Bird feeder/tables

[Jilly]

I've got one of those Ladygardener, it's very good for keeping the seed dry, but I'm not sure about limiting the size of birds, it does make for some very interesting acrobatics from the starlings though 

[Ladygardener]

Jilly I've got it hung from the middle of the oblisk like the sunflower heart feeder and around the oblisk I have green chicken wire so the Starlings and Pigeons can't get to it. I do however have a suet ball hanger attached outside so they don't go hungry although they are fussy about the kind of balls I put out for them. Unlike in Jenny's garden she gets tons of birds and they eat any mixture she puts out for them, the joys of living in a rural area with fields all around I guess.

[Ladygardener]

I'm so delighted, the other day I thought I saw a flash of red at my bird feeder where I have the sunflower hearts and the new feeder but I was'nt sure what it might be. Today I was visited by 2 lovely brightly coloured Goldfinch. They were eating at the sunflower hearts feeder although the new feeder which is beside it has some niger seed in it. I'm so pleased, their chatter is very mild compaired to the Chaffinches who visit.

[Ladygardener]

It's not a great pic by any means but you can just make out his little red face if you look closely, the 2 little Goldfinch on the bottom feeder.

[Jilly]

How wonderful Ladygardener, I keep hoping for a Goldfinch but I don't think I've even seen one down here. Hope they stay around for you, they're such beautiful birds.

[Ladygardener]

Never say never Jilly I could'nt believe my eyes when I saw them. Fingers crossed they do stay for a while.

[Ladygardener]

The other day I bough half a coconut with suet and insects in it and the birds are going crazy for it. It's funny, they did'nt touch it for a couple of days and now they can't seem to get enough of it. Has anyone else noticed there are a lot more birds around than normal?

[Chuckles]

I always find it takes a while for them to get used to something new Ladygardener . I've got less sparrows about but the usual Tits, Doves, and Blackbirds

[Ladygardener]

Honestly Chuckles it's nearly gone already I can't believe it. They've ignored the fat balls 'tho and I want them to keep eating them, the coconut must be like a treat for them or something.

[Jilly]

The garden seems to be very busy on the bird front lately, nothing very special, but they do amuse me 

One of the expanding Sparrow colony enjoying an early evening bath, they've managed to find a way under the roof tiles to nest, they disappeared for a few years when we had new fascia boards & I'm very glad to have them back.



One of the extremely tame & very fat Wood Pidgeons, I wasn't using the zoom he really does let me get that close, probably because he knows where his next meals coming from 



After the drama this week (see the coffee shop) our new lodgers, I just hope they keep a better eye on their other chicks 

[Ladygardener]

He looks like he's spotted something there the way his little eye is focused. Good shopt Jilly.
There are cages or something that you can get to put over the chimney pots, I think there's something on mine.

I've got all the baby starlings coming for food now and my 2 Goldfinch are now regulars.They're often the 1st to arrive in the morning, going straight in for the sunflower hearts.

[Ladygardener]

I'm being visited by the Starlings and Blackbirds as always and now their young from a while ago are visiting too. I regularly see the adult Blackbird feeding the young birds, there are about 4 of them so even 'tho it's summer time I've been putting mealy worms and suet pellets as well as black sunflower seeds on the ground for them. I also have 2 suet blocks suspended on a cane across the walkway beside the side and middle border, they love them as do the Starlings and unfortunately the pigeons too but not so many now. I also have the fat balls, some in their cage attached to the oblisk at the bottom of the garden and one with a bamboo stuck through it to keep it upright on the ground which they all peck at too.
The Goldfinch are still coming every day and are a wonderful sight with their red faces and yellow on their wings. They're so small compaired to the the Chaffinch who also comes to feed on the sunflower hearts that the bigger birds can't reach.

I have a dish where I put out fresh water every couple of days and after seeing a butterfly struggling the other day, I also put out a dish with dissolved sugar in water with 2 small bits of sponge for them to suck up some if they or any of the other visitors need a sugar boost. Funny 'tho I saw one of the adult Blackbirds drinking from it this morning.

These are some of the birds feeding on the ground and 1 in the oblisk this morning.

[Chuckles]

Just taken delivery of 40kg of bird seed. If anyone is interested its this www.gardenxl.com/pet-shop/wild-bird/food/seed/copdock-mill-wild-bird-mix-superior-20kg cheapest I've found and free delivery, cheaper than Wilkos which is £1 for a 1kg bag or £2.75 for a 2.5kg bag. having it delivered saves hugging bags from the shops or nagging OH to get me big bags.

The birds are going mad at the feeders lately, particularly first thing in the morning and last thing at night. I fill up just before last thing and am getting through about 4kg a week so 40kg will last them a while.

[Ladygardener]

I doubt I'll get much done in the garden today. I'm glad I filled up the sunflower hearts for the little birds. The garden has been full of birds all morning but the Starlings have nearly polished off the fat balls. I'm leaving sunflower hearts and suet pellets out for them now.

[Chuckles]

I mentioned some time ago about some feeders I'd bought with a tray on the bottom which helped with mess below the feeders, just found these which look almost identical.  I bought my feeders seperate from the trays at approx £10 and £5 and can definately recommend them, I've got 4 now

www.crocus.co.uk/product/_/heavy-duty-seed-feeder-and-seed-saver/classid.2000020664/

[Ladygardener]

Yes I've seen those Chuckles, it's amazing the number of feeders there are available. I was at a GC the other week and they had tons of different types. Tghe biggest mess is made in my garden now by the starlings pecking at the fat balls in their holder. They seem to skite everywhere.

[Rosefriend]

Nov 3, 2013 17:44:42 GMT Chuckles said:

I mentioned some time ago about some feeders I'd bought with a tray on the bottom which helped with mess below the feeders, just found these which look almost identical.  I bought my feeders seperate from the trays at approx £10 and £5 and can definately recommend them, I've got 4 now

www.crocus.co.uk/product/_/heavy-duty-seed-feeder-and-seed-saver/classid.2000020664/

I rather like the idea of those except for one thing - when it rains all the water collects in the tray doesn't it?? One reason that I have avoided buying anything like that here. Not that I have seen those here yet..

RF

[Dutchy]

Water is always a problem for us Rosefriend.
Even my peanut feeder with rooftop and side "drain" gets soaked after a few days and I find myself cleaning the mouldy muck out time and again.

[Rosefriend]

Nov 4, 2013 9:43:35 GMT Dutchy said:

Water is always a problem for us Rosefriend.
Even my peanut feeder with rooftop and side "drain" gets soaked after a few days and I find myself cleaning the mouldy muck out time and again.

I have to say that I hate cleaning "mouldy muck" from bird things and it has changed my way of feeding throughout the years..

Here in Germany very few people feed all the year around as there is no bird food in supermarkets, only in Pet shops. I used to add oats to the sunflower seeds and nuts but now don't as they all go slimy on the ground. I don't have fat balls either as they are just not eaten - I ended up putting them on the ground without the net and the mice, jays, crows, jackdaws, pigeons ate them...

I also hate tons of weeds so have stopped buying mixed seeds. However I have got a bag of wild bird seed for across the road under the trees - doesn't matter there what weeds grow.

This year I have sunflower seeds as usual, raisins, loads of nuts to mix in and some fat coated oats - a small packet to mix in with the large bags of sunflower seeds and nuts.
For hanging I have bags of nuts, sunflower seeds in fat etc..

Hopefully less slime this year - OH gets really iffy..

RF

[Ladygardener]

I only use sunflower hearts in the feeders at the bottom of the garden and fat balls in the feeder which is now attached to the bird table. On the table itself I'll put suet pellets, just a handful in the mornings or after the birds have gone to roost at night and some mealyworms. I have 1 feeder on the ground, but only now until late winter and inside it I have 2 fat ball broken in 2.
There's no point in me putting out even sunflower seeds as the birds ignore them and they attract pigeons which I don't want.
As the weather gets colder, I'll throw some sultanas on the ground for mr blackbird but nobody eats the apples I put out so I've stopped doing that too.

You're right Rosefriend, over time you learn what works in your garden.

[Jilly]

I only buy sunflower hearts too Ladygardener & boy do they get through them quick 

I've got a roof on my bird table which stops mostly stops the rain turning the seeds mucky & I use a tray, think it was originally a large pot saucer to put the food on & sit that on the actual table. Think it was only a couple of pounds & probably the best couple of pounds I've ever spent as I can bring it in every morning & wash it out. They also get meal worms too, both sprinkled in the tray mixed with the seed & also in their own little feeder. As I was sorting out the baking cupboard (prior to doing the Christmas puddings) they're also getting all of the out of date dried fruit & also I'm sprinkling on an old pack of Atora suet (which they're wolfing down  ). I'm not sure, but I think that the cooking suet works out a lot cheaper than suet pellets.

[Rosefriend]

Wish we got Sunflower hearts in Germany - I bet it saves a lot of mess doesn't it Jilly and Ladygardener??

Rf

[Ladygardener]

Thats a good tip Jilly and one I will try on my bird table. Mine has a roof as well but the wind blows the rain in through the sides. It's difficult to clean but a dish in there would work well. I'm sure the birds are delighted with your dried fruit treats. I buy the suet pellets, sometimes they have mealyworms bits in them, in the £1. shop. They would eat them and nothing else if they were just to get them, mostly on my table it's Starlings who arrive. I'm trying this year not to attract the pigeons.

Rosefriend there is a lot less waste than using other seeds although the birds do still skite bits around when they're pecking them. The ones I put out can only be accessed by the small birds. They cost about £9. something for 200g.

[Rosefriend]

Nov 5, 2013 6:07:13 GMT Ladygardener said:

Thats a good tip Jilly and one I will try on my bird table. Mine has a roof as well but the wind blows the rain in through the sides. It's difficult to clean but a dish in there would work well. I'm sure the birds are delighted with your dried fruit treats. I buy the suet pellets, sometimes they have mealyworms bits in them, in the £1. shop. They would eat them and nothing else if they were just to get them, mostly on my table it's Starlings who arrive. I'm trying this year not to attract the pigeons.

Rosefriend there is a lot less waste than using other seeds although the birds do still skite bits around when they're pecking them. The ones I put out can only be accessed by the small birds. They cost about £9. something for 200g.

Good God Ladygardener 9Pounds for only 200 grams...you haven't made a mistake have you...that is exorbitant!!??

RF

[Ladygardener]

Nov 5, 2013 6:26:29 GMT Rosefriend said:

Nov 5, 2013 6:07:13 GMT Ladygardener said:

Thats a good tip Jilly and one I will try on my bird table. Mine has a roof as well but the wind blows the rain in through the sides. It's difficult to clean but a dish in there would work well. I'm sure the birds are delighted with your dried fruit treats. I buy the suet pellets, sometimes they have mealyworms bits in them, in the £1. shop. They would eat them and nothing else if they were just to get them, mostly on my table it's Starlings who arrive. I'm trying this year not to attract the pigeons.

Rosefriend there is a lot less waste than using other seeds although the birds do still skite bits around when they're pecking them. The ones I put out can only be accessed by the small birds. They cost about £9. something for 200g.

Good God Ladygardener 9Pounds for only 200 grams...you haven't made a mistake have you...that is exorbitant!!??

RF

Did'nt you know I'm a multi millonaire Rosefriend. Sorry, that's the price for 2kg.

[Rosefriend]

Nov 5, 2013 6:37:45 GMT Ladygardener said:

Nov 5, 2013 6:26:29 GMT Rosefriend said:

Good God Ladygardener 9Pounds for only 200 grams...you haven't made a mistake have you...that is exorbitant!!??

RF

Did'nt you know I'm a multi millonaire Rosefriend. Sorry, that's the price for 2kg.

Hahahahaha - just been and had a wash and all the time I was thinking "9 Pounds for 200grams, nay she can't be right, she just can't" !!!
If they were that price I would put out one a day and may the best man bird win!!

RF

[Ladygardener]

I thinkk they're dear enough at £9 for the 2kg to be honest Rosefriend but it really is worth it. This is the 1st year I've put only them into the feeders and have been rewarded by seeing the visiting Goldfinch.

[totp]

I buy blocks of lard which I half melt and then mix with bird seed and then oats. I then freeze the resulting gunk in an empty yogurt pot and hey presto - fat balls. the birds seem to love it. Cleaning out a few cupboards in mid winter is always worthwhile as there is usually something past its sell by date that can be given to the birds.

[Rosefriend]

Nov 5, 2013 20:47:54 GMT totp said:

I buy blocks of lard which I half melt and then mix with bird seed and then oats. I then freeze the resulting gunk in an empty yogurt pot and hey presto - fat balls. the birds seem to love it. Cleaning out a few cupboards in mid winter is always worthwhile as there is usually something past its sell by date that can be given to the birds.

Oddly enough I used to do this years ago and put mixture in a half a coconut that OH had bored a hole through for hanging - I stopped when the coconut shells broke and have never done it since. Bit silly - never thought about yoghurt pots - mind you we don't eat yoghurt but there must be something else I can use..??

Haw do you hang them up then totp ??

RF

[Ladygardener]

How about butter tubs Rosefriend. The RSPB show how to make them with an upside down plastic coke or water or lemonade or milk bottle and seeds. Few holes in the bottom to let water out. Dut a hole in the side for the birds to get at the seed, hang onto the washing line or a tree.