Topic: feeding the birds

[summergirl]

I've been a bit slack with putting bird food out lately(I ran out and haven't managed to get to the shoips yet).
Usually I have a couple of hangers of mixed bird food, fat balls and peanuts.
The mixed bird food goes like wildfire, mostly from sparrows and startlings (thou I also have a fat pigeon who gets his fair share), but the fat balls and nuts aren't as popular.

I noticed today that as the mixed bird food is empty ,there seem to be more blue tits (saw 2) and robins (also saw 2) and might have been a chaffinch (could've been a sparrow - eyesight's not what it was  ;)).

My question is, do you think the large numbers of sparrows and starlings that I normally have are intimidating the other species and this could be why I don't normally see them?  How do you get the right balance of which food to give?

Any help/thoughts appreciated.

Thanks

SG

[sandersj89]

I feed fat cakes, peanuts, sunflower hearts in hanging feeders, nijer seed in a hanging feeder,  mixed feed on a table and fruit on the ground with some mixed seed too.

All the feeding points are scattered around the garden and not grouped together. This allows the birds space to feed without getting bullied. Sparrows, starlings and gold finches seem to be the biggest bullies and can scare away the smaller tits, siskins, nuthatches and robins.

You will often see birds make their way around the feeders in a cycle.

The weather also influences their tastes, the colder it is the more activity around the peanut feeder and fat cakes.

The larger birds also find it harder to feed on the hanging feeders preferring the table, especially the starlings, though they make huge efforts to get at the fat feeders.

Finally don’t forget the ground feeders such as blackbirds and thrushes, who are real gardeners friends. I feed the apples and some dried raisins as a treat now and then. Any stored apples that are starting to rot are put out for them and are soon eaten.

HTH

Jerry

[Debs]

Ditto here Jerry..

WE put out mixed seed on the  two bird tables and scatter some on the patio; soaked raisins, fat balls, bird feeders containing peanuts/sunflower seeds; cheese; apples etc.

We, that is me and my two 'helpers' 7 & 5 years, like to make a homemade mixture by melting lard and mixing in peanuts (chopped in blender), suet, mixed seeds, breadcrumbs etc then pack the mixture tightly into halved coconut shells which we put into the freezer overnight. This helps the mix to solidify and prevents it falling out when we hang them around the garden.
The birds love it :P

Debs

[rosebud]

   S G DON`T FORGET TO KEEP YOUR BIRD TABLES AND CONTAINERS REALLY REALLY CLEAN THEY SOON GET POISONOUS IF LEFT ESPECIALLY AFTER WET WEATHER, I HOPE YOUR ROBIN KEEPS CALLING THEY BECOME VERY TAME AFTER A WHILE MY ONE COMES ON TO THE DOORSTEP NOW , I LOVE THE WILD BIRDS SO FASCINATING TO WATCH. GOOD LUCK WITH YOURS. CHEERS ROSEBUD.

[Doris_Pinks]

I too make up the halved coconuts, trouble is the starlings devour one per DAY! little porkers!