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Post by Plocket on Nov 2, 2006 9:33:46 GMT
Now that the weather is turning cold don't forget about the birds! Make sure you top up your feeders regularly, and if you only feed the birds during the colder months now is the time to start putting food out again!
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Post by piggingardener on Nov 2, 2006 10:41:58 GMT
Good morning Plocket
I've just been reading about the birdlife in your garden on the other thread. We filled all our feeders up on Sunday too. Unfortunately I can only see the birds at weekends, and lunchtime if I'm lucky. I'm only 15 mins drive from home so am able to go home for lunch - a real boon! Downside is that I don't have a window in my office at work. I'm up in the loft!! Can't see anything. Sad aint it!
Our birds are well provisioned, they have peanut feeders, sunflower seeds, sunflower hearts, fat balls, home made "bird pudding" on the bird table, and a bird bath. Not content with all this birdy banquet, they eat my bean flowers and acer buds and then cr@p all over my car - no gratitude at all!!
I do love them though, little blighters.
PG
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Post by Plocket on Nov 2, 2006 11:07:57 GMT
Do you have a window in the loft space Piggin? Your birds sound spoiled rotten - well done!!  Shame about the car, bean flowers and acer buds though. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 2, 2006 11:18:23 GMT
I have put some fat balls out for the beds - high up a pole, I was in two minds whether to do it, a) its nice to have birds in the garden and to feed them but b) am i just providing more playthings to come into the garden for my Cat  |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 2, 2006 11:35:01 GMT
I usually feed my garden birds all year, but decided to stop feeding them this summer  as we may well move house during the winter - the poor birds would wonder what had happened if feeders where up one day full of lovely food and gone the next |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 2, 2006 12:02:59 GMT
I am filling the feeders on a daily basis, must have a greedy lot! The little robin has started to make visits which is always nice and he feeds from the feeder which is quite unusual I think. Sara  |
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Post by Rosefriend on Nov 2, 2006 12:05:55 GMT
We have had, as we have each and every year, people on the TV and radio telling us not to feed the birds until we have deep snow as it is very unhealthy for them.
Hanging things aren't too bad but birdtables are incorrect as they are unhygenic and dangerous for the birds i.e. bird droppings in the food etc.
I must admit that I do feed the birds and I do have a hanging bird table and I also hang fat thingys for the tits etc.
My problem are the pidgeons, woodpeckers, jays, jackdaws and above all the squirrels. They just eat everything in one fell swoop. However I can watch them for ages and this year we have a pair of wrens which are a lovely sight.
Rosefriend
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Post by piggingardener on Nov 2, 2006 12:43:49 GMT
Do you have a window in the loft space Piggin? Your birds sound spoiled rotten - well done!! Shame about the car, bean flowers and acer buds though. No - no window at all, just a fan and a heater. But - at least I have my own office - I can keep up with the boards when I get fed up of working..............shhhhhh don't tell anyone ;D |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 2, 2006 15:38:34 GMT
My problem are the pidgeons, woodpeckers, jays, jackdaws and above all the squirrels. They just eat everything in one fell swoop. However I can watch them for ages and this year we have a pair of wrens which are a lovely sight. Rosefriend Sounds like you could do with some caged bird feeders, Rosefriend I use one like this to stop the big birds eating everything in one sitting www.drollyankees.com/products.cfm?ID=72 |
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Post by sleepysunday on Nov 2, 2006 15:40:04 GMT
Big birds (and squirrels) need to eat too. Even more so in fact.
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Post by Rosefriend on Nov 2, 2006 15:50:28 GMT
Big birds (and squirrels) need to eat too. Even more so in fact. Yes I know they do Sleepy but they could go to a neighbours now and again for a change couldn't they? Rita - those caged feeders could be the answer but do you know I haven't seen one like that here yet. Having said that I will probably go out tomorrow and see hundreds of them. Rosefriend |
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Nov 2, 2006 17:59:48 GMT
Hlo Plockett. I feed the birds all year too, but increase the amount and variety in the cold weather...
At night the wood-mice dash about mopping up any seeds that have been knocked onto the ground. Priya (our cat) is locked in when it gets dark.....so she sits howling at the window watching them. At first light the small garden birds come to the table..a large variety considering how near we are to the city. The larger birds...blackbirds, wood-pigeons and collared doves come and hoover everything else up at around 9am.....then we have more visitors in the afternoon...robins and sparrows turn up all day long and don't mind the big birds. But some of the others seem a bit scared of them. We have a few squirrels visit too...
I refill everything daily...birdfood is always on my grocery list every week when I go shopping! ;D
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Post by Deleted on Nov 2, 2006 19:41:44 GMT
Rosefriend & Rita This might help www.pdsa-shop.co.uk tel 08701125418 I got my pdsa christmas gift cataloge today, in it was a birdcare supliment in this there is a caged bird feeder. Only problem is its £19.99. Regards Karenwl |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 2, 2006 21:36:18 GMT
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Post by Rosefriend on Nov 3, 2006 7:36:48 GMT
Rosefriend & Rita This might help www.pdsa-shop.co.uk tel 08701125418 I got my pdsa christmas gift cataloge today, in it was a birdcare supliment in this there is a caged bird feeder. Only problem is its £19.99. Regards Karenwl Thanks a lot for the info - mind you 20 quid for a bird feeder - just think of the bird food that I can get for that money. Trouble is that I am never in the UK at the right time to buy these things. I will start looking around here but up to now I haven't seen them. As I have said we live in the middle of nowhere so I will have to go to a bigger town and look around. Rosefriend |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2006 7:57:44 GMT
Rosefriend & Rita This might help www.pdsa-shop.co.uk tel 08701125418 I got my pdsa christmas gift cataloge today, in it was a birdcare supliment in this there is a caged bird feeder. Only problem is its £19.99. Regards Karenwl Thanks a lot for the info - mind you 20 quid for a bird feeder - just think of the bird food that I can get for that money. Trouble is that I am never in the UK at the right time to buy these things. I will start looking around here but up to now I haven't seen them. As I have said we live in the middle of nowhere so I will have to go to a bigger town and look around. Rosefriend The Droll Yankees feeders do seem expensive, but they are very well made, they can be dismantled for cleaning and are squirrel proof, too. It doesn't take long to recoup the cost of them once the greedy birds can't get to the food BTW |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2006 21:15:22 GMT
No squirrels where I live to upset things - the bloney birds are getting through about 2kg of seed a week at the moment though. Well, thats what I ration them to - they'd probably eat more if I gave them the option!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2006 15:55:52 GMT
Just bought some mixed seed from Lidl this week, must be a special mixture as I've had to fill up after two days.
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Shame about the car, bean flowers and acer buds though.
as we may well move house during the winter - the poor birds would wonder what had happened if feeders where up one day full of lovely food and gone the next 
