Suet and Beyond; Stokes Feeder Friday

Suet is the winter manna that can fuel a bird's furnace needs in the coldest weather. That's because suet consists mainly of beef fat and fat has more calories per weight than carbohydrates or protein. Don't we all know that, because of the foods on the no-no list if you are on a diet, such as butter and cream.

So part of our winter bird-feeding menu is suet. On the above photo we have a Downy Woodpecker on our Stokes Select Deluxe Suet Buffet, which holds 4 suet cakes. We like it because you can offer more suet, with less trips to fill the feeder. Plus, even larger woodpeckers can use this. Yes, this is promotion but we use our own products and people often ask what products and food we use. Our Stokes Select line of bird feeding products give back to the birds by donating a portion of proceeds to bird conservation and habitat. No matter what kind of feeders you use, offer suet in cold weather to keep your feeder birds happy.

This morning we took a walk with the Corgis into this beautiful winter scene on our property. We listened to the singing of 2 male Chickadees, we now think are staking out a territorial boundary for spring breeding. We listened to the "Wer-wer-wer-wer" singing of a male White-breasted Nuthatch, already warming up, his hormones triggered by increasing day length. It made me realize how important and rewarding it is to go beyond the bird feeder and get involved with the lives and behavior of the birds you see. It certainly enriches our lives and we look forward to it each day.