I've never done any pine come feeders, but have been feeding the birds as long as I've lived here - 21 years.

I have 2 black oil sunflower feeders and a suet feeder. Used to do thistle (niger seed) for the goldfinch and other little birds, but it got too expensive. When there is snow on the ground, I also scatter seed on the ground in a few places for the ground-feeding birds.

I also love the Cardinals. There are time when I can look out my kitchen window and see more than 20 out there eating.

Used to feed year round - now I take them down the beginning of May and put them back up in mid-October.