Hi

I know it's a bit early to be thinking about winter, but for a while now
I've been planning on getting a bird table this year. I hadn't really
thought there could be much of a down-side to this until I was chatting
to a friend about it recently. She said that in her experience the birds
will scatter seed on the ground which attracts rats and mice. Plus the
amount of bird muck will be phenomenal.

Are these really going to be a big problem? I mean, lots of people keep
bird tables despite these issues... Plus there are a few cats in the
neighbourhood which I don't imagine will let a rat colony flourish.

Does the type of seed you put down make a difference? Or whether the
table is on paving or a lawn? Thanks for any thoughts.

PB

"Phil Bradby" wrote

I know it's a bit early to be thinking about winter, but for a while now
I've been planning on getting a bird table this year. I hadn't really
thought there could be much of a down-side to this until I was chatting
to a friend about it recently. She said that in her experience the birds
will scatter seed on the ground which attracts rats and mice. Plus the
amount of bird muck will be phenomenal.

Are these really going to be a big problem? I mean, lots of people keep
bird tables despite these issues... Plus there are a few cats in the
neighbourhood which I don't imagine will let a rat colony flourish.

Does the type of seed you put down make a difference? Or whether the
table is on paving or a lawn? Thanks for any thoughts.

The worst problem I have is with the unused but dropped seed germinating in
the borders = constant weeding.
Better if sited on paving so you can just sweep it up, but then you have the
problem of bird droppings soiling the paving !!
You pays your money ......
--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

On 18/07/2010 14:45, Phil Bradby wrote:
Hi

I know it's a bit early to be thinking about winter, but for a while now
I've been planning on getting a bird table this year. I hadn't really
thought there could be much of a down-side to this until I was chatting
to a friend about it recently. She said that in her experience the birds
will scatter seed on the ground which attracts rats and mice. Plus the
amount of bird muck will be phenomenal.

Are these really going to be a big problem? I mean, lots of people keep
bird tables despite these issues... Plus there are a few cats in the
neighbourhood which I don't imagine will let a rat colony flourish.

Does the type of seed you put down make a difference? Or whether the
table is on paving or a lawn? Thanks for any thoughts.

There's always pros and cons but on our's the bird droppings do not
present a problem.

As to the seed scatter the ground feeders tend to take care of that.

In our outer London garden we get loads of different birds, numerous
tits, woodpecker, jays, robins plus an occasional sparrowhawk.

The pros well outweigh the cons.

Geoff Lane

On 18/07/2010 14:45, Phil Bradby wrote:
Does the type of seed you put down make a difference? Or whether the
table is on paving or a lawn? Thanks for any thoughts.

One option is not to put seed out at all. We find that if there are fat
balls available, the birds aren't interested in seed.

--
Danny Colyer http://www.redpedals.co.uk
"I'm riding a unicycle with my pants down. This should be every boy's
dream." - Bartholomew J Simpson

On Sun, 18 Jul 2010 15:45:25 +0200, Phil Bradby wrote:

Hi

I know it's a bit early to be thinking about winter, but for a while now
I've been planning on getting a bird table this year. I hadn't really
thought there could be much of a down-side to this until I was chatting
to a friend about it recently. She said that in her experience the birds
will scatter seed on the ground which attracts rats and mice. Plus the
amount of bird muck will be phenomenal.

Are these really going to be a big problem? I mean, lots of people keep
bird tables despite these issues... Plus there are a few cats in the
neighbourhood which I don't imagine will let a rat colony flourish.

Does the type of seed you put down make a difference? Or whether the
table is on paving or a lawn? Thanks for any thoughts.


We have had seed, nut and fat cake feeders, all mounted on a single pole
support to one side of our back lawn and quite near trees and shrubs, for
some years. Positioning the feeders is quite important. We get 14 or
more species visit virtually every day. There is seed spillage but most
of it gets mopped up by the ground feeding birds - what does get left
behind is the seed husks which disappears when I mow the lawn (in winter I
occasionally sweep the area with a stiff yard broom). We have not seen a
rat in 15 years but from time to time we do see bank voles which are quite
entertaining. Droppings only become a problem in dry weather and then a
spray of water soon deals with it.

We buy peanuts and seed (good quality mixed and sunflower) from our local
agricultural merchants in 20/25 kg sacks or occasionally Pets at home when
they have them at good prices. These go in 'Droll Yankee' feeders
(readily available online) and are supplemented by fat cakes in metal cage
containers.

--
rbel

On 18/07/2010 17:04, Danny Colyer wrote:
On 18/07/2010 14:45, Phil Bradby wrote:
Does the type of seed you put down make a difference? Or whether the
table is on paving or a lawn? Thanks for any thoughts.

One option is not to put seed out at all. We find that if there are fat
balls available, the birds aren't interested in seed.

On our's if we put out a fatball starlins take over the entire feeding
station, don't mind too mach, doesn't last long

Geoff Lane

On 18/07/2010 14:45, Phil Bradby wrote:
Hi

I know it's a bit early to be thinking about winter, but for a while now
I've been planning on getting a bird table this year. I hadn't really
thought there could be much of a down-side to this until I was chatting
to a friend about it recently. She said that in her experience the birds
will scatter seed on the ground which attracts rats and mice. Plus the
amount of bird muck will be phenomenal.

Are these really going to be a big problem? I mean, lots of people keep
bird tables despite these issues... Plus there are a few cats in the
neighbourhood which I don't imagine will let a rat colony flourish.

Does the type of seed you put down make a difference? Or whether the
table is on paving or a lawn? Thanks for any thoughts.

PB

I'm just watching some bird sown sunflowers coming into bloom in my
garden, having pulled out all the wheat and barley that they also
managed to sow from the feeder.

In terms of mess - I never found it to be a problem. A quick hose down
on a hard surface, and regular moving of the table on a lawn soon sorts
that out. Yes, I suppose if you're really paranoid, there may be a
slight risk of infection, but the pleasure all the birds bring is well
worth the risk.

And yes - one day a friend called round and her eyes when very wide when
she spotted a large, plump, glossy and very happy rat grazing under the
table. One I could cope with, but when he decided to invite his friends
and relations to the party I decided to put poison down and that soon
sorted out the rat population.

My advice would be feed the birds and enjoy. Sadly I've had to give up
as my latest feline has a contract out on anything feathery that comes
close enough to catch. One feeder, high up in the cherry tree so I can
watch out of the upstairs office window while at the computer is all I'm
prepared to risk.

Jill

On 18 July, 20:08, Jill Bell wrote:
On 18/07/2010 14:45, Phil Bradby wrote:





Hi

I know it's a bit early to be thinking about winter, but for a while now
I've been planning on getting a bird table this year. I hadn't really
thought there could be much of a down-side to this until I was chatting
to a friend about it recently. She said that in her experience the birds
will scatter seed on the ground which attracts rats and mice. Plus the
amount of bird muck will be phenomenal.

Are these really going to be a big problem? I mean, lots of people keep
bird tables despite these issues... Plus there are a few cats in the
neighbourhood which I don't imagine will let a rat colony flourish.

Does the type of seed you put down make a difference? Or whether the
table is on paving or a lawn? Thanks for any thoughts.

PB

I'm just watching some bird sown sunflowers coming into bloom in my
garden, having pulled out all the wheat and barley that they also
managed to sow from the feeder.

In terms of mess - I never found it to be a problem. A quick hose down
on a hard surface, and regular moving of the table on a lawn soon sorts
that out. Yes, I suppose if you're really paranoid, there may be a
slight risk of infection, but the pleasure all the birds bring is well
worth the risk.

And yes - one day a friend called round and her eyes when very wide when
she spotted a large, plump, glossy and very happy rat grazing under the
table. One I could cope with, but when he decided to invite his friends
and relations to the party I decided to put poison down and that soon
sorted out the rat population.

My advice would be feed the birds and enjoy. *Sadly I've had to give up
as my latest feline has a contract out on anything feathery that comes
close enough to catch. *One feeder, high up in the cherry tree so I can
watch out of the upstairs office window while at the computer is all I'm
prepared to risk.

Jill- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I make up my own mix of bread crumbs, Dripping, wild bird seed, formed
in cut off pop bottles then(After removing pop bottle) hung in wire
netting holder and suspended inside 2 hanging baskets hung on edge
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...4u2/Feeder.jpg
We feed around 200 birds,
Latly we have a badger that comes in the evening cleaning upanything
left on the floor, the last lot of bird seed had a lit og maize in it
which the birds didn't like, but Brock loved.
David

On 18 July, 14:45, Phil Bradby wrote:
Hi

I know it's a bit early to be thinking about winter, but for a while now
I've been planning on getting a bird table this year. I hadn't really
thought there could be much of a down-side to this until I was chatting
to a friend about it recently. She said that in her experience the birds
will scatter seed on the ground which attracts rats and mice. Plus the
amount of bird muck will be phenomenal.

Are these really going to be a big problem? I mean, lots of people keep
bird tables despite these issues... Plus there are a few cats in the
neighbourhood which I don't imagine will let a rat colony flourish.

Does the type of seed you put down make a difference? Or whether the
table is on paving or a lawn? Thanks for any thoughts.

PB

Have a bird table with "sides " projecting op about 2cm. Leaving
drainage so water can run off. Don't put out too much food at once.
They will eat food off the ground if hungry.
Bird crap is not a problem, especially in Winter, It gets washed
away.
They like a bush near the table to lurk in. (Say 10ft away) They then
make forays from the bush & return.
What you don't want is food on the ground over night.
If you have a cat problem, make your own table with a 4" plastic drain
pipe, 6' high as the pole. Cats can't climb this.

I would not have described the amount of bird muck as 'phenomenal' by any stretch of the imagination.

Birds appreciate feeding most of the year - winter, obviously, then spring when they're working hard to produce young,, summer when they're moulting and don't want to be spending too long in the open getting food. Autumn is possibly the least important time, with an abundance of natural food.

You can divide birds in two ways, ground feeders vs ''feeder' feeders, and insect feeders vs seed feeders (you need a tougher beak to crack seeds).

If you have a hanging feeder, you will attract blue tits, great tits and coal tits, and possibly long tailed tits, greenfinches, chaffinches, house sparrows, maybe goldfinches (who are showing signs of moving on from the very fine nyjer seed to hulled sunflower seeds), if you're very lucky bullfinches.

Tits are the main insect feeders, and they'll appreciate fat cakes (as will starlings)

Robins, blackbirds and dunnocks are ground feeders, and will feed from a table. as will wood pigeons, collared doves and magpies. Blackbirds are fruit eaters and will appreciate sultanas and raisins ((but get the ones sold for birds as I believe the human ones are usually rolled in oil). Robins are insect eaters, and you can add dried mealworms or tiny scraps of cheese.

If the table is on a lawn, the mower will take care of any germinating bird seed.

The most important thing (apart from siting it where the birds are happy) is to site it where you can see it from where you often sit in the house. And keep a small pair of binoculars handy - it is really interesting to have close up views, and watch, for example, a bird carefully de-husking a sunflower seed.

They'll take about three weeks to find your new source of food, so have patience and don't give up.