Topic: Missing birds.

[redimp]

Blackbirds do really love apples - I put out all the large cores(?) that the children leave at school and Mrs Blackbird is especially keen.  It's fascinating to look at them after she has finished.

[Carol]

I know Rc.  I buy loads in a week for the blackbirds.  I try and get the waisted ones from markets but if not buy the cheapest on sale. 

 ;D ;D ;D ;D

[GREENWIZARD]

 

Whilst there I found some specialised bird food from Chapel Wood.  They actually sell mixes for specific birds.  I came away with the wren food and blackbird food.  They also had mixes for robins, finches, tits and thrushes.  I thought I would put a little of both mixes together and see who comes to eat.

 

what's in the mix for the wrens P?

[Paulines7]

what's in the mix for the wrens P?

Mix for wrens contains:  peanut nibs, pinhead oatmeal and flaked oats.

Mix for blackbirds:  flaked oats, wheat and maize, peanut nibs, currants and oatmeal.

I haven't put any out for the birds yet as I have been otherwise engaged.  See Yummy Parsnips in Edible Plants.

Pauline

[GREENWIZARD]

thanks P7 :)
love your feeding station :)
post some pics when you add your other pieces on

[Carol]

I think Wren mix will be a compelte waste of money becuase they spend their energy looking for their food in every nook n cranny in your garden.  Not sure they will bother with food put out for them, even if it is put among the bushes.

 >:( >:( >:( >:(

[GREENWIZARD]

hoping to entice my wee wren to stay abit longer so i can maybe capture a pic or two of him ;D
but i know what you mean C, he darts about all over the place.
i've managed to get some video footage but never a pic :( :(

[Carol]

No, don't think you will have a chance of capturing a wren, but then you may get lucky.  Lovely wee birds.  In and out of all the crevaces? would be ok if you knew it was coming near you but then they are reclusive.  Good luck. You could always build yourself a 'hide'.  am kidding!!! but thats how the wildlife photographers do it dont they. 

 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[Paulines7]

thanks P7 :)
love your feeding station :)
post some pics when you add your other pieces on

I added the other bits this morning.  I refilled the two niger seed feeders, put a mixture of wren and blackbird feed on the tray and filled the bath.  The first and only visitor to the tray was a robin.  The goldfinches then came to feed on the niger seed so I went upstairs to take photos.  They are not very good though as they were taken through the double glazing.  Here is the best of the bunch.  Whilst taking photos I noticed the finches were dropping seeds into the bath water so I have changed the position of feeders.  Just looked out and a robin took something from the tray.  Shortly after, one of the goldfinches ate from the tray.  A blackbird has just appeared and is feeding on the ground under the feeding station but hasn't used the tray yet.

Pauline

[Carol]

I have the same set up with the pole outside our bedroom window Pauline.  It don't get used much but have the same problem as you with the seed being dropped into the water dish.   The Robin enjoys sitting and eating from the seed tray tho.

 ;D ;D ;D

[lorna]

Pauline I am so envious. As I said in previous post as soon as Christmas is over I am going to try and do some serious things to entice birds.Not sure if I can afford such a lovely set up but if son John has any spare time I may persuade him to make something from the metal in the garage., he has his Dad's welder and is quite a clever lad.(Pauline if only Charlie was still here, he was so clever making things be it wooden, metal etc. although he never had  training for anything) Keep the pics coming please. Best regards Lorna.xx

[Obelixx]

Improvise Lorna.  My feeding station is two very tall rustic poles pushed in the ground either side of the path up the veggie garden with a horizontal bar screwed in place across them.  This keeps everything out of feline range.  There are 6 hooks for hanging nut and fat ball feeders and I put loose seed and sliced apples on a tray on the ground nearby along with a bird bath - well away from shrubs where girl thingies can hide and pounce.   

It works well - loads of birds and no casualties to the felines.  At this time of year I have to refill the fat ball feeder every two days and the nut feeders twice a week.  This rate of consumption will stay pretty much the same through the nest-building and mating season then go down for the summer but I feed all year so the parents have energy to hunt out insects and caterpillars for the babies.   This year, for the first time, mum woodpecker brought her baby to feed and this winter we have the whole family feeding, along with generations of sparrows and tits.  Other birds come too but not in such numbers as robins and blackbirds and such tend not to live in colonies.

[GREENWIZARD]

excellent P7 ;D
here's my feeding stations
washing line

&
bird table

[Georgie]

Blimey GW, wot's that white stuff on the bird table?   ;)

Love your feeding station but don't the glass twirly thingies scare off the birds?   ???

G xx

[Paulines7]

Pauline I am so envious. As I said in previous post as soon as Christmas is over I am going to try and do some serious things to entice birds.Not sure if I can afford such a lovely set up but if son John has any spare time I may persuade him to make something from the metal in the garage., he has his Dad's welder and is quite a clever lad.(Pauline if only Charlie was still here, he was so clever making things be it wooden, metal etc. although he never had  training for anything) Keep the pics coming please. Best regards Lorna.xx

Lorna, you could just add another feeder with niger seed, then put a feeding station down on your Christmas list for next year!.  The best thing about them is that they are so easily moved; very useful at mowing time.  I don't know about you but I can never think of anything when asked by my children what I want for Christmas.  

Carol, if your feeding station doesn't get used much perhaps it is too near the house.  Do the nuts and seed go down at all?  If so I suspect they are feeding before you draw your curtains back of a morning.

GW, lovely pictures and a very good idea.  I love the robin sheltering from the snow.  Not taken today I hope!

Pauline

[Carol]

I know the reason Pauline and Why I do not get many birds at all really.   The bleeding 'SPARROWHAWK'  sits on a tree at the bottom of our garden and waits and waits and watches.  She was sat there this whole morning.  I was out 3 times yelling at her but she was back in 5 mins.  So you see I cannot win, birds aint daft.  I do have the blackbirds eating at the back door feeding station but again usually first thing in the morning, as the day goes on they disappear again probably cos of the Sparrowhawk being up and about.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Any time you feed a seed mix you get a lot of the less favourite seeds being dropped; when I had a tit feeder outside the window (I gave up in the end because of the family complaining about the mess) I gave up on mixes and just fed sunflower seed since that was the favourite.

[Rosa_Mundi]

I feed a mix on a table, but add about 50% sunflower seeds because they're favoured by the tits and greenfinches. Also get sparrows, robin, chaffinch and bullfinch. I don't encourage the birds to hang around too long because of a sparrowhawk, too. There's definitely a problem with discarded seed inviting unwelcome visitors such as mice and a rat (now history) - and squirrels. Little s*ds have learned to like sunflower seed  :(

[GREENWIZARD]

Love your feeding station but don't the glass twirly thingies scare off the birds?   ???

G xx

they don't deter the birds at all

GW, lovely pictures and a very good idea.  I love the robin sheltering from the snow.  Not taken today I hope!

pic taken last month

[Twospot Ladybird]

Hi Lorna,

I feed my birds, chopped and soaked Sultanas, grated mild Cheddar and bread broken up into very small pieces which are then moistened with water and a little Sunflower Oil. This little lot gets scattered over the lawn and some of each goes into the Holly bush for the birds that prefer to feed in there. This little mixture is loved by Blackbirds, Robins, Wrens, Dunnocks and Starlings. I put it out before first light and have so far managed to avoid feeding the Feral Pigeons. I also have a small ceramic pot of mixed seed (50/50 general wild bird mix and Robin mix) under an up turned wire hanging basket.  This is eaten by Robins, Wrens, Dunnocks, Blue and Great Tits and Greenfinches and the odd Starling that can squeeze between the wires. There is also a Peanut feeder and a Nyger Seed feeder and hopefully caged Peanut and Seed feeders joining them soon.

I put out Apple cores when I have them but strangely the Blackbirds aren't really interested in them  :-\