There are three options to look into:
- Cage the suet feeder. For this to work you need a mesh no bigger than 1.5" and the cage will need to be at least a couple of inches away from the food. This will allow Downy Woodpeckers, but not larger woodpeckers, however I have seen larger woodpeckers use their very long tongues to still get food in a caged feeder.
- An upside-down feeder. These are more starling resistant than starling proof, but they are effective. I use these when starlings show up. All woodpeckers use them just fine, but non-clingers would be kept out.
- Pure rendered suet, with nothing added. I’ve seen this used very successfully. Starlings tend to leave it alone, but woodpeckers will use it. From what I’ve seen though, it’s not quick off the starting blocks, I’ve had people say that it took their regular birds a while to go for it. Problem is it also doesn’t get much besides woodpeckers and chickadees, and in the last couple of years, it’s very expensive.
I’ve done all three of these, find they are effective.
If you want to put something for Blue Jays, I’d try an open tray with Striped Sunflower. Starlings don’t have beaks well suited to cracking heavy seed hulls and usually ignore it. Blue Jays will visit, though they prefer peanuts in the shell, which you could toss on the tray with the sunflower.