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Fat ball removal

2

Posts

  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    They don't know they aren't native, they can't pack their bags and jump on a plane. It's man's fault they are here.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I know that, but it doesn't mean we should actively encourage them by feeding them, which many people do.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • SuesynSuesyn Posts: 664
    I was sitting in the conservatory with my DIL when we saw a rat shin up the pole of the feeding station, lift the lid from the wire cage and jump down with a whole fat ball in his mouth. I now have "roam wild" feeders which hang from the pergola Cross beams (I can't see them as clearly as its a bit further away) but I also put rat poison done nearer the shed and I haven't seen a rat since. They are still around as I have seen tunnels they have made in the compost heap and there are rat holes under the fence at the back but as we live in a rural area it would be unrealistic to suppose they aren't there if I don't see them. 
  • mark_heyworthB2Xy4BJlmark_heyworthB2Xy4BJl Posts: 8
    Vermin the lot of them. It is not like they take one fat ball and eat it then come back for another. This morning there were 2 full fat balls on the ground and one pile of fat ball remains. 

    Bit of a game to them ...
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Magpies also take large lumps if they can get enough purchase on the feeders. I've seen them do that on several occasions.  
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • muckyhandsmikemuckyhandsmike Posts: 239
    At my last house I had feeders and had all sorts of birds from all the finches to nut hatches, woodpeckers, tits and robins. I always loved seeing the birds and watching them was a source of great comfort to me when I was seriously ill and unable to do anything else really. However I had to give up using fat balls and nuts as the squirrels were such a nuisance and did so much damage. My experience is that they are unstoppable and are rightly called tree rats. In fact they they did so much damage to my feeders that the spillages led to a colony of rats making their burrow underneath the feeding area. That led to the adders arriving in the garden ...
    so I had to stop feeding the birds altogether .... if I had a gun I would have gladly shot both the squirrels and the rats .. they are an absolute nuisance !!!!!!!! 😡😡😡😡
  • mark_heyworthB2Xy4BJlmark_heyworthB2Xy4BJl Posts: 8
    Interesting ecology - squirrels - rats - adders ...
  • CrazybeeladyCrazybeelady Posts: 778
    Poor old squirrels 😆. I wouldn't mind if they were happy to share and leave some for everyone else, but they have to take the mick and nick everything!
  • WoodgreenWoodgreen Posts: 1,273
    It's the same when they raid a nest.

    Wouldn't you think they'd just take one tasty chick and leave the rest to live?🙄
  • mark_heyworthB2Xy4BJlmark_heyworthB2Xy4BJl Posts: 8
    as bad as foxes ...
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