Addendum to a Post (Bird Feeder Protector)

In a prior post here on HT (September 20th 2013 @ http://www.hometalk.com/diy/outdoor/garden/catching-crumbs-that-fall-to-the-floor-followup-3-to-8-22-s-post-2243447), I discussed the solution for modifying my WBU-SS Feeder (Shine Feeder), and I included pictures as well as info on the product (modification for that feeder) within that entry.

Today I am providing an addendum to the aforementioned post, as the solution which was recommended to me did not completely resolve my bird-feeder issue and I want to inform you of what did work, as well as changes that I have had to make in hopes of completely resolving my issues. I am doing this in case anyone out in the HT community is grappling with similar issues re feeding birds in an urban garden.

As you may recall (or will see if you refer to my prior post on this subject), I was advised by an expert (Susan Grimstead)* to put a mesh cage around my shine feeder. This was recommended as a method to deter pigeons from invading my feeders. The cage-like structure allows smaller song birds (house finches, cardinals, sparrows, chickadees, dark eyed juncoes, tufted titmouses) that had been visiting me at the time of my query for feeder solutions to enter and exit the feeder with ease, but the small openings are not usually feasible for pigeons.

The shine feeder in its mesh cage can be seen in image one of this entry and it is the same picture that I included in my 9-20-13 entry here on HT.

One of my concerns re the mesh cage was that the smaller song birds and cardinals would be deterred from dining, but, as you may recall from that 9-20-13 entry, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the smaller song birds noshed from the "protected" shine feeder.
These birds included the ones seen in pictures two and three which I've included here for easy reference, even though they were seen in the 9-20-13 posting.

Moreover, Cam, my female cardinal, who never (to my knowledge) has perched at any of my feeders (and I have written about a number of feeders in several posts here on HT) availed herself of food from my enclosed shine feeder!

Cam seemed to be doing this because her son, Vincenzo (who I wrote about on a couple of occasions here on HT) had noshed from my enclosed feeder, for as it is written, "A little child shall lead them."

Vincenzo can be seen at the enclosed feeder in images four and five of this entry while images of Cam at this feeder are numbered six and seven. The two of them at the feeder can be seen in image eight and Cam hanging out with other birds at the feeder is featured in pictures nine as well as ten.

Even a lone blue-jay availed him/herself of this new arrangement, as evidenced in images eleven through fourteen.

BUT it wasn't long before pigeons figured out a work-around to avail themselves of food from the feeder as you can surmise from images fifteen and sixteen. Initially I was amused and impressed by the tenacity and innovativeness of the pigeons as evidenced by the reflections I included on TLLG's FB Page with the aforementioned pictures.
However, since lawsuits have been brought against folks who feed pigeons (see link to article at the end of this posting**), I could not risk anything and I sent a couple of pictures (seventeen and eighteen) to Susan Grimstead (who I referred to earlier in this entry) to see if she could come up with Plan B.

Susan pointed out to me that the pigeon was not eating from the feeder itself, rather he/she was sticking his head into the slots of the cage to reach for the seeds which fell to the attached tray! (As the widow in scripture pointed out :"Even the dogs get the crumbs that fall to the floor!")

Ms. Grimstead referred me to her naturalist and Plan B was put into action: I procured a new cage so I'd have a "double tray effect" which you can see in photo-op nineteen.
BUT once again my pigeons outsmarted me and found ways to stick their heads through the cage and nosh from the feeder as evidenced in picture twenty.

Once again, Susan had a suggestion which was to replace the seeds in the feeder with only striped sunflower seeds. And indeed this had (for now) kept the pigeons away from the feeder but I still have a number of them in my garden!

Please stay tuned AND if you have any solutions to deter pigeons, please feel free to leave me a comment!

* Susan Grimstead is from WBU-NJ @ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wild-Birds-Unlimited-of-Paramus/183838758359721

** Article on lawsuit brought against someone who had pigeons at their feeders is @ http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/li-man-accused-of-harboring-wild-pigeons-goes-to-appellate-court-1.6432699
This image of a "food court' (array of bird feeders) in my garden was featured in my 9-20-13 post on HT @ http://www.hometalk.com/2243447/catching-crumbs-that-fall-to-the-floor-followup-3-to-8-22-s-post
This image of a lone house finch noshing at the enclosed feeder in my garden was featured in my 9-20-13 post on HT @ http://www.hometalk.com/2243447/catching-crumbs-that-fall-to-the-floor-followup-3-to-8-22-s-post
This image of a couple of house finches noshing at the enclosed feeder in my garden was featured in my 9-20-13 post on HT @ http://www.hometalk.com/2243447/catching-crumbs-that-fall-to-the-floor-followup-3-to-8-22-s-post
This image was featured with a story on TLLG's Blogger venue @ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/2013/09/another-month-over.html
PLACES TO GO! PEOPLE TO SEE! This image was featured with a story on TLLG's Blogger venue @ http://www.thelastleafgardener.com/2013/09/another-month-over.html
Cam was so comfortable with the feeder arrangement that she even bent over backwards to eat! Full story on tumblr @ http://thelastleafgardener.tumblr.com/post/63819729144/it-has-been-nearly-one-month-since-my-last-posting
Cam was so comfortable with the feeder arrangement that she even posed! Full story on tumblr @ http://thelastleafgardener.tumblr.com/post/63819729144/it-has-been-nearly-one-month-since-my-last-posting
This image of Cam and her son at the feeder was featured on TLLG's FB Page @ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=554116424637735&set=pb.247917655257615.-2207520000.1384736302.&type=3&theater
I featured this image of Cam (mingling with a house finch at my feeder) on Cornell's FB Page.
This picture of Cam dining with the finches was featured with a story on TLLG's FB Page @ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=564334183615959&set=pb.247917655257615.-2207520000.1384785271.&type=3&theater
I featured this image of a lone blue jay at my modified feeder) on Cornell's FB Page.
"WHERE THERE'S A WILL" I featured this image of a lone blue jay at my modified feeder) on Cornell's FB Page.
This image of a lone blue jay at the feeder was featured on TLLG's FB Page @ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=568482229867821&set=pb.247917655257615.-2207520000.1384785265.&type=3&theater
This image of a lone blue jay at the feeder was featured on TLLG's FB Page @ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=568886686494042&set=pb.247917655257615.-2207520000.1384785265.&type=3&theater
This image of a lone blue jay at the feeder was featured on TLLG's FB Page (with an interesting reflection) @ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=564936563555721&set=pb.247917655257615.-2207520000.1384786955.&type=3&theater
The pigeon proved to be tenacious re this feeder as I informed Susan Grimstead @ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=566604783388899&set=o.183838758359721&type=1&theater
This image of a lone blue jay at the feeder was also featured (with a great reflection) on TLLG's FB Page @ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=566601286722582&set=pb.247917655257615.-2207520000.1384787361.&type=3&theater
The pigeon proved to be tenacious re this feeder (View Two) as I informed Susan Grimstead @ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=570614072987970&set=o.183838758359721&type=1&theater
"Shine" Feeder with new cage for purposes of a double tray.
Image used to email Susan Grimstead to see if I had assembled my new cage correctly! INFO @ https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=574663135916397&set=o.183838758359721&type=1&theater
TheLastLeafGardener
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
Go
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
Comments
Join the conversation
2 of 7 comments
  • MARY ANN MARY ANN on Mar 16, 2014
    Rocky is available. I had a similar problem when we lived Houston, TX. We had white-winged doves coming to our feeders. They're big and eat a lot.
  • Pat Pat on Jul 24, 2016
    Safflower seed works. I put a feeder out with just safflower seed and other feeders with regular bird seed. Squirrels don't like safflower seed and it gives birds a quiet spot to eat.
Next