Do we refill the suet feeder?

Do we abandon the birds that have entertained us all winter, just because it's almost time for the summer birds to return? Is it safe to feed birds suet year round? S.H.W.

Commercially prepared suet cakes are safe for year round feeding. If it is hung out in the sun use a suet dough with a high melting point or a seed cake available at Wild Birds Unlimited. Besides the usual woodpeckers, nuthatches and chickadees, during the spring and summer you may even attract orioles, warblers and more with suet. And the reason I feed suet in the summer is to watch as harried parent birds bring their babies up close and try to convince them to feed themselves.