Hi, Joanne:

Alas, the "cages" you mention (I bought one from Duncraft) sound better than
they are: the big birds are in varying degree smarter and more agile than
the manufacturers and sellers thought.

I bought mine to keep my suet cakes for the little guys: bushtits and
chickadees, but quickly discovered that Steller's Jays, flickers, and
starlings simply considered the cage an obstacle to overcome. I don't
begrudge them their share of the suet (except for the starlings), but wish
they'd be a bit neater; they knock chunks of it down on to our deck where
the rats and their decorator cousins (Eastern Gray Squirrels) get the
leavings. Worst of all, the bushtits don't come around for their fix until
they re-gather in groups in the fall, and the chickadees seem to prefer my
sunflower seeds.

I'm taking it down this morning.

Cheers,

David Chelimer
Seattle
david_lynne at attbi.com

> From: Joanne H Powell <jopowell2 at juno.com>
> Reply-To: jopowell2 at juno.com
> Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2002 06:59:00 -0700
> To: c.giannini2 at verizon.net
> Cc: tweeters at u.washington.edu
> Subject: Re: About those starlings and crows...
>
> Hi, Christine:
>
> There are "cages" that can be put around feeders/suet block with openings
> large enough for chickadees and other small birds but too small for those
> piggy starlings to get through. I don't use them because, even though the
> starlings eat a lot, I also have black-headed grosbeaks and bullock's
> orioles munching and I don't want to exclude them. So I just make huge
> vats of suet every weekend and put out multiple holders.
>
> Regards, Joanne
> Reardan (Spokane) WA
> mailto: jopowell2 at juno.com
>
> On Fri, 14 Jun 2002 23:33:51 -0700 "Christine Giannini"
> <c.giannini2 at verizon.net> writes:
>> Hi All,
>> I seem to have a flock of starlings with several juveniles who've
>> decided to
>> make the suet and seeds in my yard their mainstay - ditto for a pair
>> of
>> pretty domineering crows. The starlings have cleaned up two cakes
>> of suet
>> in two days so that the chickadees I put them out for can hardly get
>> a bite.
>> Any ideas on types of suet hated by starlings, but loved by
>> chickadees or
>> other means to discourage the bullies?
>>
>> Also saw a blonde opossum eating the seed on the ground last
>> night...are
>> they blonde here or is this an albino?
>>
>> Christine
>> Everett
>> c.giannini2 at verizon.net
>>
>> <A HREF="http://rainforest.care2.com/i?p=918324259">Join Care2.com's
>> Race
>> for the Rain Forest!</A>
>>
>>
>
>
> Regards, Joanne
> Reardan (Spokane) WA
> mailto: jopowell2 at juno.com