PERPLEXING PEANUT BUTTER
A couple months ago I made a
bird-feeding peanut butter log by cutting a 3” branch about 12”
long and drilling one inch holes into it at random intervals. I
drilled a 3/8 hole through it near the top and hung it with a wire
tie. I filled the 1” holes with gobs of creamy peanut butter
and...the birds wouldn't touch it.
I changed peanut butter brands
and...still nothing. Curious, when I have had lots of peanut butter
log feeders over the years. I believed that piece of branch
was from an Ash tree and I liked the remaining bark as good for the
birds to cling to. Then I began to wonder if the beetle toxins that
killed our ash trees could be repelling the birds.
I found a maple log of the right size in
an old wood pile, made a new offering and presto! A female downy
woodpecker arrived, paused momentarily to check for predators then
hopped through the squirrel-repelling wire cage and munched some
lunch.
