Wild Birds

[Robinia]

Hi to all the birdy people, we haven't had a 'meeting' for a long time.... Do any of you know where to buy sparrow sized hot water bottles because I'm sure the poor little things must be needing them?! Have you any nests yet? We think there's a blackbird in my neighbour's tree but apart from that no signs of building here - I'm in Derbyshire btw.

[Robinia]

haha - mention cheese & a shaneystar appears!

[gessoo]

Even better Robinia, just call out

'Chips, chips, chips'

[shaneystar2]

You two !!!
I am so hungry I shall be eating the birds fat balls soon....let alone cheese and chips !!
Mmm...these peanuts are not too bad actually !! I may sample the niger seed in a minute !

[asciwhite]

Hi gessoo, just wondering around and thought i'd say Hello!!! we have a siskin that also comes to visit us too and I answered your question Robinia as a green tag....: )

[Breezy23]

Well I'm glad to see its not just me spending a fortune. What Tesco staff must think of my diet I don't know. Value sultanas, packs of lard (to make my own fat balls), cheap fruit teacakes or bread, value eggs for the visiting foxes (two of them at least that I have seen), value cheese and anything else suitable in the cheap - going out of date section. More often than not there is more for our feathered and furry friends (my 2 cats included) than there is for me. I also always feel compelled to tell the cashier "don't worry, they are only for the fox" when they open the packs of eggs to make sure they aren't cracked. Must need by brain tested.

[gessoo]

Hi asci - How you doing? Those little siskins are so very tiny and fragile - I just love them.

[gessoo]

Breezy23 - You sound just lovely. A person after my own heart!! I am the one who goes out with all the old greenery and carrots to feed the wild rabbits in the field behind us when it is snowing!! My neighbour hates it 'cos she thinks you should shoot rabbits.

[gessoo]

Didn't take long for Shaneystar to turn up!

[asciwhite]

I'm so happy they're eating well, gessoo, and to see a little siskin is just lovely and the blue tits and the sparrows and, not forgetting...our little robin, who prefers the other end of the garden. Too busy for him this end and he likes mr asci to do the gardening with him in tow. Glad I got those binoculars now....

[Robinia]

well that's alright then asci - as long as you've made a contribution ;-)

lol Breezy - they'll be having a whip round & sending you a food parcel at Christmas.

[Breezy23]

Further to our birdy discussion, must tell you all something really awful about fat balls. When I came back from my holiday last year, my neighbour who had fed the cats and topped up the bird feeders showed me a horrific sight. Caught up in one of the (now empty) fat ball nettings was a bird's foot and leg. Looked like it would have belonged to a starling. I felt absolutely awful as it must have got tangled up and either wrenched its leg off or pecked it off to escape. Now I always take the netting off and use the hangers that you can put them in. So please all of you out there, don't take any chances. One happy ending is that I did see a one legged starling visiting the garden all last summer and although I felt dreadful, I guessed it must have been the bird concerned and it did hop around seemingly OK.

[gessoo]

I have started taking the netting off now Breezy, since I heard about this recently.

[Robinia]

yes Breezy - the only thing in a net around here is my hair!

[shaneystar2]

I take the netting off as I had heard about this about this. I can't have one legged starlings hopping around .
These home made fat balls sound delicious Robinia !
I was talking about this to someone the other day . How do you make them ? Do you just melt the lard ,mix the seed in and then let it harden in the fridge and chop it up etc ?
It's not for me you understand ........!!!! It is for the birds..honest!

[shaneystar2]

And I meant Breezy ..re the fat balls . Must get some new glasses !
Hi asci by the way.Hope you are keeping O.K.

[gessoo]

Fat Balls and Chips for tea tonight Shaney!

[gessoo]

Robinia, You are now on the list of Most Popular Threads.

[shaneystar2]

Gawd .. ..I'm repeating myself now ..a whiff of cheese on toast and I go all haywire !!

[shaneystar2]

Oh ..well done Robinia....your name in lights ..at last !!

[Breezy23]

I melt the lard, add various seeds, bread, sultanas, any fat from cooking bacon or the like, and the magic ingredient - flour. It helps bind it all together and stops the lard from just running through. I then put it into a plastic container and put it out on the lawn. I have tried to make it into balls and hang it up but it isn't successful. I keep the plastic trays that you get when you buy things like chops, then you can just dispose of them when its all gone.