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make room mr. tube bird feeder
Fuzzy picture but great subject matter! That’s Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird again, and tonight they coaxed their babies to the feeders. Of five fledges, two are out and about so far, and mom and dad have claimed the same house for nesting number two.All those feeders hang from one garden pole, plus an extender branch (which hasn’t even made it to the website yet). They’re great for hanging additional smaller items and give birds lots of perching space around feeders. Last year a small hanging bath was added to the branch. What are all those feeders, and do you think anymore would possibly fit on this pole? Three dishes for mealworms… they’re most popular this time of year as everyone is feeding babies! Cardinals, Catbirds, Nuthatches, Chickadees, Titmice, Phoebes, Carolina Wrens, and of course… the bluebirds. The meal worm grower loves me 🙂 The dark little cup… jelly for the Catbirds. And of course the cone shaped squirrel baffle, it’s a must on every feeder pole around the yard!
The silver silo, or tube bird feeder sees little activity as compared to the worm dishes. It’s filled with Finch Mix, but Goldfinches seem to prefer straight thistle this time of year. Why? Babies! Their diet is pretty exclusive to the tiny black nyjer seed. Another tube feeder containing shelled peanuts is seeing some action, but the worms win hands down!
And speaking of tube bird feeders – have you seen the spiral ones? They’re way cool as more birds get to perch and eat at once. The tubes feature an “all-over” feeding area, and the spiral allows birds to land and eat anywhere on the feeder. No more waiting for an open perch. Available for peanuts, thistle, or mixed seed.
Next time you’re in the grocery store, pick up some grape jelly for the birds. That dish is actually a glass votive holder, but works great for offering jelly too. And don’t forget the oranges as Orioles love them too. Spring may have sprung a little late this year, but the bird show is definitely on!
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Is there really a Cool Tube Bird Feeder out there?
Although birds won’t think so, some bird feeders are just plain boring. It’s the birds themselves who make these feeders come alive and give us so much pleasure in watching.A very popular style is the tube. Platforms are great for versatility, and hoppers tend to have larger capacities. There’s bluebird, finch, oriole, and hummingbird feeders, and there’s peanut, fruit, seed, and suet feeders. Omg… where would one start? One feeder that’s capable of attracting several species is a great place to start. That and definitely a birdbath – even if it’s just a plant saucer with fresh water!
The cool Wave Feeder shown here accommodates black oil sunflower, which attracts a wide variety of birds. If you’re looking specifically for finches, it’s also available for thistle seed. Handcrafted in the USA of durable cedar, it’s one that will be around for many years! Although wavy is shape, it gets classified as a tube bird feeder because of the perches. Hoppers have ledges where birds perch to eat.
Not all tube feeders have perches though. Some offer “all-over” feeding with the body being screen or mesh. And a really innovative idea is the spiral tube feeder. Instead of perching or just clinging, birds actually “run the spiral” while dining. Now this may sound silly, until you’ve seen them in action! A peanut feeder is shown here, which proves tube feeders aren’t just for seed. The spirals offer options for shelled peanuts, thistle (or nyjer), and of course seed.
One other thing to consider when starting out: don’t go for the cheapest seed! It has fillers which end up on the ground and attract some less desirable birds. Spending the extra few dollars on a premium seed will absolutely bring better birds!
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feature-rich, classic tube bird feeder hangs or pole-mounts
You know those plastic feeders we always see at discount and “big-box” stores, they’re inexpensive and will serve the purpose… for a little while anyway! But soon the cheap plastic clouds and yellows, perches break, and heaven forbid if a squirrel should get hold of your new tube bird feeder… it’s a goner 🙁Well, here’s a tube feeder with quality to last a lifetime, squirrel-proof features (sans the ugly cage), and twenty years of proven performance. The Classic Feeder is designed with a built-in squirrel baffle to foil the pesky critters permanently. With hanging or pole-mount options, it’s too tall and too wide for squirrels to reach the seed ports from the top on the hanging feeder, and from the bottom of the pole-mounted feeder.
Poly-carbonate casing, with a baked enamel lid and baffle, plus stainless steel perches, all promise this tube bird feeder will be around for many years of use for feathered friends. There’s even an attractive weather guard to protect seed from the elements, and it won’t hinder your views of dining birds either.Ample perches provide easy access for many birds who aren’t commonly seen at tube bird feeders, and the large capacity cavity means less filling and more time watching. Even the pole is included on the post-mounted version! Accommodating black oil sunflower, or a bevy of other seed mixes, the Classic Feeder is truly a shining gem among all those tube bird feeders out there!
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