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#1
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Persuading the birds to eat the food I put out...
About 2 weeks ago, in a spirit of goodwill to all men and wild birds, I
bought a bird-table and a large tub of mixed bird seed. I also bought a dozen or so of those suet balls. I've put a handful of seed on the bird-table, along with a suet ball, and sat back to watch flocks of grateful birds arrive to feed. But from what I can see, nothing has been touched. Any reason for this? The bird-table is on a patio, about 10 feet from the back door of the house. Cheers Will |
#2
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Persuading the birds to eat the food I put out...
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#3
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Persuading the birds to eat the food I put out...
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#4
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Persuading the birds to eat the food I put out...
wrote in message oups.com... About 2 weeks ago, in a spirit of goodwill to all men and wild birds, I bought a bird-table and a large tub of mixed bird seed. I also bought a dozen or so of those suet balls. I've put a handful of seed on the bird-table, along with a suet ball, and sat back to watch flocks of grateful birds arrive to feed. But from what I can see, nothing has been touched. Any reason for this? The bird-table is on a patio, about 10 feet from the back door of the house. 10 feet from the backdoor might be the clue. If there is a lot of traffic out that backdoor or at the overlooking window, that could well put them off. Also, basic stuff, are there any birds in the neighbourhood? I have periods when the local sparrowhawks patrol the area and that certainly causes the locals to take off for safer pastures for a while. I should place the bird table further away from the house for a while and see if that helps. Once they realise that easy safe pickings are available, then they will get braver. -- ned http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk last update 09.01.2006 |
#5
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Persuading the birds to eat the food I put out...
I find black sunflower seeds are fantastic, I buy it by the sackfull from my
local pet shop, I also had a slow start, but as Phil said they need to pluck up the courage first. -- Regards p.mc "ned" wrote in message ... wrote in message oups.com... About 2 weeks ago, in a spirit of goodwill to all men and wild birds, I bought a bird-table and a large tub of mixed bird seed. I also bought a dozen or so of those suet balls. I've put a handful of seed on the bird-table, along with a suet ball, and sat back to watch flocks of grateful birds arrive to feed. But from what I can see, nothing has been touched. Any reason for this? The bird-table is on a patio, about 10 feet from the back door of the house. 10 feet from the backdoor might be the clue. If there is a lot of traffic out that backdoor or at the overlooking window, that could well put them off. Also, basic stuff, are there any birds in the neighbourhood? I have periods when the local sparrowhawks patrol the area and that certainly causes the locals to take off for safer pastures for a while. I should place the bird table further away from the house for a while and see if that helps. Once they realise that easy safe pickings are available, then they will get braver. -- ned http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk last update 09.01.2006 |
#6
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Persuading the birds to eat the food I put out...
All our bird feeders used to hang from an apple tree some way from our back
windows. We've now moved them nearer so we can watch the birds in the morning whilst eating breakfast. The blue and great tits "grab and run" black sunflowers all day. The dunnock furtively sneaks in through the undergrowth and then snacks on the millet sprays. Robin is so bolshy I've had to shoo him out of the kitchen more than once, presumably because he thought I should have been outside digging up some more small insects for him. However, the sparrows won't "bite". They flit around the apple tree apparently oblivious to the fact that the food has moved down the garden and they're missing out. I can't help wondering whether a new timmidness or stupidity isn't the real reason behind the decline of sparrows in urbad area ;-). Paul DS. |
#7
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Quote:
Yes, I found that the sunflower seeds are much more popular. When I first put a bird table up I used a mixed seed but it was not very popular; but when I put sunflower seed up they came in droves. Once they started coming, I then put the mixed seed down as well and they ate this as well. They also take a while to find the hanging 'fat' balls every winter when I start putting them out. I suppose it depends on the type of birds you have around. We get mainly coal tits and some other little birds I cant name on the table. I only once saw our local woodpecker having a go at the fat ball. The robins only go on the table when there are no other birds on there, they dont seem to like the company. Sometimes blackbirds go rooting for the seeds that fall on the floor but never on the table. Good luck, Darren |
#8
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Persuading the birds to eat the food I put out...
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#9
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Persuading the birds to eat the food I put out...
Following up to "p.mc" :
I find black sunflower seeds are fantastic, I buy it by the sackfull from my local pet shop, I also had a slow start, but as Phil said they need to pluck up the courage first. I've tried black sunflower seeds, but the don't work here. It seems the usual food is the striped sort, and they haven't learnt to recognise them. They'll pick out the striped ones and leave the all blacks. Stupid birds! -- Tim C. |
#10
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Persuading the birds to eat the food I put out...
wrote in message oups.com... About 2 weeks ago, in a spirit of goodwill to all men and wild birds, I bought a bird-table and a large tub of mixed bird seed. I also bought a dozen or so of those suet balls. I've put a handful of seed on the bird-table, along with a suet ball, and sat back to watch flocks of grateful birds arrive to feed. But from what I can see, nothing has been touched. Any reason for this? The bird-table is on a patio, about 10 feet from the back door of the house. Cheers Will Location location location. My seed feeder has hardly been touched for weeks, until I noticed from an upstairs window that it had a restricted view, and was next to a wall that a passing sparrowhawk could use to ambush anything feeding there. I moved the feeder 3ft further from the wall on Friday, and had goldfinches on it yesterday. Before, they would flit through the nearby trees but not visit. Adjacent cover is admittedly rather sparse, but I reckon in about 2 years...(then I'll be complaining about damage to buds and loss of fruit, probably) A very successful feeding site in a previous garden was near a hedge which the local birds were using as a staging-post when flying from one tree to another along the length of the street, so watch out for regular perches and flight-paths. All remains of apples and pears left by my children are consumed by the local pair of blackbirds. I don't like to encourage feral pigeons as they trample the soil to a disgusting claggy goo, but sometimes I think the sight of conspicuous birds like pigeons or starlings feeding attracts other species and so I usually chuck a bit of wheat or bread on top of the wall Duncan |
#11
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Persuading the birds to eat the food I put out...
In message , djhughes
writes p.mc Wrote: I find black sunflower seeds are fantastic, I buy it by the sackfull from my local pet shop, I also had a slow start, but as Phil said they need to pluck up the courage first. -- Regards p.mc Hello, Yes, I found that the sunflower seeds are much more popular. When I first put a bird table up I used a mixed seed but it was not very popular; but when I put sunflower seed up they came in droves. Once they started coming, I then put the mixed seed down as well and they ate this as well. A lot of basic mixed bird seeds have lot of wheat grains in them (cheap) but most birds don't like this and ignore it - seems to mostly pigeons who eat it. You can get better mixes from people like CJ Birdfoods that don't contain wheat. I mostly use sunflower kernels now, so much less mess than those with the shells, last a bit longer in the feeder. They also take a while to find the hanging 'fat' balls every winter when I start putting them out. I suppose it depends on the type of birds you have around. We get mainly coal tits and some other little birds I cant name on the table. I only once saw our local woodpecker having a go at the fat ball. The robins only go on the table when there are no other birds on there, they dont seem to like the company. Sometimes blackbirds go rooting for the seeds that fall on the floor but never on the table. It's good to put down ground food as well, some birds such as blackbirds and robins prefer to feed there. -- Chris French |
#12
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Persuading the birds to eat the food I put out...
The message
from chris French contains these words: A lot of basic mixed bird seeds have lot of wheat grains in them (cheap) but most birds don't like this and ignore it - seems to mostly pigeons who eat it. You can get better mixes from people like CJ Birdfoods that don't contain wheat. House sparrows like wheat. -- Rusty Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk Separator in search of a sig |
#14
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Persuading the birds to eat the food I put out...
In message , ned writes
I have periods when the local sparrowhawks patrol the area and that certainly causes the locals to take off for safer pastures for a while. -- ned We have a 20-cm seed feeder in which we have sunflower hearts. This time last year daily consumption was two full feeders a day - 40 cm of seeds. In the summer the sparrowhawk turned up, and now daily consumption is generally no more than 2-3 cm a day! -- Klara, Gatwick basin |
#15
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Persuading the birds to eat the food I put out...
In message , chris French
writes I mostly use sunflower kernels now, so much less mess than those with the shells, last a bit longer in the feeder. CJ warn that the feed doesn't flow so well in the feeder and is satisfactory only where you have a high turnover. Have you found this to be a problem in practice? -- Kay |
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