Topic: Cold comfort for garden birds

[Flighty]

The RSPB has issued this timely reminder today about feeding birds in this winter weather

http://www.rspb.org.uk/news/details.asp?id=tcm:9-238241

[RobinOfTheHood]

I put some seed out  this morning - it was covered in 5 minutes!

Never mind, they should find it in about a fortnight....

[betula]

Good advice........I have passed it on   :)

[grannyjanny]

I went out at 8am & threw an old duvet cover over the snow & put seed on it but they didn't take it so I shook the seed onto the snow & they managed to get it.

[tricia]

I have a lot of feeders out with sunflower hearts, niger, dried mealworms and suet pellets on offer. At the moment the birds seem to prefer the suet pellets. Three times today I have thrown a large handful on the ground (no snow here yet) and watched robins, a yellow wagtail, chaffinches, sparrows, a blackbird and collared doves take the lot within minutes.

Tricia

[stevew451]

melt a lard block in the mic pour over a boal of seed let it cool and then put it out too suit where you are birds love it

[Carol]

I have dug out a few holes for them to feed.  I found the ground feeder tables somehow.  The hanging feeders were iced up with snow.  I have managed to get some seed out for them, but why do they sit around and just look at it, then when they do come down for seed they pick round the edges.  I am feeding 15 blackbirds plus the rest.  2 Partridges have sat on a wall most of the morning, think they must be frozen to the wall.  Aw heck, hate winter. :'( :'(

[Bugloss2009]

a flock of about a dozen fieldfares stripped the berries off our cotoneaster, and we've had a pair of reed buntings on the bird table

[Flighty]

I scattered seed on the areas, such as the drain covers and under the trees,  not covered with snow this morning! Minutes later the robin, blackbirds, starlings, chaffinch, pied wagtail and wood pigeons all arrived along with one of the squirrels.

[emmy1978]

Mine had the popcorn strings off the tree a few days ago and loved those. i hang things from the washing line as I have a cat I don't want the birds on the ground!!

[Paulines7]

Don't forget to put the birds out some water with the feed as ponds and bird baths are frozen.

These were taken before I got out there to clear the snow off the feeders and birdbath.  Sorry about the quality but they were taken through the window.  The wagtail looks like he has an apron on.   ;D ;D

[emmy1978]

I need one of those lamp-post things! The cat will never get up there!

[tricia]

I have two lamp post type feeders - you'd be surprised just how high a cat can jump. A black cat looking like a flying fox jumped up and caught a blue tit as it was leaving the feeder a couple of years ago. I was so upset. Since then I am constantly on the warpath against cats in my garden. Luckily, this cold spell is keeping the blighters in their homes.

Tricia

[Obelixx]

I also always have at least one cat but manage to feed birds without losses, even from the visiting sparrowhawk.   

We've erected two 2m high posts set in concrete and attached a cross bar at the top with screw hooks for hanging feeders.  These are above girl thingy pouncing range.    Below is a large stone slab on where I put food for ground feeders but there's no cover for pouncing felines either.   Nearby are some blackcurrant bushes and a twisted hazel so the birds can take cover if the sparrowhawk swoops.

For some reason the birds are more interested in peanuts than the fat ball feeders this winter.   I can't get niger seeds or sunflower hearts so just a winter wild bird mix for the loose seed.  When teh snow was forecast I put a large plastic storage box on its side with its back to the wind and put seed in there.  It's worked really well and everyone can get to the food. 

It's well below freezing here so we have all our usual suspects form dawn to dusk except, for some reason, pheasants and greenfinches.   Very odd.

[Bugloss2009]

Attack Of The Giant Pigeons