Heres a tip - when it comes to positioning seed feeders, dont hang it above a graveled surface. Its nearly impossible to clean up and given a bit of rain will soon sprout and grow - then its the devils own job to shift!
Instead positon above soil or paving.
tried that too ;)
it gets down the cracks in the paving (even if it's mortared)
and on soil it just grows a thick carpet of matted grassy stuff.
trouble is, sparras are such messy eaters.
do you thin they pick and choose the seed they want. tossing out the bits they don't like ???
Blackbitds are just as bad, chucking seed everywhere five minutes after you've removed the mess.... ::)
Hmm soil is probably best then - you can at least dig it over to get rid of the 'grass'.
The spadgies (sparrows) probably are picky over the seed they eat, but the mixed seed is the cheapest, and I dont have the time to seprate it out just to satisfy fussy eaters! I suppose other birds eat what the sparrows dont want (when they get a look in that is!)
Might be worth a little experiment though, to either get seperate seed, or try to seperate the mixed stuff out just once to see what happens, ie what do they ACTUALY eat. ???
Birds will always pick out their favourite and leave everything else. The only way to avoid it is to feed a single type of seed.
I get all sorts of plants popping up in my gravel under the bird table. Know it's not an ideal place but the dog likes to eat the "greens" so I don't kill it off til it gets too messy :)
I have both my bird tables on the patio area so am able to sweep up the muck left regularly. I feed the birds daily onto a ground table which has mesh on top, so easily cleaned and washed. I also use an old Frying pan which keeps the excess seed within which I can dispose of easily. It is important to move the feeding areas around to avoid build up of rotten seed and avoid the greenfinches/chaffinches getting salmonella, they seem to be prone to catching it.
My birds have left me just now. I have not seen anything this morning at all with the seed still on the table. They must be out in the countryside eating the berries or something. I do miss them though!!!
Quote from: Garden Cadet on August 13, 2005, 23:56:06
to see what happens, ie what do they ACTUALY eat. ???
I know what they DON'T eat. The grassy mattey stuff that grows in the ground..!!
Hey Carol, that was a very helpful post :)
My birds are "out for the day" prolly back at teatime - better go an top up the feaders. It's all go..!!
I had a load of rice left over from a barby. Dog had some for his tea with meaty chunks and the rest went on the birdtable. Saw a dove so stuffed up with rice he could hardly fly off when the dog went to chase it :)
I only put peanuts in my hanging bird feeders and throw seed on the lawn ,this saves the problem of the extra weeding.
Quote from: montanum on August 15, 2005, 11:44:21
I only put peanuts in my hanging bird feeders and throw seed on the lawn ,this saves the problem of the extra weeding.
Be carefull, you could end up with al sorts of new weeds in your lawn!
I had the same headache, but I bought a cheap hanging basket and put the large size plastic pot saucer in the top. I have the basket hanging under the bird feeder to catch all the excess and it really works. I originally put the feeder out to attract sparrows as they have become very rare in London. They now come in their droves !!!
Quote from: crackintackle on August 15, 2005, 12:15:47
I had the same headache, but I bought a cheap hanging basket and put the large size plastic pot saucer in the top. I have the basket hanging under the bird feeder to catch all the excess and it really works.
hey what a great idea..!! You must have brains you've never used yet ;) LOL
I agree, great idea there. Havent got a spare hanging basket but i am sure I could find SOMETHING that will do the job instead. Might even find other birds feeding from the collector!
Cheers!
I haven't got a spare one either, so tell me what you gonna use instead ??? ??? ??? an old seed tray hanging there would be a bit ugly looking.
I have several magnificant sunflowers courtesy of my birdy friends, I think they were an accidental drop though as they are nowhere near the feeders.
I'm new to the site, so please bear with me! Have now got the courage up to start replying, rather than just reading!!
I've got feeders too, and love the idea of some kind of container underneath - old dustbin lid perhaps? May need a bit of tarting up though! I have mine above a gravelled area, with landscaping material underneath - makes the weeds easier to pull up as they can't take root properly.
I agree that the weeds on the grass are harder to remove!
Thanks.
My gravelled are had landscape fabric beneath it and it was still a problem to remove the germinated birdseed (some of it actualy grew roots through the fabric!). I am now sticking to soil areas to hang my feeders above, as at least this can be dug over.
Quote from: Skippy on August 18, 2005, 13:39:54
- old dustbin lid perhaps?
Hehe, I use that as the bird bath :D :D :D
I had hung a bird feeder on the fence above the border and boy, did we get some strange looking plants sprout up ! ;D ;D So we removed it and put it on the patio - problem not solved but at least the plants are easier to pull up ! ;D