I am about to buy my first seed feeder. I have a Droll Yankee's window
hummingbird feeder and think it is of very good quality. The hummers love
it. So, I was thinking of going with Droll Yankee for a seed feeder.
Anyone have this brand or have other suggestions?

Of the birds I see around us, which will use which feeders? We have
Western Tanagers, Hermit Warblers, Hairy and Pileated Woodpeckers,
Black-headed Grosbeaks, Band-tailed pigeons, Robins, Mountain
Chickadees, Winter Wrens, Violet-green Swallows, Common Nighthawks,
Stellar's Jays, Oregon Juncos, Crows, Ravens, Purple finches and I'm
sure many more I haven't seen. Heard our first owl during the day today.
Should I get separate suet and peanut feeder for the woodpeckers? Is is
OK to put the suet near the seed feeder if I get a pole to hang the feeders
from? Has anyone tried mealworms? Since we have so many insect eating
birds, I was thinking of trying them. How far should I put the feeders
from the hummer feeders? They seem to chase everything away. We have
a clearing where our house and drainfield are with silver firs, bigleaf
maple, alder, cedar and hemlock on the edges. How far from the edge of
the clearing shall I hang the feeders? I notice the birds don't hang
around the middle of the clearing. Hawks overhead might have something
to do with that.

The squirrels have been talking up a storm this week. They may be a
problem, but I figure if I put the feeders far enough from the trees and
house and get a dome covering and bottom tray, I should be ok.

Would appreciate any advice. I am hoping to draw out some of the birds I
haven't seen yet and get close ups of the ones I have seen. The last couple
of weeks have been quiet around here. The swallows are gone and haven't
heard a grosbeak singing at all. The tanagers and woodpeckers are here,
but stay pretty quiet. The hummers are never quiet! They particularly
enjoyed the shirt I had on today. It was the color of red-flowering
currant flowers and they stopped to check it out at least 4 times. In
between unrelentingly chasing each other around the property, that is.
They stop so close to my ear, I'm afraid they might just want to see if
there's some nectar in there!

By the way, I'd asked for advice on binoculars awhile back. I ended up
buying some Pentax 8 x 24 water resistant compact binoculars for $95 at
CameraWorld. I love them. I can hang them around my neck when I weed
our property or and get wonderfully side-tracked looking at the birds. I'm
sure I miss some IDs, but I'll see them again and get it next time.

Thanks,
Nancy
Prime Images Photography
Zigzag, Oregon
http://www.primeimages.com