Friday, October 5, 2007

Working for Peanuts

When I checked my peanut reserve in the garage yesterday, I realized that 50 lb. bag I bought a few months ago is almost gone! Since those bluejays can gobble out up 3 cups worth in less than 20 minutes, I decided it was time to get the peanut wreath out again and make those jays work a little bit harder for their peanuts. Since they're used to coming back to the deck now, it shouldn't take them long to discover where the new peanut dispenser is. Some of them used this peanut wreath last winter, so it will be interesting to see who remembers it and how long it takes the young bluejays to figure it out.
In the meantime, this clever downy woodpecker is in 7th heaven with a whole wreath of readily accessible peanuts just for him!

17 comments:

Mary said...

Wow! Is that another WBU treasure I can add to my wish list? LOL! I walked through the door at WBU yesterday and you would have thought a celebrity walked in. HA! All four of them were on me and guided me around like I was a kid in a candy shop.

Terrific Downey photo!

Anonymous said...

Today is Ruth's birthday, so all you friends of Nature Knitter wish her a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
Nature Knitter's MOM [Betty Kaun}

entoto said...

Happy Birthday, Ruthie!

Enjoy your day, I am glad you have it free from the workplace.

Besides jays and woodpeckers, what other birds like these peanut wreaths?

(word verification is ikoolmtd)

RuthieJ said...

Hi Mary,
Yes indeed, another wonderful bird feeder from those clever folks at Holscher (the people who manufacture the pole system). These peanut wreaths come in red or green. I was at WBU today and heard about another feeder the Holscher folks are coming out with that will work with the seed cylinders (if you've ever gotten them.)
I can see where they would treat you like a celebrity--if you were one of my WBU customers, I know I'd give you the royal treatment too and I'd be excited to show you all the cool new feeders and gadgets in the store since your last visit.

Thanks Mom, I wasn't going to say anything but now you've let the cat out of the bag. The last birthday of my 40's, but according to Brother Dave I shouldn't be sad because 50 is the new 30!

Hi Trixie,
Thanks for the birthday greetings. I always manage to get off work at this time each year, so I can sleep late and do whatever I want (slept till 6:30 and then watched bluejays, knitted and drank coffee for 3 hours this morning).

I usually have only jays and woodpeckers on this peanut feeder, but last spring some grackles figured out how to use it also. I think if a chickadee or nuthatch could peck through the peanut shell they would use it too.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Sissy!!! I hope you're having a great day! You're gonna love what I got you........

nina at Nature Remains. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
nina at Nature Remains. said...

Happy Birthday RuthieJ!
I'll have to try peanuts this year. We've never fed them--but I know our birds would put on quite a show for them!
Did you get that wreath from WBU?

LauraHinNJ said...

Glad to know that I'm not the only one who loves (and spoils) the blue jays. I have one of those wreaths, but need to buy some peanuts!

I hardly saw the jays most of the summer, but they've been coming around the house and calling the past week or so, which made me remember how I missed seeing them.

Susie said...

Happy Birthday Ruthie! I love that peanut wreath. After reading your previous post I put on peanuts for our bluejays. They have yet to touch them.
Enjoy your special day!
:)

Larry said...

That's a really cool looking peanut holder! Never saw one like that.Happy Birthday!

Jayne said...

A Belated Happy Birthday Ruthie! Love that wreath and can just imagine the fun it is watching the birds figure it out!

Robin (Bumblebee) said...

Happy BD, Ruthie!!!

So about these jays. I would love to attract them to my yard feeding station. Don't the peanuts act like a magnet for the squirrels and raccoons though? That would be my worry out here.

--Robin (Bumblebee)

Mary said...

Happy Belated Birthday, Ruthie! I'm glad you enjoyed your day!

RuthieJ said...

Hi Nina,
I did get the peanut wreath at WBU. I think it was around $17 or so.

Hi Laura,
I also saw only a few bluejays during the summer, but now there are probably 8 or so hanging around again--2 different families, I think.

Hi Susie,
Like your new photo!

It shouldn't take those jays long to figure out about the peanuts. It took them a day to go back to using the peanut wreath, but they cleaned out the entire thing over the course of yesterday.

Hi Larry,
It works good for holding peanuts in the shell. Makes the bluejays work a little bit to extract a treat.

Hi Jayne,
It's fun watching bluejays try to cling to it and pull out an especially stubborn peanut.

Hi Robin (Bumblebee),
The squirrels and raccoons usually don't come too close to the house and this peanut feeder is right on the deck....but yeah, you're right, it would be a squirrel magnet if you have lots of them.

Hi Mary,
Thank you.

And a Big THANKS to everyone else also for the birthday wishes. It was a great day.

Mary C said...

A belated Happy Birthday, Ruthie! I love your downy photo. He looks like he is so engrossed in getting a peanut and he didn't even notice you taking his picture. ;o)

RuthieJ said...

Hi Mary C,
That little downy was working really hard on that peanut! I slid the patio door open really slowly and he looked at me once, but decided the peanut was more important, so I was able to snap the picture! Downy's are fun!

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

Happy Birthday!! I hope it was a good day for you! I love watching the Jays pry peanuts out of my wreath.