I only get through a feeder a day or so, but I live in a town setting and have only started feeding the birds this year. I have 3 feeders dotted about the garden. However, I've seen a massive increase in bird visitors as a result (mainly sparrows and tits, but I have two male blackbirds and a robin visiting), but i've also had an increase of cats so I'm wary about attracting more birds. I'm so impressed by people on this forum - you guys spend a small fortune on bird feed at this time of the year!
My cats love watching the birds. I think they've managed to catch a few fledglings and a couple of sickly adults over the years but that is about it. I keep the mogs locked indoors when it is peak fledgling time, and keep them in again over winter. f
The goldfinch pic is gorgeous Frankie. The birds aren't too hungry here .... yet, so I don't need to top up every feeder every day. I feed them peanuts, Niger seed, homemade fatcylinders and husked seed and anything else I think they'd like. I found some dried up raisins before Christmas, soaked them overnight and made a cake. A huge chunk of cake lasts under an hour. I think they send scout out.
Yet to see a goldfinch here - they were thin on the ground when I lived round the corner too. Plenty of 'em in the NT garden nearby - no need for them to look further afield for food I expect. Not been much activity in the garden today - too mild for them to need extra rations.
Lovely pic Frankie.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Ooh Fairy - I read on another thread a while ago that nuthatches are rare up here. I saw one, ages ago on one of the feeders, probably September, but didn't realise It was worth mentioning. Cameras are never handy when you need them.
Thanks Lesley - the quality isn't good as it is through double glazed window, and I took it in the dull sunshine today. I usually do 2 top ups a day. It took me years to realise that about a fifth of the birds visiting in winter were actually siskins. I get a pair of bullfinches too. I used to faff about with nyger seed, peanuts and suet balls but then discovered they all like sunflower hearts, so now that is all they get.
I bought wild bird seed from Homebase for a plastic bird feeder and the birds haven't touched it. I put another bird feeder full of peanuts and that emptied very quickly, but I suspect the local squirrel was involved - are they good at getting nuts out of a wire mesh bird feeder? I don't have a good view of my garden from the house, so I don't know if any birds had some nuts or it was just the squirrel.
There are so many cats on my street, so perhaps my garden has failed the birds' risk assessment
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I only get through a feeder a day or so, but I live in a town setting and have only started feeding the birds this year. I have 3 feeders dotted about the garden. However, I've seen a massive increase in bird visitors as a result (mainly sparrows and tits, but I have two male blackbirds and a robin visiting), but i've also had an increase of cats so I'm wary about attracting more birds. I'm so impressed by people on this forum - you guys spend a small fortune on bird feed at this time of the year!
did someone mention cats?
My cats love watching the birds. I think they've managed to catch a few fledglings and a couple of sickly adults over the years but that is about it. I keep the mogs locked indoors when it is peak fledgling time, and keep them in again over winter. f
The goldfinch pic is gorgeous Frankie
. The birds aren't too hungry here .... yet, so I don't need to top up every feeder every day. I feed them peanuts, Niger seed, homemade fatcylinders and husked seed and anything else I think they'd like. I found some dried up raisins before Christmas, soaked them overnight and made a cake. A huge chunk of cake lasts under an hour
. I think they send scout out
.
Enjoy your birds
I love goldfinches. In my garden they always head for the seedheads of verbena bonariensis.
Yet to see a goldfinch here - they were thin on the ground when I lived round the corner too. Plenty of 'em in the NT garden nearby - no need for them to look further afield for food I expect. Not been much activity in the garden today - too mild for them to need extra rations.
Lovely pic Frankie.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Ooh Fairy - I read on another thread a while ago that nuthatches are rare up here. I saw one, ages ago on one of the feeders, probably September, but didn't realise It was worth mentioning
. Cameras are never handy when you need them
.
Thanks Lesley - the quality isn't good as it is through double glazed window, and I took it in the dull sunshine today. I usually do 2 top ups a day. It took me years to realise that about a fifth of the birds visiting in winter were actually siskins. I get a pair of bullfinches too. I used to faff about with nyger seed, peanuts and suet balls but then discovered they all like sunflower hearts, so now that is all they get.
Depends on the season dude!!!
There are so many cats on my street, so perhaps my garden has failed the birds' risk assessment