Date: Mon, 19 Aug 2002 18:32:08 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: John & Cathy Messina Subject: Apartment feeders MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit On the subject of feeding birds from apartments/condos, we found that seed drifting down from our feeder did attract a big rat to the ground below in front of our building. So we stopped using the feeder and now buy hulled sunflower chips and patio mix, which we spread directly on our balcony floor. We leave out small amounts, about enough to feed the birds during the daytime. Nothing seems to fall off the balcony, so we have no more rats and no complaints from any humans. We generally use the balcony only in the evenings, and the seed is usually eaten up by then. Now we see the birds more easily than we did when they came to the feeder, and our indoor-only housecat loves to charge up to the sliding glass door and frighten away squirrels (she mainly just chatters at the birds). Cathy Messina ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================