I bought a clear plastic serving tray at the Dollar Store & placed it by my old large Azalea Bush. I noticed that bush always had cardinals hiding within, so I placed the tray there and a plastic food container with water. Every morning at sunlight & at an hour & a half before sundown I put down a generous amount for them to feast on all day. Its lovely to see them waiting for me.
This explains a lot because I see cardinals in the trees all the time but they will not come to my tube feeder (which the chickadees and goldfinches love). I will try fitting a tray onto it, thanks!
Great information thank you. This explains why my Cardinals don't eat at my Safflower feeder its a tube feeder. I do have some safflower seed in the main hopper feeder. But I will see if I can find a tray to put under the tube feeders the problem is they are square with a spring loaded squirrel cages around them. The best option I think is more the Safflower to a hopper feeder for the squirrels won't be interested in it anyway.
❤Thank you Mark I wondered what I could get the Cardinal..they kinda hide ❤❤ so beautiful and I've been putting safflower on the ground by a big tree they love ..I need to find those trays for tube feeders 😂 Thank you for sharing all this Information on beautiful birds ❤,God bless you and your family
Ps. I do not have any bird feeders or anything. During the blossoming i have seen them under my cherry blossom tree. This is the first time one has chosen to use the branch next to my window for rest and shelter. But it is only a branch. Was wondering if i should just leave him be or try to give him a tiny shelter or something?
Excellent video and advice. What about the large Hilltop 9x15 fly through feeder for cardinals? Do you think the magnet mount hopper or larger Dinette hopper from Hilltop would be better choices than a fly through?
I find with cardinals, the better the sightlines, the better. Flythru feeders provide great visibility. For a bright red bird that is so important. Open trays are probably the best but weather protection is minimal. I love the larger trays the mini magnet and magnet provide for them.
Hope you see this , January 18 , I just saw four bluebirds in the back of my house . I have a video , not close up , I would like to send it if you are interested. Their behavior, I thought, was strange. Two were fighting on the ground , so it appeared. If it was mating season I would understand. Maybe fighting over the one bluebird box we put out . One was hanging around shortly after we put it up late December. We did that because you said they might use it . I have so many questions
Most of our feeders are out front and we did see a bluebird go to the open trey feeder which has hulled sunflower seeds and fruit . Had one out back that the squirrels just tip over even though I throw seed on the ground . Guess we need to buy another shepherds hook and put our baffle on it . We try to keep the food near bushes for cover . Unfortunately we don’t have a lot at this house we moved into this fall . When we moved we left feeders , baffles and poles with a couple neighbors so they would continue to feed
My guess is that was just "pecking order" among the males. Many birds will keep their hierarchy established among a flock through out the year. You can send the video and additional questions to mark@backyardbirdcenter.com if you like.
@@MarksBackyardBirds thank you , I will . I was amazed seeing one but now four at one time . We had two successful brood last year in our yard , where we used to live . Never saw at a time with the exception of the parents and fledglings
@@MarksBackyardBirds been trying to send but keeps coming back as invalid, will have my husband try to help me , I am sure it’s on my end . Just saw one of the hawks too , will send that picture also
@@annereynolds66 the small flocks of bluebirds we see in winter are typically northern birds that have been driven down by weather. They will settle into areas with unfrozen water are good crops of berries. They generally head back north in February.
There is a cardinal that comes to my upstairs door to sleep. There is coverage there so he is safe but i was wondering how i can make him more comfortable. Any suggestions would be helpful.
Not so much a comment but a question......What brand is that large hopper feeder with the green roof and the green sticked on the front just above your head in this video? How much?
@@MarksBackyardBirds Thanks, I had looked on their site but am not able to find that exact feeder with the openings in the ends. That feeder looks to be very tall and have a really large hopper. The hopper doesn't look to go all the way to the roof
Hi Mark, I have been feeding straight black oil sunflower seeds out of a platform feeder, and I have a few cardinals that will visit the feeder. I recently changed the seed to straight safflower seed due to black birds, and the cardinals seem to land on the feeder, look at the seed, and fly away. Any idea what the problem might be?
I put a few peanuts nearby & they go for that. Usually the ones in their shell - the squirrels scamper off to eat elsewhere and give my birds more time to eat. I also just spread the mixed seed on the ground in a large hollow heart shape & watch all the critters come together to eat😊
