Author Topic: They're back!! (Read 4918 times)

eileen · « **on:** December 29, 2005, 13:02:39 »

A flock of Long Tailed Tits arrived in the garden this morning. Such beautiful little birds!! They seem to appreciate the fat cakes and fat balls I've hung out in the garden. So nice to have them visiting again. ;D

GREENWIZARD · « **Reply #1 on:** December 29, 2005, 13:33:52 »

fantastic e :)
any chance of a pic?

lorna · « **Reply #2 on:** December 29, 2005, 13:36:52 »

The more I read and see the posts on the birds the more envious I get :'(

eileen · « **Reply #3 on:** December 29, 2005, 16:17:23 »

Will try to get a piccie for you GW but I haven't set up my printer or scanner again yet so it may take a while. Fingers crossed they keep coming back!!

Debs · « **Reply #4 on:** December 29, 2005, 19:55:50 »

I had a pair of mistle thrushes, pair of woodpigeons and pair of

ring necked doves all feeding in my snow covered garden today.

Also had the usual suspects.. robin, sparrows, dunnocks, wren, blackbirds.

Made more bird cakes to see them through the cold snap.

Debs

Gardengirl · « **Reply #5 on:** December 30, 2005, 09:48:18 »

My birds are devouring the food at an alarming rate - can hardly keep up with them :) ::) I am so envious of those who have long tailed tits visiting - never seen one here. Maybe I am too far south - do they frequent the northern regions I wonder :-\...........or maybe they do not like the food I put out (mainly sunflower hearts and peanuts)

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #6 on:** December 30, 2005, 11:07:36 »

I used to see plenty in Cornwall, so I don't think that's it. They don't go far from thick cover; are you in an open area?

MikeB · « **Reply #7 on:** December 30, 2005, 11:17:46 »

Does anyone have a recipe for fat balls?

undercarriage plan · « **Reply #8 on:** December 30, 2005, 11:23:10 »

I just melt some lard, add whatever grabs me, like seeds, oats, currants etc, put in a bowl to set or coconut half and bung in the fridge...
I would like a pat on the head for my very restrained answer.... :)

MikeB · « **Reply #9 on:** December 30, 2005, 11:24:54 »

Thats cos your a lady init

undercarriage plan · « **Reply #10 on:** December 30, 2005, 11:26:42 »

;D ;D ;D

Val · « **Reply #11 on:** December 30, 2005, 12:35:21 »

Pat we've had the long tailed tits in the garden, ..I'm in Kent, it was last spring I saw them, haven't spotted them this year yet though. I did see a robin trying to peck at one of the fat balls. Anyone got a recipe for fat balls, or cakes, I'm not sure how to mix them up, do you melt suet and things altogether? They way they are eating at the moment it would be cheaper to do my own.All help gratefully received, thanks folks.

GREENWIZARD · « **Reply #12 on:** December 30, 2005, 15:29:42 »

http://erecipetips.com/recipe/pet_recipes/bird_foods
~here's some posh recipes V :)

here's some of my recipes:
   1.mixed bird seed with pura veg oil block & pour into
   coconut shells

   2.whizz some porridge oats & raisins in a food processor
   & mix that with the veg fat

   3.niger seed mixed with veg fat ..it's the only way
   they'll eat it ::)

lorna · « **Reply #13 on:** December 30, 2005, 15:51:00 »

GW Sorry, more questions.
No 2. I do not own a food processor..any other way?

No 3. What is niger seed? (told you I know nought!!)

lorna · « **Reply #14 on:** December 30, 2005, 15:52:16 »

GW. PS I bought sunflower seed and mixed wild bird seed.. are they ok?

Gardengirl · « **Reply #15 on:** December 30, 2005, 16:01:43 »

Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on December 30, 2005, 11:07:36

are you in an open area?

Our garden is quite enclosed Robert with a row of beech trees quite close for the birds to retreat to.

Val - I'm in Herts so maybe I'll get lucky one day. On second thoughts I seem to remember my friend down the road saying she has LTT's in her garden - maybe its the dogs and cats that put them off although all the other birds don't seem to mind:-\ :)

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #16 on:** December 30, 2005, 16:48:14 »

A row of beech trees doesn't sound like typical lontailed tit habitat; if it was a solid wood they'd be up in the canopy, or they like good sized patches of scrub, but the trouble with a small piece of cover is that they have to fly in and out, and they'd be vulnerable to hawks. So they tend to avoid it.

Val · « **Reply #17 on:** December 30, 2005, 18:25:03 »

Brilliant GW, thanks for that, homemade cakes for our birds tomorrow. Pat my OH came from Herts, W.G. City :) ...We've got just normal gardens here but there are woods a couple of miles away, maybe we just got lucky last spring, we haven't seen them before or since.

Gardengirl · « **Reply #18 on:** December 30, 2005, 18:49:48 »

Val - I am going with my daughter one day next week to hit the sales at WGC as she has a week off work. We also have a large area of woods on the edge of our village only a short distance from us.

GREENWIZARD · « **Reply #19 on:** December 30, 2005, 20:51:08 »

L you could buy fine cut oats

~here the niger/thistle seed
it's a very fine black oily seed & rather expensive :(
but don't be tempted to buy in bulk because it can become rancid if stored for too long
i buy mine from our local market but i'm sure you'll be able to pick it up some of the pet superstores.
you can also buy special feeders that are designed to cope with such a fine seed.

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Author Topic: They're back!! (Read 4918 times)

undercarriage plan

undercarriage plan