I feed for the squirrels, out on open platforms, and I feed a lot of quantity, about a coffee can full a day.
I get the squirrels, a big flock of doves, some jays, and the assortment of small birds I don't know the name of.
What I'd like to know is how to keep the seed that falls on the ground from molding... when it's warm enough, it sprouts, which is fine, but right now I am just getting a lot of mold, and I'm sure that's not good for the birds that are picking through it in the ground.
If they're not picking through it sufficiently to eliminate the excess (a lot of what ends up staying on the ground is the hulls), you might try hosing down the area every week or so.
Hi HairOfTheDog
I have a feeding area for the squirrels too. Sometimes there's a squirrel convention out there. :)
Fortunately, I haven't seen any mold problems here. That's a bummer. I rake up daily or every other day. It's a pain and you may not have the time to get to it. Sometimes I wish I could use a vacuum. :)