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Post by Plocket on Jan 16, 2007 12:54:38 GMT
I always have food out for the birds but I am considering getting one of those plastic domes to help stop the food getting so wet. Has anyone got a dome and does it actually help?
Ta, Px
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2007 14:51:34 GMT
Yes Plocket - and well worth the cost.  |
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Post by Plocket on Jan 17, 2007 15:46:10 GMT
Excellent! Thank you Rita!
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Jan 26, 2007 18:20:51 GMT
The biggest problem we have is that huge great wood pigeons come onto our bird table (it sways)...it took them ages to work out how to land on it properly as the roof is quite low...BUT when one gets on it tends to stay there until it's eaten everything....the collared doves are just as greedy...
I have to dash out and replenish the food so that the little garden birds get something as well...
Mind you. the wood pigeons and doves are really messy, knocking stuff onto the ground...which is nice for the little dunnock that nips in and out of the border plants hoovering up the debris!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 26, 2007 21:59:08 GMT
In the wild, food is not covered and it gets wet. It does not seem to stop the birds eating it. I throw a wide range of food onto the lawn every day and there are always birds feeding wet or dry. I have a tray under the Niger seed feeder to catch the fallen seed. The seed often gets wet but it does not seem to stop the birds feeding. I usually stir up the seed to loosen it because it can get a bit compacted by the rain.
Birds like to be able to see what is around eg. sparrow hawks or other predators and be able to escape. Covered bird tables reduce visibility.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 26, 2007 22:19:05 GMT
Don't forget folks - it's the Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend. Here's a link for more info. www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/It's really easy and good fun, especially if you have children you can get involved. FA x |
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Post by JennyWrenn on Jan 27, 2007 8:20:13 GMT
My bird table is visited by Wood Pigeons too but then I just love these birds - there cooing is quite lovely I have to admire the cheek of Magpies as they try their hardest to balance on the food I hang from trees and cant seem to manage it - they go squawking off in such a rage I have a little Wren hovering around so do hope he/she is looking for a suitable nest site Anyone the best time to put up bird boxes - I only have one and last year no one became the tennant  I dont cover any of the food; being wet doesnt deter them |
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Post by oldmoleskins on Jan 27, 2007 10:34:50 GMT
My bird table is visited by Wood Pigeons too but then I just love these birds - there cooing is quite lovely I have to admire the cheek of Magpies as they try their hardest to balance on the food I hang from trees and cant seem to manage it - they go squawking off in such a rage I have a little Wren hovering around so do hope he/she is looking for a suitable nest site Anyone the best time to put up bird boxes - I only have one and last year no one became the tennant I dont cover any of the food; being wet doesnt deter them I don't think it matters when you put them up - quite often it takes a while before they're 'trusted' enough to nest in - position is quite often more critical. Bung 'nestbox' into the search engine at www.rspb.org.ukand better luck this year...OM |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 27, 2007 10:48:08 GMT
This isn't a good photo - I had to zoom in and then edit  This is the type of feeder I use - the dome stops the food getting wet and the mesh stop fat pigeons and collared doves eating like there is no tomorrow.  |
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Post by Spruance on Jan 27, 2007 11:01:27 GMT
It is strange watching the wild birds bathing in the two stone bird baths in our garden. The water is changed at least once a day - more often in the summer - and the baths are scrubbed clean. After the baths have been well used, the birds tend to avoid them in anticipation of clean water. This doesn't stop them from having a bath in the nearest muddy puddle, or the odd seed tray full of rainwater.  There's no pleasing some people birds! |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 27, 2007 13:11:21 GMT
Where the hell have all my birds gone ? I put some bread out this morning (on damp grass so it's not completely dry), a seedy fat block (not, that's not a self-description ;D), filled up the feeders and spread some wild bird seed around on the ground. That was 3 hours ago and we haven't seen a single bird in the garden since. There don't even appear to be many flying around. Where are they all ? We usually have loads. I'm not counting "nil" so I'm going to start my hour when I get something to count  FA x |
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Post by madonplants on Jan 27, 2007 13:40:16 GMT
Where the hell have all my birds gone ? I put some bread out this morning (on damp grass so it's not completely dry), a seedy fat block (not, that's not a self-description ;D), filled up the feeders and spread some wild bird seed around on the ground. That was 3 hours ago and we haven't seen a single bird in the garden since. There don't even appear to be many flying around. Where are they all ? We usually have loads. I'm not counting "nil" so I'm going to start my hour when I get something to count FA x Any cats about or BOP? Or have all your neighbours been doing the same thing? I don't have many either, but then again our garden, as yet, is not very bird friendly! Keith |
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Post by Susie Snowdrop on Jan 27, 2007 13:43:42 GMT
I think mine have flown back into the woods laughing their beaks off.......  S x |
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Post by madonplants on Jan 27, 2007 13:44:57 GMT
They know they are being watched!!!
Keith
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Post by Deleted on Jan 27, 2007 13:46:02 GMT
Keith
No cats around at the moment. We've kept our 2 in for the morning but they're getting a bit fractious wanting to be out so we may have to do the BGB tomorrow instead.
FA
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Post by Susie Snowdrop on Jan 27, 2007 14:47:43 GMT
Well, I've dunnock............I mean dunnit ;D
Very quiet......3 blackbirds, 2 blue tits, 2 crows, 1 chaffinch, 1 bullfinch, 2 collared doves, 1 dunnock, 1 feral pigeon, 1 great tit, 1 magpie and 2 robins.
S x
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Post by Dr Bill on Jan 27, 2007 15:29:30 GMT
There hasn't been a lot on my feeders either, but I did see a couple of lovely Long-Tailed Tits in a beech hedge while pottering today
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Post by Deleted on Jan 27, 2007 16:18:11 GMT
It's quite warm today FA, that will be why they aren't feeding |
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Post by JennyWrenn on Jan 27, 2007 17:11:21 GMT
Birds are not too bothered to visit me either
A few sparrows on the feeder hanging from tree and nothing else - wood pigeons seem to be away too
I saw a lovely Bird house Today and wondered about it
It has a house at the top and a large bird feeding table at the bottom
I did wonder if a bird would make a nest so close to where a lot of birds may visit to feed from the actual table itself
It was very pretty, has a thatched roof, they are made to order £29.99 which I thought very reasonable
Anyone think I should buy one
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Post by grannyjanny on Jan 27, 2007 20:37:20 GMT
When I was looking for a bird table I read somewhere not to get the ones with nesting boxes on them. It may have been RSPB but not certain.
Janet.
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Post by madonplants on Jan 27, 2007 20:58:35 GMT
Birds are not too bothered to visit me either A few sparrows on the feeder hanging from tree and nothing else - wood pigeons seem to be away too I saw a lovely Bird house Today and wondered about it It has a house at the top and a large bird feeding table at the bottom I did wonder if a bird would make a nest so close to where a lot of birds may visit to feed from the actual table itself It was very pretty, has a thatched roof, they are made to order £29.99 which I thought very reasonable Anyone think I should buy one Personally I wouldn't for the reasons you state. Far better to have both individually. Bird boxes and tables really need to be in different places. Think about how easy predators would be able to get to the youngsters. How would you feel if while you were caring for a few babies, a serial killer was just outside the room! The best nesting boxes are natural ones, like the ones I made as a kid, after being on an RSPB course when I was about 13/14. Find a good sized log and hollow it out, not all the way through, obviously. Drill a hole whatever size you want and put a lid on it. Then put it in a tree, preferably east facing, so that it doesn't warm up too much. Mine were on a large apple tree and always had blue tits in them. Must ask my Dad, what happened to them. Hope this helps. Keith |
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Post by JennyWrenn on Jan 27, 2007 23:52:07 GMT
Thanks Janet and Keith - think you are both right - I was unsure - obviously the guy making them doesnt know much about birds |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2007 11:50:29 GMT
ive done the birdwatch this morning
10 starlings, 3 hedge sparrows, 3 magpies, 2 collered doves, 1 blackbird (mrs whitewing), 1 greenfinch, 4 chaffinch, 2 dunnocks and 1 wren
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Post by madonplants on Jan 28, 2007 11:55:51 GMT
ive done the birdwatch this morning 10 starlings, 3 hedge sparrows, 3 magpies, 2 collered doves, 1 blackbird (mrs whitewing), 1 greenfinch, 4 chaffinch, 2 dunnocks and 1 wren Dunnocks are hedge sparrows!!  Keith |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2007 13:06:31 GMT
oops sorry. didnt realise id put them down twice forgive me!!!
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Post by madonplants on Jan 28, 2007 13:40:30 GMT
oops sorry. didnt realise id put them down twice forgive me!!! Just this once!!! Just finished mine, not brilliant, but then I do have quite a bare plot at present. 10 starling, 4 wood pidgeons, 5 collared doves and 5 crows. If only I didn't have this old virus or I would have gone out somewhere, maybe down to the river. It is a pity you couldn't do ones flying over, then 2 species of gulls (lesser blackbacked and common) jackdaws and one rook, could have been added. Still boring I know. Couldn't believe a blackbird didn't visit in that hour. I remember doing a similar thing as a 14 year old kid, only sponsored and went over our local heath and found 115 species in about three hours! Oh those were the days. I am sure once our garden does get done (if we stay) more will come. Keith |
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Post by Plocket on Jan 28, 2007 13:56:22 GMT
The garden's been a bit quiet this morning as far as the birds are concerned, partly because we were out there working, but also because the buzzards were overhead!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2007 17:43:52 GMT
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Post by madonplants on Jan 28, 2007 18:19:50 GMT
Yes I am sure, surprised me too, but they were getting chased by a huge flock of starlings at the time, so maybe they came in for cover all at the same time. What cover I don't know! I have been watching birds since I was a toddler and have been on RSPB and RSPCA courses as a teenager so I am 100% sure I was right. They can form flocks, just prior to roosting so maybe they didn't know the time!!! Seriously though I think the starlings had something to do with it, we had loads flying overhead and I mean loads. They were not in the same place though. Two were on the garage at either end, one was in the Alder tree at the front of the house, one was in the Sorbus at the back and one on the fence. I think it has been the most I have seen at any one time, so maybe my hour was not a complete loss. If it hadn't been for the two trees no birds would have actually come into the garden. I only get starlings on the feeding station and the occasional blackbird having a bath in the birdbath!! Just wait, when the garden gets done (if it gets done) more will come I am sure!! Keith |
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Post by grannyjanny on Jan 28, 2007 20:35:52 GMT
On th RSPB form they have sent me dunnocks & hedge sparrows are listed separately.
Janet.
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