No starlings nesting in next door's roof this year - they did arrive but the sparrowhawk took at least one of them and they disappeared - I miss them although they were greedy. I used to put a feeder up with the very cheap pink suet in it just for them - I made it easy for them to access and they left the other feeders alone
They are an endagered species now, and they're so good at getting the leatherjackets out of the lawn so they're good to have around.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I admire their tenacity Dove- but not the amount of c*** they deposit!
We had to block up bits of the roof at last house when it was being sold because their flight route was over a newly painted piece of fence - as well as the roof of course -and it wouldn't have looked great for viewers!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Ive placed my mealworms inside a squirrel proof cage which stops the starlings & magpies from getting to them, otherwise they would empty the dish in one sitting!
We don't have starlings - not that I'm complaining.
I come from Liverpool, and when I moved to Swansea to go to college I had to ask someone what that gorgeous iridescent bird was. It was a starling, but I'd never seen anything like it. The ones in our back yard were all dirty grey!
We do have a lot of wood pigeons, but they hoover up all the seeds the goldfinches throw on the floor so that redeems them somewhat. I used to feed the finches mixed seed, but the little beggars would dig through the feeder till they found the stuff they liked, and throw the rest on the floor. Now they just get sunflower seed kernels, but are still messy eaters!
I watched a jay trying to get into a squirrelproof feeder yesterday - he didn't make it.
Gfantic- I just saw your post from Saturday re the mealworms(which strangely wasn't there when I posted later ) I have a few little pieces in the mix in the seed feeder so maybe you could soak them and put them in one of those? Might try that myself now I've thought of it! I just put them on the ground - the dunnocks like them and, as they're ground feeders, I hide some amongst the pots which the big birds can't get in to! The robins find t hose ones too.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Well the chicks flew the nest over the weekend. I was hoping they might have a 2nd lot of eggs but theres been no activity at the nestbox since. I had a little peep inside to check for any dead chicks but thankfully the nest was empty. Good news all round.
Im going to try and get a small nest box camera to fit inside for next year so we can watch them on the TV. Anyone know of a good one?
LeadF- someone on here has one but I can't remember who. If you start a thread for it you'll get a reply I'm sure.
Gfantic - when I looked on the packet of mealworms it says - put them in a feeder!
When I made cake last night I soaked sultanas for it - I'll need to watch I don't get distracted next time or the soaked mealworms might end up in it instead...
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
No starlings nesting in next door's roof this year - they did arrive but the sparrowhawk took at least one of them and they disappeared - I miss them although they were greedy. I used to put a feeder up with the very cheap pink suet in it just for them - I made it easy for them to access and they left the other feeders alone
They are an endagered species now, and they're so good at getting the leatherjackets out of the lawn so they're good to have around.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I admire their tenacity Dove- but not the amount of c*** they deposit!
We had to block up bits of the roof at last house when it was being sold because their flight route was over a newly painted piece of fence - as well as the roof of course -and it wouldn't have looked great for viewers!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Oh - the joys of watching wildlife!!!
Ive placed my mealworms inside a squirrel proof cage which stops the starlings & magpies from getting to them, otherwise they would empty the dish in one sitting!
We don't have starlings - not that I'm complaining.
I come from Liverpool, and when I moved to Swansea to go to college I had to ask someone what that gorgeous iridescent bird was. It was a starling, but I'd never seen anything like it. The ones in our back yard were all dirty grey!
We do have a lot of wood pigeons, but they hoover up all the seeds the goldfinches throw on the floor so that redeems them somewhat. I used to feed the finches mixed seed, but the little beggars would dig through the feeder till they found the stuff they liked, and throw the rest on the floor. Now they just get sunflower seed kernels, but are still messy eaters!
I watched a jay trying to get into a squirrelproof feeder yesterday - he didn't make it.
Gfantic- I just saw your post from Saturday re the mealworms(which strangely wasn't there when I posted later
) I have a few little pieces in the mix in the seed feeder so maybe you could soak them and put them in one of those? Might try that myself now I've thought of it! I just put them on the ground - the dunnocks like them and, as they're ground feeders, I hide some amongst the pots which the big birds can't get in to! The robins find t hose ones too.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Well the chicks flew the nest over the weekend. I was hoping they might have a 2nd lot of eggs but theres been no activity at the nestbox since. I had a little peep inside to check for any dead chicks but thankfully the nest was empty. Good news all round.
Im going to try and get a small nest box camera to fit inside for next year so we can watch them on the TV. Anyone know of a good one?
LeadF- someone on here has one but I can't remember who. If you start a thread for it you'll get a reply I'm sure.
Gfantic - when I looked on the packet of mealworms it says - put them in a feeder!
When I made cake last night I soaked sultanas for it - I'll need to watch I don't get distracted next time or the soaked mealworms might end up in it instead...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...