Some of the fun in backyard feeding is experimenting.  The bird feeding industry can make general feeding very spendy, so finding that special blend that attracts a wide variety can be very difficult.  I am putting together my own blends now and finding it works great !

Remember when you purchase things like wild bird food that a lot of places use “filler” . Its really a bunch of junk that the critters won’t ever eat and sits and rots on the ground (then you get things like rats) This can be red millet, oat or even just an over abundance of white millet. Millet is the small white ball seeds you always see in feed. Doves and ground feeding birds like it but not “That” much.

If you don’t mind shells, remember that Black Oil Sunflower is loved by almost everyone,  I even have a pair of Mallard ducks that stop in and sure enough they eat it up.  Its full of protein. I mix my own sunflower chips with peanut chips already shelled and that will satisfy just about all your smaller birds like chickadee’s , nuthatches, warblers, finches just to name a few,   add some larger nuts like walnuts and hazelnuts and you will see grosbeak , blackbirds, and be careful it will also attract squirrels !!

Suet.  this is what you will want to experiment with the most.  Its a great source of energy and protein to help during colder months and during nesting .  The key is finding a blend that isn’t just junk.  I tried every kind I could find including my own attempts of making my own so that Woody the woodpecker would keep coming.  I found a peanut butter and jelly that he loves,  won’t eat any other kind !  The issue is Everybody loves it so its quite a challenge to keep it available.

Just remember start small and watch what your birds are doing,  they will let you know if its junk,  they will leave 🙂

Even the tiny Bushtit loves suet.  They are so cute.