I, like Alina, feed my birds all year around and I get the No Grow seed mix in bulk from a local mill. The sunflowers seeds are all shell less (there's probably a word for that but brain is sluggish due to late night watching Olympics!) hulled possibly? This has suet pellets, flaked maize and flaked peas in too. I chop old apples from the fruit bowl (shame!) into quarters and leave them under the shrubs where the blackbirds feast on them. Char - don't feed bread - not good for birds - it has very little food value. The parent birds still arrived with lots of grubs, caterpillars, greenfly etc. for the babies and the several nests I had this year all did well.
Last edited: 14 August 2016 11:44:35
Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
I did try that, but have resorted to letting them eat here as they're very crafty where food is concerned
I started sprinking a load on the floor for them to eat but they seem to love making it hard work for themselves clinging onto the fencing or wall (where the little birds have no issues peching at all) as if stealing it haha.
I just wanted to make sure bread is ok to feed as the little birds really do seem to prefer it, I've bought seeded loaves on a few occasions just to make sure there's some natural nutrition in there for them :-)
My pyracantha was "au naturel" shall we say and had huge, long, dangly branches. I loved watching the fat blackbirds eating the berries. The branches bent closer to the ground every time they landed on them. This year I'm making room for some cotoneasters.
The wrens and finches seem to prefer to cling on plants and pots and walls to grub about for seeds and insects. The goldfinches are like a well oiled machine stripping dandelion heads. My roses were aphid free this year thanks to my willow warblers.
I did actually start by just feeding dried mealworms but they went through them so quick!
To be honest, I live in more a yard than a garden area and don't think many neighbours bother with the wildlife, eventhough there's clearly plenty around! They soon discovered there's fresh food + water in my yard every morning and stared inviting all their friends - and bringing their babies by now maybe?
I maybe need a find a more reasonably priced place to buy seeds as I'm spending £3 on high energy mix from asda but only 1.5kg.. which was fine for the sparrows, but isn't lasting 3 days with my recent imposters haha
I pay £20 for a 20Kg bag at the mill. I have bird feeders hanging on two trees in the back garden where I can watch the antics from the kitchen window and I have a tall metal bird feeder with two seed holders on in my front garden where I can watch the birds when its rubbish on tv
Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
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Firstly, buy a feeder which only the small birds can access!!
I, like Alina, feed my birds all year around and I get the No Grow seed mix in bulk from a local mill. The sunflowers seeds are all shell less (there's probably a word for that but brain is sluggish due to late night watching Olympics!) hulled possibly? This has suet pellets, flaked maize and flaked peas in too. I chop old apples from the fruit bowl (shame!) into quarters and leave them under the shrubs where the blackbirds feast on them. Char - don't feed bread - not good for birds - it has very little food value. The parent birds still arrived with lots of grubs, caterpillars, greenfly etc. for the babies and the several nests I had this year all did well.
Last edited: 14 August 2016 11:44:35
Hi Joyce,
I did try that, but have resorted to letting them eat here as they're very crafty where food is concerned
I started sprinking a load on the floor for them to eat but they seem to love making it hard work for themselves clinging onto the fencing or wall (where the little birds have no issues peching at all) as if stealing it haha.
I just wanted to make sure bread is ok to feed as the little birds really do seem to prefer it, I've bought seeded loaves on a few occasions just to make sure there's some natural nutrition in there for them :-)
Thanks
L'bird, sunflower hearts. That's what I have in the feeder year-round. The birds still strip the pyracantha and cotoneaster berries in record time.
My pyracantha was "au naturel" shall we say
and had huge, long, dangly branches. I loved watching the fat blackbirds eating the berries. The branches bent closer to the ground every time they landed on them. This year I'm making room for some cotoneasters.
The wrens and finches seem to prefer to cling on plants and pots and walls to grub about for seeds and insects. The goldfinches are like a well oiled machine stripping dandelion heads. My roses were aphid free this year thanks to my willow warblers.
Thank you so much Joyce! I need sleep! Thank goodness the Olympics only last two weeks!
I did actually start by just feeding dried mealworms but they went through them so quick!
To be honest, I live in more a yard than a garden area and don't think many neighbours bother with the wildlife, eventhough there's clearly plenty around! They soon discovered there's fresh food + water in my yard every morning and stared inviting all their friends - and bringing their babies by now maybe?
I maybe need a find a more reasonably priced place to buy seeds as I'm spending £3 on high energy mix from asda but only 1.5kg.. which was fine for the sparrows, but isn't lasting 3 days with my recent imposters haha
pp some pyracantha branches are 10 feet high. I do prune them once the birds have had the berries.
I can sit indoors and watch them.
Me too Joyce. It's right outside my kitchen window. It's like having a telly only better!!!
I pay £20 for a 20Kg bag at the mill. I have bird feeders hanging on two trees in the back garden where I can watch the antics from the kitchen window and I have a tall metal bird feeder with two seed holders on in my front garden where I can watch the birds when its rubbish on tv