We find that lots of birds love the peanut suet. There aren't any seeds in it (they can get those at the other feeders) and they gobble it up. The catbirds, cardinals, mockingbirds, woodpeckers (red bellied and downy), nuthatches, titmice/mouses, and chickadees come to it a lot. We often see hummers feeding at the flowers in our gardens, but not much at the feeder so far. They usually eat from the feeder more in late summer and early fall when they're fattening up to head across the Gulf. (How do dey do dat???)

Love the picture! Such a personable little bird. I only see them occasionally during irruption years, but there were at least two here all last winter. I was surprised to see one again a few days ago but I expect them to be gone soon if not already. Maybe that one was migrating through. I'm in Plymouth, MA. I have a peanut feeder filled with a mixture of shelled peanuts and peanut dough nuggets. This pleases the red-breasted and white-breasted nuthatches and lots of woodpeckers (I'm never sure who's eating what). Claire

Leslie, I find nest box traps work better in the early spring and summer; I run the bait traps durring the wnter, when I notice EHSs coming to the feeders. Of course, I safely release any native bird that wanders in. For some glorious reason I had only one male EHS this winter. I feed only black-oil sunflower seed; all the native birds love it and it's the least favorite of the EHSs. That's keeps them out of the area too. I bought my neighbor a 50# bag so she'd quit putting out the white and red millet that attracts nothing but vermin. She's delighted with all the song birds she's attracting now. There are probably dozens of native sparrows that are wonderful creatures, to be protected in every way. Like so many concerned blue bird and purple martin "landlaords", the sparrows that I trap (and the only ones that it is legal to trap) are the non-native, human-introduced, English house sparrow. Like so many introduced species, they are destroying our environment. I love the Chipping Sparrows, Song Sparrows, White-Crowned Sparrows, White-Throated Sparrows, Harris Sparrows, Lincoln Sparrows, Fox Sparrows, etc. and try to bring new birders' attention to them and all their charms and benefits. I also try to point out the fact we call EHSs "sparrows" is a misnomer. They are actually a weaver with bill designed to kill other birds, which I have seen him do far too many times. There's nothing like checking your martin colony and finding 14 hatchlings with their heads cracked open. After that, is was very easy for me to practice smart pest control. Have your Purple Martins returned yet? I'm still waiting, but I'm having to form a new colony now, so it will take more patience.

I figured you knew your birds Konrad.........I am used to seeing them with darker breast area. Maybe this one is young? Or maybe they look a little different in your area?