by I installed the snow fort yesterday morning because I knew it would start snowing when I was asleep and I wanted to get it up beforehand to keep the feeder area dry. To remind the birds that a feeder full of food was inside I put out seed in a line leading inside the fort. This has worked in the past.
But this morning, when I went to refill the feeder, all the seeds outside were gone, but the feeder itself was still full.
The snow fort, however, was doing it’s job beautifully. If the birds would only discover it they’d find a nice dry place inside to hang out and eat. I put some more seed outside in the snow, but god knows if they’ll figure it out.
Ummm, Stacy, there’s a reason “birdbrain” is used as an insult.
But, don’t worry, after a couple of days they’ll figure it out. They always manage to clean out the ground feeder even when it is covered with several inches of snow.
We have 2 finch feeders, and damned if those goldfinches aren’t flying against the wind to get some thistle. Hope we don’t run out.
Smart finches!! Pigeons, not so much.
Stacy, pigeons/doves are ground feeders. They mostly wait for the seed to blow out of the feeder onto the ground. Your other birds – finches, cardinals, etc. – are more likely to eat out of the feeder, but not if pigeons have taken it over.