Alexia and tweeters,

I mentioned a starling-proof suet feeder in a post about scrub-jays. To
answer Alexia's and anyone else's questions about the feeder: It is an item
we purchased from Wild Birds Unlimited about five years ago. It may
possibly be available at Seattle Audubon's Nature Store too. The feeder is
all metal, roughly a cube shape, with a solid metal lid, a solid metal
bottom, and a small cage surrounded by a larger cage in between. The inner
cage holds two standard size suet cakes. The outer and inner cage boxes are
mesh of about an inch or inch and a half. Chickadees, Bushtits, nuthatches,
Downy Woodpeckers can all enter through the outer cage to reach through to
the suet in the inner cage. Flickers and scrub-jays have long enough necks
and bills to hang on the outside and reach through to the suet. Starlings
are unable to climb through or reach far enough in, and since the bottom is
solid metal, they can't hang on below and feed as they do on so many other
suet feeders. Crows seem to be unable to access the suet too. Along with
getting rid of your lawn and planting shrubs, this is another way to help
keep starlings out of your life.

Bob

Bob Sundstrom
ixoreus at scattercreek.com
Tenino, WA

----- Original Message -----
From: "Alexia Stevens" <alexia at wildernessawareness.org>
To: <ixoreus at scattercreek.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2003 8:48 AM
Subject: Starling-proof?


> Hello Bob,
> Sorry to write out of the blue but when you mentioned a starling-proof
suet
> feeder I nearly fell off my chair. How does it work? How can I build one
> or where can I get one? I had to take down the suet this year because of
> starlings but I miss the hairies, downies, and nuthatches.
> Thanks very much, and enjoy the autumn. I heard a varied thrush singing
the
> other day here in Bothell--haven't seen them all summer.
>
> --Alexia
>
> Alexia Stevens
> Product Sales
> Wilderness Awareness School
> alexia at wildernessawareness.org
> 425-788-1301, x 30
> www.WildernessAwareness.org
>
> Wilderness Awareness School is dedicated to caring for the earth and our
> children by fostering understanding and appreciation of nature, community,
> and self.