Bird Feeders
First Nature 3051 Hummingbird Feeder, 16-Ounce – This is a wonderful hummingbird feeder that also attracts orioles and bats (if you have them in your area) because of the slightly larger holes. I tried all the tricks to get orioles in my yard and this one feeder did the trick! The nice thing about this feeder is that the holes are so large as to allow bees to crawl in, so you don’t have to feel guilty about accidental bee death like you do with other hummingbird/oriole feeders.
WBU High Perch™ Hummingbird Feeder – This were my go-to hummingbird feeders before I discovered the First Nature one. These are nice because they are easy to clean and since the bottom is clear you can see the hummingbird’s tongue drinking the nectar. Multiple birds can sit on the outside (as if they would ever let each other) and since there isn’t a tube in the middle it’s great for seeing all the birds. The holes are small enough and far away from the actual nectar that you don’t get lots of bees hanging around, so if that’s an issue for you, this is a great solution.
Parasol Ant Moat -Black Umbrella – If you get ants crawling down into your feeders like I do, you should invest in an ant moat. You hang this on your pole and hang your feeder off of it. Once you fill it with water, the ants can’t crawl down into your feeder. You can get ugly ant moats, but why not get a pretty one instead?
This one looks like an upside down umbrella, which adds a bit of whimsy to the backyard!
Marjorie’s Garden Ant Moat – This is the other ant moat that I have. This is delicate and made of pottery. It’s even prettier in person because the glaze is partly transparent and gleams well in the light, but unfortunately the hook is kind of small so depending on the what you are hanging it on it might be too small. This would make a great addition to a bird feeder as a gift!
WBU Bark Butter® Feeder – If you want to try Bark Butter/tree suet but don’t have trees to smear it onto, this is the feeder for you! It’s made in the USA and basically is a strip of wood with partially drilled holes in it. You smear the suet into the holes and the little roof keeps it dry. You could totally make it yourself, but I don’t have the tools or energy to do so. The perching birds seem to really like this and it keeps away larger birds like doves and towhees.
WBU EcoClean® Dinner Bell™ Feeder – This feeder is really versal. You can place seed or suet cylinders down the pole in the middle or just fill the tray at the bottom with seed. It’s just large enough for bigger backyard birds like doves and towhees can sit in it and eat. The dome at the top keeps the rain off but is also flat enough for the birds it sit on it. They don’t seem to have a problem navigating it and I’ve never seen one run into it since it’s clear.
Bird Food
Kaytee Mealworms – Yes, I know that this is super gross. When I hear the words “freeze dried” I like to think of bananas or other yummy fruit, not bugs. If you want different birds in your yard, this is a good way to go. Some birds will only eat bugs and if you’re desperate or just have a better appetite for handling dead bugs than I do, this is for you! I just sprinkle mine in the bottom tray of my other bird feeders. I used to sprinkle them on the ground in my dried mulch but then you get birds kicking the mulch around and also my dog discovered I was doing this and proceeded to try to eat them all. Just make sure to put them in a feeder that is covered because you don’t want ‘bug mush’ when it rains. The birds won’t eat it and then you have to clean it out. I haven’t been able to tell that the brand matters, but this one is the best selling one on Amazon.
Miscellaneous
Bamboo Accents 24″ Adjustable Spout and Pump Fountain Kit – The little pump that could! If you don’t have hundreds of dollars to spend on a fountain, you can do what I did and make your own! Just stick this pump in a garden pot or tub and you have an instant fountain. Birds like shallow water, so if your pot is deep make sure to throw some rocks in there for them to sit on. I’ve found the taller I have the pump set up, the more the water splashes and the more the birds like it.
Window Alert Leaf Medley Decal – If you have a small yard like I do and have to hang your feeders close to windows, this is a huge help. The decals are see-through but reflect ultraviolet light that humans can’t see and birds can. I used to get birds flying into my windows and this totally fixed the problem. I did about one to two decals per window and they stay away now.
Birding Ninja 