I have some of mine on a bracket as Sheps shows, but they're on the rear fence. I know what you mean about putting food where you have the best view of birds feeding - it can be tricky sometimes!
What other scope do you have for setting up something similar GD? If you have any large shrubs or trees, you cna use them. A post, as Sheps describes, would work well, and a baffle as SG says, will help deter the squirrels etc. You could even have a conventional bird table which you can hang feeders from. I did that in a previous garden. Little birds like a bit of cover, so it's good to have some nearbyif possible.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Hi Fairy...too true about little birds liking cover, there are Blue Tits, Coal Tits and Great Tits all around my garden, but they only ever land on my feeders for a second or two, then off they fly, I think my feeders are too exposed as there is no cover for them to dart into when the Sparrowhawk flies through
Yes Sheps - they like somewhere nearby to flit into, especially the coal tits. Their habit is to grab food and go somewhere close by to eat it. Mine are happy to spend a little time in the cage though, so they must feel very secure now, which is lovely. I have a big conifer and a pine nearby, which were already in the garden, and they also have buddleias and laurels to dive into if anything dodgy appears.
Usually cats, rather than sparrowhawks though.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I used to put out niger seed for the goldfinches and it did make a lot of mess! I now only feed sunflower hearts which they also love and which other birds eat too.Under the feeders I have trays to catch the seed.They still make a mess but it is not quite as bad!
“Every day is ordinary, until it isn't.” - Bernard Cornwell-Death of Kings
I am wondering now just what to do for the best. You have all given me such a lot of helpful advice and ideas, which I will bare in mind when we finally decide just what to do. I think we may use some of your wood/stake/hanger ideas Shep. It should fit in with our wild(ish) garden outlook very well.
The trellis fence and the feeders have a privet hedge along side them, which is ideal for the sparrows and other birds to hang around in, so they pop to the feeder, eat their fill, flit across to the hedge and rest up, then return for another feed and so it goes on all day, which is very entertaining for us to watch.
One problem with this is that the cat jumps on top of the hedge (he is a very agile cat although has now broken both hip bones from his acrobatic life). He then walks over the top of the trellis either eating food as he goes or at the least scaring the birds away for an hour or two.
I have feeders hanging from all four corners of the wooden pergola and a separate pole feeder that I had custom made by a local blacksmith. It consists of a 20mm pole, four arms at the top for hanging feeders and a nice finial on the top. Powder coated and it should outlast me!
I do this too. I bought some cheap plastic plates, drilled holes in them to fix below the feeders, also drainage holes and the plate catches most of the spillage. Means less waste and no rats.
Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
That sounds like the ideal bird feeder Steve - do you have a picture? I don't actually know any blacksmiths, but I am sure there must be at least one over here - there are certainly plenty of horses in the fields.
The seed catching tray seems to be a brilliant idea madpenguin & Redwing. There are ways and means of solving most problems. Thanks for sharing this idea. Do either of you have a photo?
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I have some of mine on a bracket as Sheps shows, but they're on the rear fence. I know what you mean about putting food where you have the best view of birds feeding - it can be tricky sometimes!
What other scope do you have for setting up something similar GD? If you have any large shrubs or trees, you cna use them. A post, as Sheps describes, would work well, and a baffle as SG says, will help deter the squirrels etc. You could even have a conventional bird table which you can hang feeders from. I did that in a previous garden. Little birds like a bit of cover, so it's good to have some nearbyif possible.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Guernsey, your photos of visiting birds are just brilliant - particularly love the goldfinch - cheeky or what!
Hi Fairy...too true about little birds liking cover, there are Blue Tits, Coal Tits and Great Tits all around my garden, but they only ever land on my feeders for a second or two, then off they fly, I think my feeders are too exposed as there is no cover for them to dart into when the Sparrowhawk flies through
Yes Sheps - they like somewhere nearby to flit into, especially the coal tits. Their habit is to grab food and go somewhere close by to eat it. Mine are happy to spend a little time in the cage though, so they must feel very secure now, which is lovely. I have a big conifer and a pine nearby, which were already in the garden, and they also have buddleias and laurels to dive into if anything dodgy appears.
Usually cats, rather than sparrowhawks though.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I used to put out niger seed for the goldfinches and it did make a lot of mess! I now only feed sunflower hearts which they also love and which other birds eat too.Under the feeders I have trays to catch the seed.They still make a mess but it is not quite as bad!
I am wondering now just what to do for the best. You have all given me such a lot of helpful advice and ideas, which I will bare in mind when we finally decide just what to do. I think we may use some of your wood/stake/hanger ideas Shep. It should fit in with our wild(ish) garden outlook very well.
The trellis fence and the feeders have a privet hedge along side them, which is ideal for the sparrows and other birds to hang around in, so they pop to the feeder, eat their fill, flit across to the hedge and rest up, then return for another feed and so it goes on all day, which is very entertaining for us to watch.
One problem with this is that the cat jumps on top of the hedge (he is a very agile cat although has now broken both hip bones from his acrobatic life). He then walks over the top of the trellis either eating food as he goes or at the least scaring the birds away for an hour or two.
I have feeders hanging from all four corners of the wooden pergola and a separate pole feeder that I had custom made by a local blacksmith. It consists of a 20mm pole, four arms at the top for hanging feeders and a nice finial on the top. Powder coated and it should outlast me!
I do this too. I bought some cheap plastic plates, drilled holes in them to fix below the feeders, also drainage holes and the plate catches most of the spillage. Means less waste and no rats.
That sounds like the ideal bird feeder Steve - do you have a picture? I don't actually know any blacksmiths, but I am sure there must be at least one over here - there are certainly plenty of horses in the fields.
The seed catching tray seems to be a brilliant idea madpenguin & Redwing. There are ways and means of solving most problems. Thanks for sharing this idea. Do either of you have a photo?
Morning GD....You can buy feeders that you can fix a tray to, look at my sunflower feeders in the picture, they make the same ones for nyger seed.