Comments on: Pileated Woodpeckers—Is it Hector or Hortense? http://gildartphoto.com/weblog/2007/12/05/pileated-woodpeckers-at-our-bird-feeder Glimpses From Bert & Jane Gildart's Travel Adventures Fri, 13 Aug 2010 19:40:43 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Tammy http://gildartphoto.com/weblog/2007/12/05/pileated-woodpeckers-at-our-bird-feeder/comment-page-1#comment-41007 Tammy Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:57:31 +0000 http://gildartphoto.com/weblog/2007/12/05/pileated-woodpeckers-at-our-bird-feeder/#comment-41007 I was curious Michele what suet recipe you use to put in your sandwich feeder? I have a sandwich feeder. I was curious Michele what suet recipe you use to put in your sandwich feeder? I have a sandwich feeder.

]]> By: Michele Lapis http://gildartphoto.com/weblog/2007/12/05/pileated-woodpeckers-at-our-bird-feeder/comment-page-1#comment-38914 Michele Lapis Thu, 27 Aug 2009 01:13:30 +0000 http://gildartphoto.com/weblog/2007/12/05/pileated-woodpeckers-at-our-bird-feeder/#comment-38914 I have had a pair of pileated woodpeckers coming to my suet feeder for a month now. I also make my own suet and have all kinds of birds coming.. nuthatches, chickadees, downy, hairy, redbellied.. They all love the suet.. I have had luck with only one suet type of suet feeder.. I found it at Wild Birds Unlimited.. web address included in this emai..www.wbu.com. It is called the suet sandwich feeder. I take my suet and spread it in between two durable plactic pieces that resemble tree bark. The theory is that you keep the suet mostly to the inside so only the longue tongues of woodpeckers can retrieve it.. At first when I fill it, it comes out to the edges.. so sometimes I will get the occasional starling pecking at it.. but they cannot hold on for long and once it gets too far in the middle they cannot access it at all.. it's brilliant.. They sell it there for around 32.00.. pricey yes, but it has more than paid for itself and I now have two because the bird activity is high at my feeders.. However, I was on their website and there is no listing for it at all.. they sell their bark butter which is what I was told to use in it but no mention of this feeder. Unless it is only sold in certain stores.. I would recommend if you have this store in your area, find out if they sell this item.. It has made my bird watching experience all that much more delightful.. If you would like to see a picture of it.. I would be glad to email anyone so you know what it looks like.. I have had a pair of pileated woodpeckers coming to my suet feeder for a month now. I also make my own suet and have all kinds of birds coming.. nuthatches, chickadees, downy, hairy, redbellied.. They all love the suet.. I have had luck with only one suet type of suet feeder.. I found it at Wild Birds Unlimited.. web address included in this emai..www.wbu.com. It is called the suet sandwich feeder. I take my suet and spread it in between two durable plactic pieces that resemble tree bark. The theory is that you keep the suet mostly to the inside so only the longue tongues of woodpeckers can retrieve it.. At first when I fill it, it comes out to the edges.. so sometimes I will get the occasional starling pecking at it.. but they cannot hold on for long and once it gets too far in the middle they cannot access it at all.. it’s brilliant.. They sell it there for around 32.00.. pricey yes, but it has more than paid for itself and I now have two because the bird activity is high at my feeders.. However, I was on their website and there is no listing for it at all.. they sell their bark butter which is what I was told to use in it but no mention of this feeder. Unless it is only sold in certain stores.. I would recommend if you have this store in your area, find out if they sell this item.. It has made my bird watching experience all that much more delightful..
If you would like to see a picture of it.. I would be glad to email anyone so you know what it looks like..

]]> By: Tracy Weaver http://gildartphoto.com/weblog/2007/12/05/pileated-woodpeckers-at-our-bird-feeder/comment-page-1#comment-35401 Tracy Weaver Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:57:12 +0000 http://gildartphoto.com/weblog/2007/12/05/pileated-woodpeckers-at-our-bird-feeder/#comment-35401 I have tried an upside down feeder. My pileated woodpeckers seemed a little confused by it and wouldn't stay on long. And the starlings, within a few days were hanging upside down on it. Needless to say, it's in the garage and the double tailprop feeder is back up for them. I also tried the cage within a cage suet feeder, the starlings also ate that one and the pileateds wouldn't even try it. I have tried an upside down feeder. My pileated woodpeckers seemed a little confused by it and wouldn’t stay on long. And the starlings, within a few days were hanging upside down on it. Needless to say, it’s in the garage and the double tailprop feeder is back up for them. I also tried the cage within a cage suet feeder, the starlings also ate that one and the pileateds wouldn’t even try it.

]]> By: Bert Gildart http://gildartphoto.com/weblog/2007/12/05/pileated-woodpeckers-at-our-bird-feeder/comment-page-1#comment-34487 Bert Gildart Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:47:27 +0000 http://gildartphoto.com/weblog/2007/12/05/pileated-woodpeckers-at-our-bird-feeder/#comment-34487 Hi Cherie, Sorry, but don't think I can provide much of an authoritative answer. My gut reaction, however, is that I don't think feeder orientation would deter a pileated. Winds sometimes reposition feeders and HUNGRY birds still flock, making me wonder why an upside feeder would deter black birds. If you hear something more definitive, please let me--and my readers--know. Thanks! Hi Cherie,
Sorry, but don’t think I can provide much of an authoritative answer. My gut reaction, however, is that I don’t think feeder orientation would deter a pileated. Winds sometimes reposition feeders and HUNGRY birds still flock, making me wonder why an upside feeder would deter black birds. If you hear something more definitive, please let me–and my readers–know. Thanks!

]]> By: Cherie Hill http://gildartphoto.com/weblog/2007/12/05/pileated-woodpeckers-at-our-bird-feeder/comment-page-1#comment-34433 Cherie Hill Sun, 31 May 2009 15:32:28 +0000 http://gildartphoto.com/weblog/2007/12/05/pileated-woodpeckers-at-our-bird-feeder/#comment-34433 Hi Bert- It's Cherie again. We are having a real problem with black birds eating the suet. I understand if you use an upside down suet feeder, the blackbirds will not go to it. My big question is if it will also deter the pileated woodpecker. That I don't want to do. Any advice is appreciated! Hi Bert-
It’s Cherie again. We are having a real problem with black birds eating the suet. I understand if you use an upside down suet feeder, the blackbirds will not go to it. My big question is if it will also deter the pileated woodpecker. That I don’t want to do. Any advice is appreciated!

]]> By: Bert http://gildartphoto.com/weblog/2007/12/05/pileated-woodpeckers-at-our-bird-feeder/comment-page-1#comment-34059 Bert Tue, 26 May 2009 01:03:51 +0000 http://gildartphoto.com/weblog/2007/12/05/pileated-woodpeckers-at-our-bird-feeder/#comment-34059 For those who have asked, here's a recipe Cherie says she copied from Wildbird magazine. Cherie says she has been using the recipe for years. Hope it helps, and we may start using it too. According to the article, the original recipe came from Martha Sargent, as follows: NO-MELT, ALL SEASON PEANUT BUTTER SUET RECIPE This recipe is easily doubled. We usually get about 4 cakes out of a doubled recipe. 1 cup crunchy peanut butter 2 cups "quick cook" oats 2 cups corn meal 1 cup of lard (NO SUBSTITUTIONS) 1 cup white flour 1/3 cup sugar Melt the lard and peanut butter on medium heat, then stir in the remaining ingredients. Pour the mixture into square freezer containers (a size about the size of your suet cage) about 1 1/2 inches thick. Allow the suet to cool, put lids on the containers and put in them in the freezer. When you are ready to use, just pop them out of the containers. In the winter, we have also added raisins, cranberries and other nuts as supplements. It takes very little time to mix up and put in containers and it saves a lot of money. For those who have asked, here’s a recipe Cherie says she copied from Wildbird magazine. Cherie says she has been using the recipe for years. Hope it helps, and we may start using it too.

According to the article, the original recipe came from Martha Sargent, as follows:

NO-MELT, ALL SEASON PEANUT BUTTER SUET RECIPE
This recipe is easily doubled. We usually get about 4 cakes out of a doubled recipe.

1 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 cups “quick cook” oats
2 cups corn meal
1 cup of lard (NO SUBSTITUTIONS)
1 cup white flour
1/3 cup sugar

Melt the lard and peanut butter on medium heat, then stir in the remaining ingredients. Pour the mixture into square freezer containers (a size about the size of your suet cage) about 1 1/2 inches thick. Allow the suet to cool, put lids on the containers and put in them in the freezer. When you are ready to use, just pop them out of the containers.

In the winter, we have also added raisins, cranberries and other nuts as supplements. It takes very little time to mix up and put in containers and it saves a lot of money.

]]> By: Bert http://gildartphoto.com/weblog/2007/12/05/pileated-woodpeckers-at-our-bird-feeder/comment-page-1#comment-33977 Bert Sun, 24 May 2009 15:08:38 +0000 http://gildartphoto.com/weblog/2007/12/05/pileated-woodpeckers-at-our-bird-feeder/#comment-33977 Hi Cherie, I get lots of requests about the offer you made on my blog about pileated woodpeckers over a year ago--and your recipe for attracting them. If the offer of suet recipe still exists, please forward. And let me know what kind of credit you want for the recipe. Many thanks, Bert Hi Cherie,

I get lots of requests about the offer you made on my blog about pileated woodpeckers over a year ago–and your recipe for attracting them.

If the offer of suet recipe still exists, please forward. And let me know what kind of credit you want for the recipe.

Many thanks,
Bert

]]> By: Joy Smith http://gildartphoto.com/weblog/2007/12/05/pileated-woodpeckers-at-our-bird-feeder/comment-page-1#comment-33775 Joy Smith Thu, 21 May 2009 19:44:50 +0000 http://gildartphoto.com/weblog/2007/12/05/pileated-woodpeckers-at-our-bird-feeder/#comment-33775 Please send me your suet recipe. Please send me your suet recipe.

]]> By: John Ward http://gildartphoto.com/weblog/2007/12/05/pileated-woodpeckers-at-our-bird-feeder/comment-page-1#comment-32413 John Ward Sun, 26 Apr 2009 20:58:27 +0000 http://gildartphoto.com/weblog/2007/12/05/pileated-woodpeckers-at-our-bird-feeder/#comment-32413 I would like to have the suet recipe as I buy a lot and like the fact that yours holds up better in hot weather. I would like to have the suet recipe as I buy a lot and like the fact that yours holds up better in hot weather.

]]> By: cherylreed http://gildartphoto.com/weblog/2007/12/05/pileated-woodpeckers-at-our-bird-feeder/comment-page-1#comment-23116 cherylreed Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:19:54 +0000 http://gildartphoto.com/weblog/2007/12/05/pileated-woodpeckers-at-our-bird-feeder/#comment-23116 we feed all kinds of birds just recieved anesting pair of pileated woodpeckers wood love to have the recipe. we feed all kinds of birds just recieved anesting pair of pileated woodpeckers wood love to have the recipe.

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