Bird feeder/tables

[Chuckles]

Dec 19, 2010 10:59:14 GMT JennyWrenn said:

Wonder if my artificial robin birdies and my huge artificial blackbird are putting them off - I will pop them in the summer house and see if that makes a difference

Mmmm they could be part of the problem They do need to feel safe. I'd probably try sticking to mixed seed only and see if that gets you some regular visitors

Yesterday I put a couple more seed feeders out that I found in the shed, just while its so cold. I also found a nut ball and a couple of fat ball wire tubes. OH popped to Wilcos and picked up a couple of bags of peanuts and some fat balls for me along with a couple of their basic seed feeders. They'll go out this morning.

Found my first fatality last night, one poor male sparrow dead below one of the feeders i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/sad.gif

I'm glad I don't get gulls, wood pigeons, magpies and squirrels Auricula the Jackdaws that I get on occasions drive me mad, there bigger than the feeders

A friend who has an Aldi near her is going to look if they have any of those lovely feeders you mentioned Louisa

[Chuckles]

The fat balls are going down well, just seen 3 Robins taking it in turns. They've only been out about 10 minutes

[Ladygardener]

Excellent, seems it was a good choice then Chuckles.

[Ladygardener]

how sad to find the poor little sparrow.

[JennyWrenn]

Oh dear poor little Sparrow I have never seen a dead bird

I had a Thrush by my feeders yesterday but the huge Blackbird that I think is the Head Waiter saw him off

Mr Robin still shyly visits when the sparrows and blue tits not feeding

Still no one touched the Suet coconut shells

On my walk yesterday I took some bird seed and scattered it under trees

[Jilly]

What a lovely idea Jenny, I always make sure that I take any extra bread left over in the office & scatter it in the car park, OH refuses to let me have a bird feeder out there though i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/grin.gif

As I'm usually at work during day light I just fill the bird table in the morning a leave it to whoever might be around. Spent quite a long time in the kitchen on Christmas day (as you do) & was really pleased to see that not only did I get the Wood Pigeons, Magpies and Starling that I knew about already but during the day I saw the sparrow gang back (I'd been worried about them), a Robin, a few Blue Tits, a Blackbird and a Pied Wagtail i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/smiley.gif

Jillyx

[Chuckles]

Glad to here you have birds visiting Jenny, I bet you've just not been looking at the right time ;D

My sparrow gang are having a ball atm pecking up all the fallen seed from the thawing ice and snow on the path

The fat balls I put out the other day aren't that popular for some reason :(but the peanuts are going down a treat. Saw a Coal Tit eating them this morning.

[JennyWrenn]

I think I will take my coconut filled shells on my next walk near the woods - am sure they will go down well with the birdies in there

I just hope no one is watching when I tie them to a couple tree branches

[Missredhead]

after weeks of no sign of the tits in the garden I saw loads this morning.....I kept putting out fresh water to replace the frozen ones but the fat balls and seed feeders didn't appear to have been touched...they have definitely found their way back to my garden now.... ;D

[Ladygardener]

That's great JW and MRH. It's lovely to see them coming to visit.
When I was in Carlow over Christmas I saw loads of Pied Wagtail along with all the usual suspects. Delightful to watch them all.
Santa brought me a new suet pellet feeder and I put it out full on Christmas eve. It was completly empty last night when we came back so the birds have been having a feast as it's a really good size.

[Ladygardener]

Just thought I'd mention that this months edition of GW has a few features about birds, a nice poster too identifying the common ones we see in our gardens. i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/smiley.gif

[Chuckles]

The initial interest in my fat balls didn't last long, think it was maybe something to do with me putting them in a peanut feeder rather than a fat ball feeder all sorted now. Poor little birds must have been getting very frustrated ;D

[Ladygardener]

At least it's sorted now Chuckles. I can't keep the suet pellet feeder filled so am rationing it at the moment. If it's full they'll eat it all in 1 day and leave everything else. It would cost a small fortune to do it.

[Chuckles]

I ration them LG, they have to clean up the seed that they scatter from the feeders too. I make sure there is seed just before dark so the late feeders get a meal and that there is enough for an early feed too. I have 4 seed feeders out a peanut ball and one fat ball feeder. I also put out a few scraps of bread and cake occasionaly. To a degree they do have to be able to fend for themselves a little.

Can't believe I got the peanut tubes muddled with the fat ball ones, well I can, I found the peanut ones first and was obviously in a hurry ;D

[Ladygardener]

;D Could happen to any of us Chuckles. Great minds think alike, when I'm at home I do put out food in the late afternoon for the reasons you do. When I'm working it's dark before I get home but I fill up for the early morning feeders before I go to bed, even 'tho I'm up before the birds every morning.

[Ladygardener]

I'm sure I read somewhere that birds like rice. I've some plain boiled basmati rice left over from last night's dinner, could I leave it out for them? I'm not sure if the rice should be raw or cooked.

[JennyWrenn]

None of my suet filled coconut shells have been touched they have been up for weeks so I took them out to the wild birds in the woods and fields yesterday and hung them on branches that squirrels couldnt get to - will see if they are touched

[Jasmine]

Jan 9, 2011 8:07:00 GMT Ladygardener said:

I'm sure I read somewhere that birds like rice. I've some plain boiled basmati rice left over from last night's dinner, could I leave it out for them? I'm not sure if the rice should be raw or cooked.

I think it's meant to be cooked LG but does it matter if it was cooked with salt or not?

I must get some more peanuts and sunflower seeds. Something ate the ones that were stored in the shed while we were away. I'm hoping it was blue tits (who I have seen going in and out where the tumble dryer house goes out the window) rather than rats or mice. Should have put the lid back on the tub they were in.

[Ladygardener]

Goodness I wonder what ate your seeds Jasmine? No I don't use salt in cooking so I'll put out a little of the rice. To be honest after I think about it there would'nt be much in the way of nutrition for the birds in it and I think I'll just dump it and stick with the bird food and fruit. i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/cheesy.gif

[Missredhead]

I have just been reading about putting grated cheese out for birds as it was shown on Springwatch...there are many fors & against where this is concerned, what does everyone think?
I have an unopened slab of cheese that has a BB date of 31st Dec 2010 on it and wondered whether I sould put some out for the birds.

[Ladygardener]

If it's not mouldy I'd eat it myself MRH. I would only put a bit at a time for them and I have done, they love it.

[Chuckles]

Birds do like a bit of cooked rice LG, without the salt is best but small amounts wouldn't hurt I'm sure, bread and biscuits have salt in them. RSPB agree with cooked rice.

Squirels are agile and determened creatures Jenny, what are these branches that squirrels can't get to ;D

Ooooh Jasmine how deep was the tub, if mice get in a deep tub they won't get out, rats Mmmm not sure how high they can jump, birds obviously would fly out ;D any sign of droppings. Hope it was blue tits.

I put grated grated cheese out for birds Missy, as long as its not mouldy its fine. Mind you if its not I'd eat it despite the date, or maybe I'd share it with the birds ;D

I put a couple of cooking apples out this morning and the blackbirds have been having a right feast.

[Jasmine]

The bird food was in an old fat ball tub.
I am hoping it was the clever blue tits who were probably thinking - if you aren't here to put stuff out we'll just help ourselves.
Never seen a rat round here - but never say never

[Ladygardener]

Thanks for that info Chuckles. I will put some of the rice out for them.
Jasmine birds are so wiley, could well have been the little tits.

[Jasmine]

The blue tits and robins can get in and out of the shed LG - other birds get trapped in there and because of the amount of windows seem to get confused about the way out.

[Missredhead]

I'll share my cheese with the birds as I brought fresh on Friday when it was BOGOF...

[JennyWrenn]

Does anyone buy specialized bird seed - I just buy cheap standard type £1.99 for big bag for all birds but they dont seem to be going mad on it

So thought would get some special ROBIN and ground feeding birdseed which was £3.50 - is it a con do you think to make us buy different types

They also had food for bluetits and other seed for other breeds quite a collection

[farmersboy]

You tight fisted thing you, only buying the cheap stuff for the poor birdies,you dont like cheap food for yourself, and you expect to get all kinds of birds in your garden ;D

[JennyWrenn]

[Jilly]

I'm always trying different seed mixes Jenny, from what I remember the Robin food had extra meal worms & suet pellets mixed in, all the birds seemed to love it, not just Robins i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/smiley.gif .
I think the suet & meal worms are what attracts them, now I just buy those separately & mix them with whatever seed is the best buy i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/undecided.gif .

Jillyx