suet stocked, wouldn't want those beauties to starve! Claire, that's great you had a male Purple Finch, I see the females from time to time, but the males seem very skittish. They will rarely come to the feeders although I have seen them lurking in the bushes while the female(s) eat. Thyme2dig, no problem about the photo, that day the Waxwings showed up with the Bluebirds was truly a stroke of luck that 1) I was around 2) I looked out the window and 3) the weather/sunlight/etc. was just about perfect for taking pictures! The Waxwings probably followed the Bluebirds there, because they eat from similar food sources in the winter. For sure, they are 2 of the most beautiful North American birds, together in the same spot 6 feet outside my window! :)

My bluebirds have been building a nest since early - mid week last week and look about finished, here in N.E. Ohio The latest weather I just saw, after 3 straight 80 degree days, says we are gonna be in the 40's by the end of the weekend! BAD!!! Cherry, Dogwood, and Magnolias have ALL broke out into bloom! Other trees are pushing out leaves. The trees are WEEKS ahead of normal. Really hope my blues don't get a cold spell. Like tobygirl, I also lost a nest of blues to a sudden cold snap. One evening they were very poorly tending to the young. It was around 70 then. The next day, 50! 4-5 nestlings starved to death. I pulled the plug on the attempt after observing them laying in the nest stiffly, with no ability to chirp and couldn't raise their heads. When there were winds and cold rain. ~Tim~