Joining The Bird Feeding Crew

[Eve]

I have joined the bird feeders on here :)

I do go in the park with seed for the ducks and birds, especially when cold and snow or frozen ground and more difficult for them to get food but haven't had anything for feeding them in my garden for years as I've had cats.

On holiday leave to rest up so I set myself a getting weller challenge today to get some bits in Wilkos, a peanut net, sunflower seed one and some fat balls. Figured I'd get some proper feeders to top up if they proof popular.

Tried to put them where they aren't accessible by larger birds so much (magpie and pigeon central round here!) or squirrels.

Am quite excited now to see if any of the smaller birds find them and see if I can identify them, the less obvious ones anyway.

For those who saw my previous thread, I had another brief sighting of the, I think now, sparrow hawk, flying about!

Any good suggestions welcome of what goes down well, especially with smaller birds.

[2sp_]

I seem to have about 800 sparrows lurking in my back garden due the the copious amounts of peanuts and fat balls I put out for them. I also put up the filled coconuts too when I feel flush.

Try to place the feeders where the sparrow hawk can't get a good swoop on the wee birds or you will end up making sitting ducks (or any other breed of bird) of the poor wee souls.

I also chop up old apples and throw them on the shed roof for bigger birds.

[Eve]

Thanks for the tips :)

I've tried to put them lying flat against the fence, fastened near the top but so they aren't totally out in the open, especially with the hawk's spying place I first saw it being a big tree overlooking the garden. I just hope they will be able to spot them. They are more sheltered there though.

I looked at the coconut ones though wasn't sure how well I could try and put them up as have been using bits of garden twine. Will see how the nets go first I think.

There are lots of little birds but I don't see so many closer up since the jungle which was next door's garden got sorted.

It'll be good to get a feeding place established before the colder weather sets in.

[2sp_]

I have a great population of sparrows and blue tits. Also a growing amount of starlings! Plenty of wagtails, collared doves, housemartins, swallows, finches and jackdaws. Some of the sparrows are just little balls of feathers, they are so well fed!

I'm really an amateur when it comes to birds, but I do like seeing them. I'm lucky as we have a coal shed that is used to nest in every year buy all sorts of birds.

[Eve]

Well, I have my first visitor! A squirrel is having a great little time out there, first with the sunflower seeds before he discovered the peanuts and is now filling his little boots! Didn't even seem to mind me stood by the back door with a cigarette.

He was trying to make off with the sunflower seeds, the whole net bless him, trying to tug it away.

[Eve]

...and he's still there...unlike most of the peanuts! I think I might need to get a proper feeder so there is some left for the birds. He is very cute though.

[sue11]

When I used to live in an urban location, I used to regularly feed the sparrows and we ended up with at least 30 of them all at once, coming to the bird feeders. I would buy the mixed, husk free seed which was kinder to our lawn and they cleared the feeders pretty quick. We also had a few squirrels coming to the feeders, they are lovely but right little blighters who would chew through the feeders to get to the seed. We also had a sparrow hawk in regular residence as well, a beautiful animal, although the reason for it being there was not so nice, but that is nature I guess.
Now we live in a semi rural location, I have not seen a single sparrow, but loads of blue and coal tits and finches who love eating sunflower hearts! It costs me a packet, but it is worth it!
We also have a badger that comes under the feeders at night to take advantage of any dropped seed which is nice to see!

[Eve]

Badgers are lovely animals to watch, not that you'd want to get too close to one! When I lived in the country a number of them used to come into our garden so we used to leave food way up the garden for them.

I got some more bits today, thought if I put something more obvious it might attract interest so got a large seed tray and have weighed it down and put some seed in it. Due wind and rain here I think but it should stay where it is and water drain out of it.

I also got one of those suet blocks and a holder for that and a seed holder and another net of peanuts as Mr Squirrel pretty much scoffed the lot. No sooner had I been out, he was back and scared off a little bird who was showing some interest!

I hoped to get some kind of washing line across which I could hang things off but is a bit more squirrel proof though they are cunning little beggars.

[Eve]

...and he has demolished the new peanut net so it has a big hole in it (the other is now empty!)...I think I need a new peanut strategy! I don't mind him having them though if it's hungry or stashing them away or taking them to feed others, just don't want to scare the birds off from the other feeders.