I have had more birds than ever during the snowy weather but the most fascinating thing I saw was 2 magpies (not normally my favourites) playing in the snow. They were diving headfirst into it and jumping about rather like my dog does. Reason tells me they were probably just using the snow instead of water or dust to clean their feathers and get rid of pests but I have to say they really looked like they were enjoying themselves.
How do I stop my neighbours cats from eating on my birdtable. my own cat doesnot jump on as she was trained from birth . The others jump off when they see me but are gone before I can throw water at them.
Although I am supplying birds, peanuts, fatballs & seed as well as water, I am finding few birds taking my offerings. The dunnocks, robins & occasional wren just lurk about under the bushes.
We have 5 feeders on the go and 2 bird tables and a homemade shelf about 6inchs long nailed to the fence.We put fresh food on the tables everyday at about 07.30hrs and we sprinkle a load in the shrubs.We have the following birds visit are garden,Blue Tit,Great Tit,Long Tailed Tit,Coal Tit,Wren,House &Tree Sparrows, Pied Wagtails,Blackbirds,Starlings,Robins,C Dove,Wood Pigeons. and other species and they seem to spend the whole day there.
Jane- To stop cats getting onto bird table, I have cut some sheets of wire netting (availale form Homebase) to approx 1 1/2-2 ft wide & the length of each side of table & fixed these onto edges of table. Bend them up slightly so cats cannot run up post & jump onto table. Also make sure there is nothing close by that cats can jump from. This works for my cats. \\\\\\\\\\\Hope this solves your problem.
We always feed the birds, so have a fair selection that visit regularly - greenfinches, goldfinches, blackbirds, blue tits, a wren, reed buntings and robins. While there was snow and ice, though, we had more of those, plus regular visits from two thrushes, a very greedy fieldfare (which got through remarkable amounts of apple!), a couple of redwings, a small flock of long tailed tits and, best of all, a male bullfinch!
Try offering a number of different foods and in different ways and lots of patience. I have feeders for fat products on brackets next to the kitchen window, two bird tables, one on the terrace, one at the end of the garden, and two hanging feeders, one of them for Nyjer seed. I offer RSPB ground mix and various sprinkles on the tables and sunflower seed+finch mix and Nijer in the hanging feeders. The birds love the various fat cylinders from the RSPB. If the weather is very bad I also put down ground feed in protected places on the ground for birds too shy to come to the table. Also make sure you have water on offer both for bathing and drinking - my birds love the water features: a bubbling rock and a pond (also great for other wildlife and me). Good luck
Posts
The dunnocks, robins & occasional wren
just lurk about under the bushes.
I've also had Meadow Pipits and fieldfares visiting my garden.
My grandma phoned me and said that she had 5 fieldfares eating in her garden as well.