Watching the learning curve for birds. Starlings, even just a couple of them,in winter and grackles in summer can easily gobble up a suet cake a day in my yard. I bought a caged suet feeder this year that allows smaller birds in but excludes the starlings.    the Carolina wrens do not hesitate to go through the cage to the suet. The Bluebirds, appear to have a "wait and see attitude.

Sandy, I broadcast a bit of millet seed on the ground for assorted sparrows but in my seed feeders i serve only black-oil sunflower seeds to deter starlings. Starlings have weak beaks and can not shell sunflower seeds, so leave my seed feeders alone.