Warm enough for tree houses and woodpeckers
14 03 2008Sierra (my 4 year old) wanted to eat in the tree house tonight so we had an early dinner. While eating dinner we heard and saw a woodpecker making what looked to be a new home in the upper parts of a large dead limb in a tree on the edge of the creek in our backyard. (creek is about 20 feet from the back of the house) After some research in our bird book my wife and I agree that we think he is a red-bellied woodpecker. We’ll have to get a picture of him to study to be sure. We saw one just like him last year at our all-purpose bird feeder, but never knew where he was nesting.
So off to the store for woodpecker food and probably a woodpecker specific feeder. Fatty Lumpkin (our local super fat..or is that hair?..squirrel) has taken over the suet feeder and all-purpose bird feeder. We don’t mind…he’s fun to watch. There’s no point fighting squirrels…just move on and find a new bird feeding spot.
I also put the temperature activated air vent back into the cold frame as temperatures reached over 100 inside this afternoon. I took a quick peek under the straw and the garlic is still holding strong. Yeah!!! Another couple weeks and I can remove the straw…at least I think I can. Where’s my garlic book?!?!?
The woodpeckers around here will only eat the suet cakes. we find if we dangle them from a wire, the squirrels have a hard time getting to them, but the birds don’t.
If you want a truly squirrel proof feeder, The Yankee Flipper works really well. Not the cheapest feeder, but it does work. They have a video on their site to prove it. I have some video as well, will have to post it on The Greenhouse.