I've decided to buy a feeding station. The one that I like and looks most suitable for my requirements is available on line from a number of suppliers at a wide range of prices (not to mention different delivery costs). The best deal I can find is £22.94 incl. delivery from Webbs. Here's a link:
http://www.webbsdirect.co.uk/product-Tom-Chambers-Ltd-Classic-Bird-Station-339550/
But before I go ahead - does anyone know of a better deal or a better feeding station around the £25 mark?
G x
Thats a nice one Georgie, I cant say I've seen anything cheaper than that.
I have an RSPB catalogue....but they're very expensive in there
i'm not sure how much they were aldi the other day and they were cheaper I'm sure.
Coincidence or what? Just yesterday I ordered two bird feeder stations for just 19.99 each, delivery 4.91. They come with hanging seed feeder, mesh sided peanut feeder, four support bars, hook support for fat balls, mesh based feeding tray, bird bath and the base is a mesh based planter for stability. It is made of coated steel and has a decorative solar lantern on top. The only drawback I can see is that it doesn't seem to be very tall - only 134 cm, but Gordon thinks he will be able to think of a way to extend it to make it taller if necessary. I ordered it by phone as they don't appear to have a website. Delivery within 7 days. Gordon found the advert in a magazine called Weekend. I'll post back when we see them 'in the flesh' so to speak. The photo looks good. Unfortunately my scanner is on the blink or I would email the photo to you.
Tricia
I've got the same feeding station i bought it just after christmas from B & Q i cant remember exactly how much but it was definitely less than £20.00.
Have you tried ebay i bought mum in law a good feeder on there got a deal where you got free food to go with it.
:)
Hi Georgie,
I have that very feeding station and mine was £14.99. Am not sure where you are from so I don't think I can be too helpful with places to buy it as we got ours from a nursery called Van Hages. They also sell them in a shop called The Range (who also sell additional parts to add on ;D) but again, I don't know how widespread that shop is. Might I suggest a quick shufty around your nearest / biggest nursery first to double check?
Edit: LOL, I see you are from Enfield, duh me! Maybe Cruise Hill/Cruse Hill? Sorry, I don't know how to spell it! Or the big Homebase on the corner of that horrible junction next to Morrisons?
Edit again, I've just done a websearch for The Range and it appears you do have one in Enfield - The Range
Suez Road
Enfield
Middlesex
EN3 7SY
Thanks everyone, it looks like I'm going to have a look around.
SB. Thanks for the research - it's Crews Hill, I live just around the corner. :D I'd never heard of the The Range but I've looked on their website and there is no mention of the feeding station. :( Might try Homebase as I can spend my gardening vouchers there although that said, that particular store doesn't seem to stock a lot in the way of bird food and sundries. Most likely I'll end up at the Clockhouse Nursery in Forty Hill - I practically live there!
G x
I paid 14-99 for mine & it has everything got it from my local nursery.
I bought the one in Aldi for 10.99, and its excellent value. (Although I must say I was lucky 'cos I had the last one from our local store).
Bought one previously for my Mum for Xmas, in our local Wyevale GC, and that one was 19.99, and is very similar to ours.
Georgie, my OH & I were at The Range last night and they have lots of them. They keep the bird feeding goodies in the garden/nursery section, not in the main shop part of the store (and I also noticed it wouldn't come up on the site search)
Sam
I went to the Clockhouse Nursey today and they had one virtually identical to the one from Webbs for £14.99. ;D Just goes to show that it's worth asking on here before you buy, so thanks everyone.
G x
I'm sorry that this isn't a very good photo but I just wanted to show you one of most most frequent visitors to my new feeding station. He eats everything in the tray then stands on the water bowl to get to the seed feeder. ;D G x
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y30/georgie_girl15/WoodPigeon.jpg)
I've just bought one of these online and am awaiting delivery...nice to see one in use :)
I hope your birds appreciate it, Fluff. Mine certainly do. :)
G x
Well you can't call him "bird brain" Georgie.
I thought the birds would be off to other feeding places but the Goldfinches are eating as much niger seed as they did in mid winter.
Takes me twice as long to do the washing up as I keep watching the birds from the kitchen window.
Glad you have now got your feeding station.
LOL re 'bird brain' Lorna. Him and his Mrs are building a nest nearby as I've seen them carrying twigs. I wonder what baby wood pigeons look like? And anything to relieve the chore of washing up eh?
G x
Lorna
The Goldfinches in my garden are not great lovers of Niger seed. They still get through a lot of Sunflower hearts and have done all winter. It is the Siskins which eat the Niger seed. Maybe up to 50 of them at a time and very recently some Redpolls have joined them at the feeder.
Squabs (baby wood pigeons) are the most ugliest of birds! We had two fall out of the nest a couple of years ago but kept them in a box at night and put them on the shed in the day so parents could feed them! It only took a week before they were off. I don't have a feeding station as such but I've got feeders dangling from a rose arch and an obelisk.
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/ninnyscrops/DSCF0669.jpg
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/ninnyscrops/DSCF0675.jpg
Siskins, greenfinches and the occasional goldfinch go for the niger on the obelisk. Tits, nuthatches, woodpeckers, sparrows and starlings feed from the rose arch which is a combination of sunflower hearts, whole sunflower seed, peanuts and general wildbird seed. The groundfeeders mop up after the fussy nuthatch! ;D
Not only are squabs hideous, until they go in the pot that is, but they make the most appalling mess everywhere.
Good grief Toadspawn much as I love the birds in the garden I wouldn't like your feed bill ;D I do put out sunflower hearts in the big feeder but the goldfinches still seem to like the niger seed. I did see 12 goldfinches on one occasion, the starlings come in their droves
Other than wood pigeons who else visits your garden Georgie?
Starlings, Sparrows, Blue Tits, Blackbirds and a Robin mainly, Lorna. I've seen the odd Chaffinch, Wagtail and Goldfinch too but not on a regular basis. I wish I could attract Thrushes but I've never seen one in this garden.
Shame about the Squabs but beauty is in the eye of the beholder eh? ;D
G x
Really envious of the Blue Tits and Robin. I have only ever seen one Blue Tit in my garden and it was a real beauty but unfortunately didn't hang around :'( :'(
Okay to add to my wood pigeons and starlings (which I know a lot of people don't like) guess who came visiting today? Yep, two magpies. I've never known them to land in the garden before (although I often see them flying around) but they didn't stay around long enough to get a photo.
G x
Hi Georgie
Magpies, Jackdaws, Jays, Wood Pigeons a and Collared Doves have been visiting my garden virtually every day for months along with about 20 other species of small birds.
How lucky you are, Toadspawn, I've never seen a Jay.
G x
Hello Georgie and everyone
I have a bird feeding station in the front garden next to my disabled mum's bedroom window so she can look at the birds feeding we have a few regulars to feed a family of Blue Tits, Great Tits, Collared Doves, Starlings, Black Birds and sometimes a Chaffinch and a Greenfinch.
The Blue Tits and Robins are my favorites i have a rosa rugosa hedge in my front garden and i see them flying around and feeding.
I recently added some currants that i had spare in the seed mix and some suet pellets from wilcos and the within 5 mins the table was busy with birds the only problem that scared them off was 1 of neighbours has 16+ cats and one of them caught a large piegon ::). Apart from that we have a steady flow to the feed during the day nice to see i have noticed that our birds like the feed in nets rather that the clear box or tube feeders
Cheers
Brogusblue
Hi BB. :)
I bet your Mum gets a great deal of enjoyment watching all those birds. But a word of advice if I may? Food in nets can be dangerous because birds can get their claws trapped and injure themselves. I always take the fat balls out of the nets and drop them into a metal holder and the birds love them.
G x
Hello Georgie
Thanks for the advice i will keep i eye out i would like that to happen, i am always looking for feeders i have tried the metal tube and the plastic square feeders but they seem to scare the birds off since i have but the netted feeders from wilcos i have no problems to date.
I must have picky birds i have put fat balls and 1/2 coconuts and they get wasted my birds seem to like seed or mealworms or a little fruit my friend brought some millet for a joke and attached it to pole and the birds where enjoying that as well.
Cheers
Brogusblue