Big bird ( not Sesame Street )
 

I seem to get rooks, jackdors, magpies etc in my garden.... I do still get a few small birds but how can I encourage them when the big birds are eating all the nuts and seeds before the little ones get a look in.

Big bird ( not Sesame Street )
 

--
..
"Mo Leo" wrote in message
...

I seem to get rooks, jackdors, magpies etc in my garden.... I do still
get a few small birds but how can I encourage them when the big birds
are eating all the nuts and seeds before the little ones get a look in.




--
Mo Leo

You need some high bushes or hedges. The big birds don't like to drop into a
garden where they cannot escape in a hurry. We have lots and lots of little
ones, but the neighbour has the big ones as their garden is 'open'

http://www.myalbum.com/Album-BWT4G78...%20-Other.html

Will give you an idea

I get the small birds, Blackbirds the biggest, under the Veranda and almost
at my feet when the door is open

Best wishes

Mike

Big bird ( not Sesame Street )
 

Mo Leo wrote:
I seem to get rooks, jackdors, magpies etc in my garden.... I do still
get a few small birds but how can I encourage them when the big birds
are eating all the nuts and seeds before the little ones get a look in.




We had just this problem last year with pigeons getting bigger and
bigger and keeping out the small birds. This year the seeds are in small
hanging feeders. Only the small birds will hang on these and it seems to
be succeeding. The pigeons sit on the roof looking but rarely land and
then only get a few seeds the small birds drop.
We are getting sparrows, chaffinches, greefinches, tits & wrens regularly.

Bob

Big bird ( not Sesame Street )
 

On 2009-06-09 19:34:07 +0100, Mo Leo said:


I seem to get rooks, jackdors, magpies etc in my garden.... I do still
get a few small birds but how can I encourage them when the big birds
are eating all the nuts and seeds before the little ones get a look in.

On the whole, the larger birds are ground feeders, so put some stuff
out for them on the grass or terrace. Our rooks scavenge for
themselves, the jackdaws take bits of bread and seed from the ground,
magpies rarely visit and are discouraged if they do. Smaller birds
often prefer hanging bird feeders that the bigger birds won't go for,
so in a separate area of the garden, perthaps in some light covering of
overhanging trees and shrubs, hang peanut and seed feeders and even
bird tables that take scraps of bacon rind etc. That said, I must
admit that I had a slightly bonkers blackbird perched on top a a fat
ball feeder in a mesh bag at second storey level in our house. But he
returned time and again and was, clearly very happy pretending he was a
bluetit! Evolution in action, perhaps!
--
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

Big bird ( not Sesame Street )
 

Bob Minchin writes
Mo Leo wrote:
I seem to get rooks, jackdors, magpies etc in my garden.... I do still
get a few small birds but how can I encourage them when the big birds
are eating all the nuts and seeds before the little ones get a look in.

We had just this problem last year with pigeons getting bigger and
bigger and keeping out the small birds. This year the seeds are in
small hanging feeders. Only the small birds will hang on these and it
seems to be succeeding. The pigeons sit on the roof looking but rarely
land and then only get a few seeds the small birds drop.
We are getting sparrows, chaffinches, greefinches, tits & wrens regularly.

CJ bird foods do a horrendously expensive but very effective wire cage
that fits round your feeder and allows the small birds in but keeps the
larger birds out.
--
Kay

Big bird ( not Sesame Street )
 

K wrote:
Bob Minchin writes
Mo Leo wrote:
I seem to get rooks, jackdors, magpies etc in my garden.... I do still
get a few small birds but how can I encourage them when the big birds
are eating all the nuts and seeds before the little ones get a look in.

We had just this problem last year with pigeons getting bigger and
bigger and keeping out the small birds. This year the seeds are in
small hanging feeders. Only the small birds will hang on these and it
seems to be succeeding. The pigeons sit on the roof looking but rarely
land and then only get a few seeds the small birds drop.
We are getting sparrows, chaffinches, greefinches, tits & wrens
regularly.

CJ bird foods do a horrendously expensive but very effective wire cage
that fits round your feeder and allows the small birds in but keeps the
larger birds out.

Ha! I have had one of those squirrel-proof bird feeders for many years.
And for many years it has worked just as expected. Then, last week I
noticed the rate of consumption had gone up dramatically. At the weekend
I discovered why. A rather large pigeon had discovered that by flying
onto the nearby fence, then landing on top of the feeder it would swing
it enough to deposit a quantity of grain on the ground. Fly down to the
ground to eat and repeat. So at least I now know the cause.

Andrew

Big bird ( not Sesame Street )
 

Andrew May writes
Ha! I have had one of those squirrel-proof bird feeders for many years.
And for many years it has worked just as expected. Then, last week I
noticed the rate of consumption had gone up dramatically. At the
weekend I discovered why. A rather large pigeon had discovered that by
flying onto the nearby fence, then landing on top of the feeder it
would swing it enough to deposit a quantity of grain on the ground. Fly
down to the ground to eat and repeat. So at least I now know the cause.

Depending where it is, a couple of strategically placed guy ropes would
solve that.
--
Kay