What Food For These Birds?

[julia-mag]

I am fortunate this year in watching a robin nesting in my shed (window is always open) and a Jenny Wren nesting in a bird box that has never been used in 56 years it has been on the wall (high up). A gale turned the box part way round recently and now it is in use! I would like to help these birds especially with extra food, what is best, and how and where would be the best place to put it. I am pestered by Seagulls if I throw food out onto the lawn and the small birds do not get a chance.

[murraymints]

mealworms ? some place where access for seagulls is restricted...a windowsill upstairs perhaps near the box

[Prudie]

I find robins in particular like the flavoured suet you can buy. I use one of those hanging ball feeders that only allow small birds through the wire.

[woofgang]

I find that all the birds who come to my garden like that flavoured suet. I have got one enclosed feeder that only small birds can get into and one with bigger access holes so the blackbirds and thrushes don’t miss out. The starlings can use that one too and are so funny and noisy about it. My problem is wood pigeons, I don’t get many but the ones I do get can eat for England! I know there are jennies in my garden who nest in the ivy and occasionally I see them on the feeders. I think they come more than I see them! I can’t put food nearer to where they nest because it encourages the rats.

[julia-mag]

Mealworms I will get as soon as possible, I know the Robins love them, I can put some inside the shed for them. For the Wren I had wondered about hanging a seed/fat ball from bedroom window but wondered if that would attract other birds and frighten the Wren away? I will get ones proposed and try to work out best place to put it,whether hang it from a window slightly further away from box to avoid disturbance. Cannot see how to give Wren mealworms on her own.

[Maydup]

I think it best to put the food away from the nests as all sorts of birds are likely to find it and share between them. Your wren and robin will join in but it will make for a noisy feeding station which you wouldn't want near the carefully built nests.

Both of your birds prefer insects or fat balls to seeds but if you find the seagulls gobble everything you put out, then stop feeding altogether. The little birds must be happy that there is a good supply of insects and worms in your garden to have selected it for nesting.

[julia-mag]

A number of years ago I had a Robin that would take mealworms from my hand if I held it out absolutely still. It was wonderful to feel his feet on my hand for a split second.! There are plenty of spiders in my shed to feed the robin, and part of my garden is overgrown so has weeds and seeds and insects (including slugs) galore. The wren gave a beautiful song to-day ,well I hope it was a song and not a warning cry!