I have the usual choice on my bird table, assorted seed, peanuts and fat
balls, though they have been out for some time now I getting very few
birds feeding. Is this a general problem, or is there something keeping
my birds away? For the life of me I cannot see any reason.
--
Residing on low ground in North Staffordshire

On Thu, 24 Nov 2011 16:33:19 +0000, Moonraker
wrote:

I have the usual choice on my bird table, assorted seed, peanuts and fat
balls, though they have been out for some time now I getting very few
birds feeding. Is this a general problem, or is there something keeping
my birds away? For the life of me I cannot see any reason.

I think all your birds are here eating me out of house and second
mortgage! Birds are like that, fickle things in a way. At this time of
year, there may be other food sources around your area - berries and
so forth. Roger in Mid Wales had a similar thing a while back but in
time the birds returned.

Or maybe you have a bit of a chill and they're somewhere warmer?

I'd say don't worry too much. Just reduce the amount of food you put
out (to reduce waste) and remember to change it regularly as old food
won't be so attractive and can harbour diseases. Maybe stick to seed
and peanuts and skip the fat balls. When they come back, increase the
amount and variety again.

I made the "mistake" of switching from an all-singing seed mix to just
sunflower hearts. The variety of birds increased as, unfortunately for
my wallet, so did the quantity! I've stopped nyger seed as well. They
seem to like the new menu a lot better. Just sunflower and peanuts.

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
URGling in between collecting leaves at
the dryer (east) end of Swansea Bay.

On Thu, 24 Nov 2011 16:33:19 +0000, Moonraker
wrote:

I have the usual choice on my bird table, assorted seed, peanuts and fat
balls, though they have been out for some time now I getting very few
birds feeding. Is this a general problem, or is there something keeping
my birds away? For the life of me I cannot see any reason.

The splendid spring followed by plentiful rainfall during the 'summer'
and a very mild autumn lead have resulted in a bumper crop of seeds,
berries, acorns, beech mast etc so the birds have almost a surfeit of
food available. The mild autumn has also maintained a good supply of
available insects and other invertebrates. (Still butterflies and
moths about here in S Devon).

To a degree this happens every autumn but this year it is more
evident.

--
rbel

On Thu, 24 Nov 2011 16:33:19 +0000, Moonraker
wrote:

I have the usual choice on my bird table, assorted seed, peanuts and fat
balls, though they have been out for some time now I getting very few
birds feeding. Is this a general problem, or is there something keeping
my birds away? For the life of me I cannot see any reason.


I think our flock of sparrows are visiting more places. They've not
been about much yesterday but are all back today.
Suspect someone's bought some ALDI bird feeders with meal worms in.
(we have a new aldi near us)
--
http://www.voucherfreebies.co.uk

On Nov 24, 5:04*pm, rbel wrote:
On Thu, 24 Nov 2011 16:33:19 +0000, Moonraker
wrote:

I have the usual choice on my bird table, assorted seed, peanuts and fat
balls, though they have been out for some time now I getting very few
birds feeding. Is this a general problem, or is there something keeping
my birds away? For the life of me I cannot see any reason.

The splendid spring followed by plentiful rainfall during the 'summer'
and a very mild autumn lead have resulted in a bumper crop of seeds,
berries, acorns, beech mast etc so the birds have almost a surfeit of
food available. *The mild autumn has also maintained a good supply of
available insects and other invertebrates. *(Still butterflies and
moths about here in S Devon).

To a degree this happens every autumn but this year it is more
evident.

--
rbel

I've had the same thing, but I put it down to our Sparrow Hawk who was
patroling along the track several times a day, our sparrows have moved
their roost down to a couple of leylandii down by the road, and now
just pop accross the road to my neighbours feeders.
I quite miss their chatter morning and evening.

On Thu, 24 Nov 2011 10:04:13 -0800 (PST), Dave Hill
wrote:

On Nov 24, 5:04*pm, rbel wrote:
On Thu, 24 Nov 2011 16:33:19 +0000, Moonraker
wrote:

I have the usual choice on my bird table, assorted seed, peanuts and fat
balls, though they have been out for some time now I getting very few
birds feeding. Is this a general problem, or is there something keeping
my birds away? For the life of me I cannot see any reason.

The splendid spring followed by plentiful rainfall during the 'summer'
and a very mild autumn lead have resulted in a bumper crop of seeds,
berries, acorns, beech mast etc so the birds have almost a surfeit of
food available. *The mild autumn has also maintained a good supply of
available insects and other invertebrates. *(Still butterflies and
moths about here in S Devon).

To a degree this happens every autumn but this year it is more
evident.

--
rbel

I've had the same thing, but I put it down to our Sparrow Hawk who was
patroling along the track several times a day, our sparrows have moved
their roost down to a couple of leylandii down by the road, and now
just pop accross the road to my neighbours feeders.
I quite miss their chatter morning and evening.

There's been an SH here on and off the last few days but it didn't
seem to be deterring the usual range of visitors. Yesterday it swooped
down onto the cat (who was sunning himself on the shed roof near a
hanging feeder) and the cat reacted somewhat violently to the
disturbance. SH hasn't appeared today and cat has returned to his
usual sunning spot near the bird table. Birds continue to eat me out
of house and home unperturbed. Cat continues to watch them without
bothering to get up (ok, he's suffering from a paw injury today and is
limping a bit but could easily make the bird table if he wanted to
jump).

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
URGling in between collecting leaves at
the dryer (east) end of Swansea Bay.

"mogga" wrote
On Thu, 24 Nov 2011 16:33:19 +0000, Moonraker
wrote:

I have the usual choice on my bird table, assorted seed, peanuts and
fat balls, though they have been out for some time now I getting very
few
birds feeding. Is this a general problem, or is there something
keeping my birds away? For the life of me I cannot see any reason.


I think our flock of sparrows are visiting more places. They've not
been about much yesterday but are all back today.
Suspect someone's bought some ALDI bird feeders with meal worms in.
(we have a new aldi near us)

Not too many birds on our feeders so far either. The field behind us
still hasn't been ploughed and drilled after the beet crop lifted, when
it's normally more or less straight away. So I wonder if there's just
more fallow land around here this year where birds can still feed. Lots
of seed and berries around too. I've started to get black sunflower seed
being taken more quickly but peanuts only going very slowly. I think
it's just warmer conditions for the time of year that means birds are
finding natural sources and aren't having to rely more on feeders and
bird-tables just yet.

Someone mentioned butterflies and this morning I had a Red Admiral flit
past me while I was hanging out washing.

--
Sue

"Janet" wrote in message
...
In article , says...

I have the usual choice on my bird table, assorted seed, peanuts and fat
balls, though they have been out for some time now I getting very few
birds feeding. Is this a general problem, or is there something keeping
my birds away? For the life of me I cannot see any reason.

They must all be here, scoffing ours. We've been remarking how many
birds are feeding here atm and how fast they're getting through it!

A couple of possibilities; one is, if it's a relatively new feeding
station it may be in the wrong location from a bird POV; too noisy, or
either too exposed ot too enclosed. In this garden, I have to site feeders
where hawks can't easily see/ get to them. Small birds flock to roofed
bird tables and hanging feeders close to bushes, but avoid open-top
birdtables or feeding on open ground where they are just a sitting target.

Another possibility is that someone sold you old stock that's gone
stale. It's always best to buy birdfood from a source with a fast turnover
of fresh supplies, rather than some small shop that sells very little
birdfood .

Janet.

I've recently started feeding them Nyger seeds which apparently are a
favourite of finches. I've yet to see any Gold finches or Bull finches,
even Chaffinches are rare this year

Bill

"Janet" wrote
In article ,
says...

I've recently started feeding them Nyger seeds which apparently are a
favourite of finches. I've yet to see any Gold finches or Bull
finches, even Chaffinches are rare this year

We found none were interested in nyger seed on the birdtable. A
friend recommended offering it in a (small holes) hanging feeder to
imitate how goldfinches feed on thistle heads in nature. When we got
one the GF population went from zero to charms within weeks! At our
last Birdwatch count goldfinches were the second commonest bird in our
garden after house sparrows and they are nesting in the garden now.
This year they brought 15 new chicks to the feeder. They have also,
just started spending a lot of time on the peanut feeders.

My dad puts nyger seed out with one of those feeders. It took a couple
of weeks but once the goldfinches found it they did seem to keep coming
back in good numbers.

I once weeded his garden when he wasn't there and carefully went round
this patch of seedlings I didn't recognise, thinking it was some annual
flower he'd scattered, and it amused him no end to see I'd left the
volunteer nyger seedlings still growing. It hadn't occurred to me these
were underneath where the feeder was hanging from a branch. Well I was
concentrating looking down not up! They do scatter quite a bit of the
seed, or it simply blows or falls out of the feeder, tiny holes or no.
They're beautiful little birds though, so worth a little extra weeding.

--
Sue

You're behind the times ;-)

According to the BTO, where both are available, goldfinches (the main nyger feeders) prefer kibbled sunflower hearts to nyger.

I've put out a feeder of kibbled sunflower as an experiment, and it's proving very popular, not just with hordes of squabbling goldfinches, but also with two collared doves who look really stupid trying to perch on a feeder.

In article , Bill Grey
writes
I've recently started feeding them Nyger seeds which apparently are a
favourite of finches. I've yet to see any Gold finches or Bull finches,
even Chaffinches are rare this year


Huh, gave up on nyger seed after three attempts and absolutely no sign
of any bird eating the seed . Plenty of long tailed tits here though
over the last couple of quite a bigggish flock (for them) seemed to be
about 10 or 11 of them all at once
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

In article ,
Janet writes
We found none were interested in nyger seed on the birdtable. A friend
recommended offering it in a (small holes) hanging feeder to imitate how
goldfinches feed on thistle heads in nature. When we got one the GF
population went from zero to charms within weeks! At our last Birdwatch
count goldfinches were the second commonest bird in our garden after house
sparrows and they are nesting in the garden now. This year they brought
15 new chicks to the feeder. They have also, just started spending a lot
of time on the peanut feeders.

Janet


Ha! I bought three of the blessed things and still no blinking
goldfinches
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

In article , kay
writes
I've put out a feeder of kibbled sunflower as an experiment, and it's

proving very popular, not just with hordes of squabbling goldfinches,

but also with two collared doves who look really stupid trying to perch

on a feeder.



Not to self - where doves come, pigeons won't be far behind so not to
feed kibbled sunflower seeds!

--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

In article , Sacha
writes
I filled four bird feeders yesterday with both seed and sunflower
hearts. I've just gone out and filled every single one again. The
sunflower hearts seem to be particular favourites. Niger seed can hang
around untouched for weeks, so we've given up on that.


Yes my experience exactly, they eat their way through mounds of no mess
seed plus fat balls and coconut shells and peanuts but the Niger seed
lies untouched
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

"Janet" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...

"Janet" wrote in message
...
In article , says...


I've recently started feeding them Nyger seeds which apparently are a
favourite of finches. I've yet to see any Gold finches or Bull finches,
even Chaffinches are rare this year

We found none were interested in nyger seed on the birdtable. A friend
recommended offering it in a (small holes) hanging feeder to imitate how
goldfinches feed on thistle heads in nature. When we got one the GF
population went from zero to charms within weeks! At our last Birdwatch
count goldfinches were the second commonest bird in our garden after house
sparrows and they are nesting in the garden now. This year they brought
15 new chicks to the feeder. They have also, just started spending a lot
of time on the peanut feeders.

Janet

I bought a "Nyger Seed" feeder which two very small holes for the birds to
feed from. I'm still hoping for some finches to arrive.

Bill