CliveW
Tour Winner
At this time of the year it's important to remember our feathered friends. Is anyone else out there feeding them?
Feed The Birds
- Thread starter CliveW
- Start date
srixon 1
Journeyman Pro
We used to but have given up. Stuff in the feeders gets eaten by Wood Pigeons. Stuff on the ground gets eaten by Herring Gulls. The gulls even eat the fish food from the surface of the pond. Gulls and pigeons are just rats with wings.
richart
Major Champion
We get a lot of tits to our bird table, especially blue, great and long tailed ones. Nuthatches, robins, finches, including some lovely bullfinches, doves and woodpeckers. Not many sparrows these days though. Beats watching the television at feeding time.
Squirrel proof feeders are the birds friend.
Squirrel proof feeders are the birds friend.
AmandaJR
Money List Winner
Yes we feed them every day in cold weather - peanut butter sarnies for the blackbirds who live in the garden and granola stuff with seeds for the Robins and smaller birds.
They will no doubt display their gratitude by pooping on my car but can't bear the thought of them starving!
They will no doubt display their gratitude by pooping on my car but can't bear the thought of them starving!
KenL
Tour Rookie
Yes, I love birds (RSPB member) and feed them throughout the year.
Nothing wrong with pigeons, gulls, magpies etc.
Nothing wrong with pigeons, gulls, magpies etc.
jim8flog
Journeyman Pro
I stopped feeding them because it attracted the rats as well.
Judging by the number of birds I get in the garden anyway there must be plenty of 'natural' food for them, even the sparrow hawk can find enough birds to live on. ( I garden without using slug and insect killers for the benefit of the birds and the toads.
Judging by the number of birds I get in the garden anyway there must be plenty of 'natural' food for them, even the sparrow hawk can find enough birds to live on. ( I garden without using slug and insect killers for the benefit of the birds and the toads.
Several feeders up in our plum tree with a mixture of goodies including fat balls, niger seeds, sunflower hearts and winter seed mix. Getting lots of blue tits, great tits, chaffinches and robins and the pied wagtail sits on the ground underneath and feasts on the spillages. The pigeons and magpies use to dominate but I've moved them to branches that don't support their weight. I give them food in a tray on the ground on the patio do even they get a feed.
KenL
Tour Rookie
Nice one Homer.
pokerjoke
Money List Winner
They don't like porridge oats,put some out 3 days ago and haven't been touched.
On another bird note one got its leg stuck down the side of my bonnet and side panel this morning.
It was flapping like crazy so I put a towel over it to calm it down and released it.
It was hard to say but it could have had a broken leg but flew off.
Never seen anything like it before.
On another bird note one got its leg stuck down the side of my bonnet and side panel this morning.
It was flapping like crazy so I put a towel over it to calm it down and released it.
It was hard to say but it could have had a broken leg but flew off.
Never seen anything like it before.
D
Deleted member 18645
Guest
I heard it only costs tuppence a bag.
srixon 1
Journeyman Pro
When you live less than a mile from the coast the Herring Gulls are a pain. They always seem to be on the house roof or pestering grokels for chips down by the harbour.
KenL
Tour Rookie
Just trying to survive, like any other species.
srixon 1
Journeyman Pro
True, but not much fun when the gulls swoop down and take food from your hands. Even with a myriad of signs saying not to the tourists still throw chips on the floor for the gulls. This doesn't help the problem.
Matty6
Challenge Tour Pro
We dug out a patch on the front lawn and put down lots of seed, meal worms etc.. had everything from sparrows to fieldfare visit our feeding station! Our gardens are a hive of activity all through the year which is amazing. Can pass a lot of time just watching the birds, and the politics that comes with a number of birds interacting! Last summer we had over 40 sparrows in our front garden at the same time. Amazing to see such large numbers of birds thriving around our way.
huds1475
Journeyman Pro
Me too. Veritable bargain
Foxholer
Blackballed
For a slightly different view about seagulls!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8COt1n3jDqA
or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHC-85nLbkA&list=PLeLqSlokcbKPM0wfdTma_aT7pkB_R2J2N
I used to believe terns etc were 'rats with wings' too, but a good 20 mins or so watching several of them slipstream a Cook Strait Ferry crossing made me appreciate them a little more!
And this from someone who has had a wonderful piece of fish swiped from my hands by a Great
Blacked-back Gull while sitting on Padstow wharf - much to the amusement of my wife (and eventually me)!
And don't forget that they are also a 'valuable' part of the (food) recycling process too!
Tashyboy
Please don’t ask to see my tatts 👍
Missis T thiught i had lost the plot ckearing snow off the lawn to put there food down. Reckons i molly coddle um
Doh
Journeyman Pro
Made a load of fat balls and peanut butter cones with seeds as usual for the garden got all sorts of feeders out there for them too.
rulefan
Tour Winner
Don't give them too much white bread.
Don't give them salted food. They can't metabolise salt. It is toxic to them in high quantities
Don't give them salted food. They can't metabolise salt. It is toxic to them in high quantities
MegaSteve
Tour Winner
The ring necked parakeets seem to be taking over in these parts... Still get quite a few of the smaller birds but more often than previously the parakeets dominate the feeders...
