Sunday, March 11, 2007

Who Likes Zick Dough?

I made my umpteenth batch of Julie Zickefoose's suet dough today and I thought I'd share photos of a few of the birds that have enjoyed it this winter. Chickadees love it.
It's worked really well stuffing the suet plug holes on my suet log with Zick-dough. During the warmer temperatures of the summer I buy manufactured "no melt" suet plugs. I've had both downies and hairies gobbling down the dough.
Sweet faced nuthatches are crazy about it.
Mrs. Red-belly has enjoyed it all winter. She's been squawking in the back yard trees for the last few warmer days. I'm really hoping she finds a mate and stays.
Here's a house sparrow pretending to be a clinging bird. Look at her use that tail!
Even the ground-feeding juncos have been snarfing up the Zick-dough. I kept my jelly feeders up all winter and used them to hold the suet dough. You can see in this picture that I've used a bungee cord to strap a piece of tree branch across the feeder platform. The jelly eaters really like this set-up, especially on this model jelly feeder. There is a clear curved plastic roof on this feeder that the orioles would land on and then slide right off. Until I added the branch no one would use it but they would flock to the wooden jelly feeder. Problem solved. The squirrels ate their share (and then some!) of the suet dough too. I saw them just two weeks ago munching on the frozen suet dough in the orange cups of my wooden jelly feeder. When I made the rounds today resupplying suet I found that the $#%&@ squirrels had swiped the orange plastic cups! I hope they show up when the snow melts...

12 comments:

Larry said...

I need to try one of those suet logs. It looks like those woodpeckers really like it.

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

Larry- The suet log is a popular place with the birds!

Susan Gets Native said...

Aren't you the smart one, figuring out how to allow the birds to use that feeder!

My birds aren't eating the Zick dough like I thought. The woodpeckers and wrens sample it every once in a while, but the raccoons have discovered it, much to my dismay.

Unknown said...

My birds love my homemade suet and the suet dough. YUM! My juncos will cling to get it! :) The squirrels love it too, unfortunately!

Jayne said...

I love that suet log! I just have the regular cake style feeder for suet. What sweet wonderful photos of all your friends enjoying the fruits of your labor.

Mary said...

Lynne, just the other day you said you've never been able to photo a Chickadee. Well, I'll be!!!!

These are great photos, Lynne, and I'm impressed with your set-up.

I love that log feeder. I use the suet cakes and it took a while for the birds to catch on. If I start going through too many cakes, I'll try the Zick dough.

NatureWoman said...

Cool bird setups Lynne! Thanks for showing us all of your cool photos! I'd love to make the Zick dough, but I have to figure out how to keep it away from the deer yet in a place where I can see the birds. The squirrels, well, I don't want to feed them either, but at least their not as piggy as the deer here.

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

Susan- All of the birds that use the jelly feeders like the perch arrangement. I often use the cups for mealworms too. I've never had a raccoon in my backyard.

Liza- after woodpeckers, juncos are my biggest customers!

Jayne- The suet log has been a fun addition to my feeder station.

Mary- That is my one and only chickadee picture! I don't think the dough will stay in the cages when the weather is warmer.

Pam- It would be cool to have deer here in town!

Ruth said...

Such good photos! Where do you hide to take them? I have screens on my windows and pictures from indoors are always dark. The juncos are all over my hanging suet too.
Ruth

Larry said...

Lynne, an excerpt from your blog is part of a game I'm trying.-hope you don't mind-Larry

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

Ruth- Thank you! I take alot of pictures from my bedroom window with the screen off.

Larry- That's cool!!

LauraHinNJ said...

My woodpeckers love the stuff - it smells so much like peanut butter that I'm tempted to taste it myself!

I've been adding raisins or dried blueberries, as well as finely chopped walnuts - may as well spoil the pretty boids!

The starlings love it too though and are able to *hover* at the log feeder - drats!