Looks like I've really stirred things up! I don't mind feeding the big birds but not at the expense of the beautiful blue tits and chaffinches etc that we used to enjoy so much. They just don't come into the garden any more even though we put a good variety of feeds out for them. We've tried squirrel proof feeders and have a free standing food hanger but the crafty magpies manage to find a way through.
I would love to have a woodpecker in our garden but they are quite rare where I live. I would suggest bird feeders - we have a niger seed container - the first year we had 2 goldfinches - the next year they had a family and we had 9 at one time - now we have 2 niger feeders and I am hoping that some of the offspring from last year will breed. We also have a flock of about 6 pigeons, crows and magpies and a kestrel which between them keep many of the small birds away from our garden. However I do find the niger feeder, peanut and seed feeders help to encourage smaller birds. Bread attracts gulls here and they gobble the food very quickly.
We used to get loads of magpies but they seem to have disappeared in the last few years. Recently we've started getting crows, jackdaws and occasional jays.
I have carried on regardless providing fat balls, peanuts, fat and insect blocks and loose seed but I use hanging bird feeders that swing in the wind and this deters the big birds. I don't put out the loose seed for ground feeders till about 10am now as I find the big birds have moved to the woods and fields to forage by then - except in freezing weather or snow.
We get the usual tits and sparrows, chaffinches, siskins, warblers, dunnocks, robins, blackbirds etc and greater spotted woodpeckers. There are gulls around at ploughing time but they haven't invaded the garden - yet.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Tis cold again this AM, couldn't smash through the bird bath ice
Perhaps you could try feeding in different locations in the garden Sue?
Last year I put a ground feeder over my bird table like a hat because there were so many jackdaws flapping and carrying on I thought I might look a bit mad.
I now break fat balls into two or three pieces and chuck them on my outbuilding roof and the grass area next to my front fence and the larger birds will fly in take a chunk and disappear off with it leaving the garden food for the less rowdy.
I've took the hat off my bird table now, I expect the j/daws will be back in the garden come nesting time though.
You can't just stop feeding - always a mistake. Those birds are now relying on what you put out
Obelixx is right - there are other ways to deter the bigger birds by using hanging feeders as she describes, or putting them into shrubs or climbers near the house for example. Mine have a routine too, and move away elsewhere at certain times like hers do. The small birds will find 'hidden' feeders. I used to have one in a pyracantha right next to my front door at a previous house. The little birds loved it
My small birds all use the cage - including the dunnocks and robins. (A new improved version will happen when I have more time to make it!) They just adapt. The pigeons and starlings use the corner by the shed where I put fat hangers out and food on the ground. Everyone's happy
Snow here today Bob - but only minus 1 because of it - so that's a result!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Clear skies, bright stars and big fat moon last night coming home from our Soul class. heavy frosts followed of course and it's still only -2C at nearly 10am in bright sunshine.
When it's this cold, I put down fresh ground food earlier and a fresh peanut feeder which is good till the others thaw again. I don't bother with water for baths and drinks as we have an unlined pond in the garden and a stream in the paddocks next door and across the road.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Our pond was dug out for drainage as the neighbouring pasture (of which our garden used to be part) is very boggy. It is gradually being terraformed by invading iris pseudocorus and boggy grasses but still provides a home and drinking and bathing spot for assorted amphibians, insects and birds and the hedgehogs can get out easily.
Only shelled peanuts here. Don't want the birds to waste energy getting through shells or have the mess to clean up.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Posts
Looks like I've really stirred things up! I don't mind feeding the big birds but not at the expense of the beautiful blue tits and chaffinches etc that we used to enjoy so much. They just don't come into the garden any more even though we put a good variety of feeds out for them. We've tried squirrel proof feeders and have a free standing food hanger but the crafty magpies manage to find a way through.
I would love to have a woodpecker in our garden but they are quite rare where I live. I would suggest bird feeders - we have a niger seed container - the first year we had 2 goldfinches - the next year they had a family and we had 9 at one time - now we have 2 niger feeders and I am hoping that some of the offspring from last year will breed. We also have a flock of about 6 pigeons, crows and magpies and a kestrel which between them keep many of the small birds away from our garden. However I do find the niger feeder, peanut and seed feeders help to encourage smaller birds. Bread attracts gulls here and they gobble the food very quickly.
We used to get loads of magpies but they seem to have disappeared in the last few years. Recently we've started getting crows, jackdaws and occasional jays.
I have carried on regardless providing fat balls, peanuts, fat and insect blocks and loose seed but I use hanging bird feeders that swing in the wind and this deters the big birds. I don't put out the loose seed for ground feeders till about 10am now as I find the big birds have moved to the woods and fields to forage by then - except in freezing weather or snow.
We get the usual tits and sparrows, chaffinches, siskins, warblers, dunnocks, robins, blackbirds etc and greater spotted woodpeckers. There are gulls around at ploughing time but they haven't invaded the garden - yet.
Yes, Jack Frost was an unwelcome garden visitor here last night - got down to -4C!
It's -2.8C right now at 7.30am. Glad I resisted the temptation to start seeds early.
Tis cold again this AM, couldn't smash through the bird bath ice
Perhaps you could try feeding in different locations in the garden Sue?
Last year I put a ground feeder over my bird table like a hat because there were so many jackdaws flapping and carrying on I thought I might look a bit mad.
I now break fat balls into two or three pieces and chuck them on my outbuilding roof and the grass area next to my front fence and the larger birds will fly in take a chunk and disappear off with it leaving the garden food for the less rowdy.
I've took the hat off my bird table now, I expect the j/daws will be back in the garden come nesting time though.
You can't just stop feeding - always a mistake. Those birds are now relying on what you put out
Obelixx is right - there are other ways to deter the bigger birds by using hanging feeders as she describes, or putting them into shrubs or climbers near the house for example. Mine have a routine too, and move away elsewhere at certain times like hers do. The small birds will find 'hidden' feeders. I used to have one in a pyracantha right next to my front door at a previous house. The little birds loved it
My small birds all use the cage - including the dunnocks and robins. (A new improved version will happen when I have more time to make it!) They just adapt. The pigeons and starlings use the corner by the shed where I put fat hangers out and food on the ground. Everyone's happy
Snow here today Bob - but only minus 1 because of it - so that's a result!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Clear skies, bright stars and big fat moon last night coming home from our Soul class. heavy frosts followed of course and it's still only -2C at nearly 10am in bright sunshine.
When it's this cold, I put down fresh ground food earlier and a fresh peanut feeder which is good till the others thaw again. I don't bother with water for baths and drinks as we have an unlined pond in the garden and a stream in the paddocks next door and across the road.
Our pond was dug out for drainage as the neighbouring pasture (of which our garden used to be part) is very boggy. It is gradually being terraformed by invading iris pseudocorus and boggy grasses but still provides a home and drinking and bathing spot for assorted amphibians, insects and birds and the hedgehogs can get out easily.
Only shelled peanuts here. Don't want the birds to waste energy getting through shells or have the mess to clean up.