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Suet Balls not so popular with the birds?

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  • MarranMarran Posts: 195
    My visiting birds never had interest in fat balls either ... until I bought some from the RSPB online shop - suet with mealworms or sunflower hearts - have to refill almost daily.    RSPB had a great offer for the BirdWatch weekend - hence I bought loads so I hope they don't go off them :D
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    My birds seem to eat everything I put out but I am annoyed that the last bag of wild bird feed I bought is mainly corn, which they leave. I end up throwing most of it away.
    @Joyce Goldenlily. I hope you made a complaint. Bird food is dear enough without paying for something you didn't get  :/
    @Marran. I'm thinking of charging a higher rent if they don't stop stuffing their faces  :D

    My birds seem happy with virtually any suet balls or blocks, so I've bought the cheapo ones this time instead of the premium ones I got last time. I break up the blocks to scatter under shrubs for the ground feeders as well.
    I always found the ones with berries went down well too, but it often depends on the birds you will have in your area, so experimenting can sometimes be difficult. It's a fine line between feeding what's visiting, and trying to encourage others.
    Depends how much disposable income you have!
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • AnnaBAnnaB Posts: 524
    Excuse me folks but I have to utter a word of caution here. Please be very careful regarding fat balls or other 'caked' bird food. A lot of these include berries/fruit of some sort (which the birds love) which are poisonous to dogs (not too sure about cats but they are less likely to eat them I would think). I once purchased some lovely bird cake that contained fruity bits, unfortunately they were bits of raisins which the birds chucked around whilst eating. Small dog picked up quite a few while hoovering tossed out fatty bits and was extremely ill for several days, I nearly lost her as by the time she became actually ill it was too late to do anything to help except hope for the best. Just mentioning for the benefit of those of you with canine friends.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    My blackies eat the suet balls/blocks from the feeder I have hanging from a branch of a conifer. I have a rustic fence below it, and the feeder's wired on to that. The blackies can perch on the fence to access it  :)
    I have another one attached at ground level too, which they use.

    The starlings make such a mess that the conifer one is in an ideal spot - nothing too valuable underneath to get spoiled - self seeded cotoneasters, ivy and primulas etc. The rain then washes it all off the foliage too  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • ColinAColinA Posts: 392
    Not only fat balls but peanuts as well are not liked here
  • NewBoy2NewBoy2 Posts: 1,813
    Songbird.............You just taught me a new word....gormandise.

    Thank you .
    Everyone is just trying to be Happy.....So lets help Them.
  • Dirty HarryDirty Harry Posts: 1,048
    Birds have been relatively quiet this winter here, not had to top the feeders up very often or replace that many fat balls.

    Since last Autumn I have increasingly noticed the presence of a female Sparrowhawk in the area but I'll soon know if that's genuinely had an effect or not as Spring is as busy as it gets.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    NewBoy2 said:
    Songbird.............You just taught me a new word....gormandise.

    Thank you .
    I meant to mention that too. Brilliant!

    I had to laugh today. The two of them were there for ages. 
    I think the pigeon was saying "How much longer are you going to be, Tufty? I'm Hank Marvin"



    Plenty of scran scoffed her in the last month since it's been colder again. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • cowslip2cowslip2 Posts: 137
    I have noticed there are lots of buckets of fat balls reduced in price, when one would expect them to be much in demand still. My observation is a sharp decline in their popularity. They are almost totally ignored at my feeding station. Also in recent years no interest in niger seed. But goodness, how they enjoy sunflower  seeds!
  • cornellycornelly Posts: 970
    We wont be putting up suet balls anymore, all our birds totally ignore them, its sunflower hearts and mixed seed they prefer.
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