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Old 22-03-2004, 02:05 AM
Doctor J. Frink
 
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Default Lack of invertebrates / house sparrows (was Reed Buntings)

On Sun, 21 Mar 2004 22:14:37 +0000, Colonel Bloomer wrote:
On 21 Mar 2004 21:34:23 GMT, (Doctor J.
Frink) wrote:

As a datum-point: we had a sparrowhawk take a starling in our terrace
backyard the other day, in Milton Keynes. We've only had birds regularly
visiting for a few weeks prior to this (only recently set up food/drink
for the tweeters).

We're getting lots of sparrows, which appear to be scaring off the tits
which were the first to scout out the grub. The mixed seed is going down
very quickly whilst the peanuts are barely being touched.


Is the seed actually being eaten or is it all ending up on the floor
as the fussy gits spit it out?


A lot is ending up on the floor, although it's hard to tell how much as
it's all stones under the feeders and we have the occassional dunnock
clearing up after them. Watching them eat they are regularly spitting
out seeds, but it's hard to tell what the ratio is of eaten seeds to
spat out ones.

I must assume they're eating some of it, otherwise why would they keep
coming back? ;0) Anyway, we put bread out as well and something keeps
clearing most of that up.

Frink

--
Doctor J. Frink : 'Rampant Ribald Ringtail'
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