Topic ID 5723
I'm looking to attract birds to my garden so I can take some photos up close, what does anyone recommend I use for feed. I'm using fat balls brought from westmill farm, but they don't seem to be flavour of the month.
Reply ID 78811
Variance is the trick! ideally - fatballs, peanuts, mixed seed all at the same time. if you want goldfinches - great for pics - then get some nyjer seed. not sure how they know byt they'll appear within days. also sunflower seeds (black not striped) are pretty good, and VERY cheap too - can get 15kg bags for as little as a tenner at some places!
Reply ID 78818
Ok! Thanks very much Codek2
Reply ID 78823
You must have dodgy fat balls , they usually produce a decent photo ! [img]http://media.oregonlive.com/homesandgardens/photo/9012747-large.jpg[/img]
Reply ID 78825
quote:An early front-runner for Outstanding Post Of The Year. [:D]
Originally posted by Donostia
You must have dodgy fat balls
Reply ID 78829
We use a selection of seed mixes from Riverside Garden Centre, peanuts, fat balls, sultans and digestive biscuits! Blackbirds love the sultanas, Long tailed tits and blue tits the fat balls, starling anything! we also get a good selection of other birds, Robins, Wrens, Jays, Sparrows, Dunnocks, occasional and Redwigs, Thrushes. You need to give them time, if it is a new birdtable / feeder it takes them a while to know it is there.
Reply ID 78835
Is that a rat ?
Reply ID 78836
quote:Yep , rats love your garden bird feeders .
Originally posted by Frenchie
Is that a rat ?
Reply ID 78837
I gave up with fat balls as they would completely vanish within days. I'm not sure if was due to rats or squirrels. The pet shop on Fore Street sells a good selection of bird food.
Reply ID 78838
I have had a new hanging bird table put out for about a month. I currently have on there peanuts, seeds with insects (meal worms)and 2 different fat balls. The place is over run with blue tits taking the peanuts but no one is interested in the fat balls nor are they interested if the peanuts are hanging. They want them on the table, they are that fussy. There are no other birds and nobody is interested in my fat balls. I fed the birds in my old house in a village location and they were all over it, including wood peckers. No matter what got put out, they all had it, the greedy minxes. And then the rats got involved (in a big way) so I had to stop. Now trying again in my new house but it is just a one trick pony (and the peanuts are not cheap). I will persevere as it keeps me occupied with my little bird food experiments.
Reply ID 78844
quote:Siberian Hamster
Originally posted by Frenchie
Is that a rat ?
Reply ID 78845
You might find this useful. http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbirds/feeding/whatfood/index.aspx
Reply ID 78854
Mealworms they love but they are VERY expensive......just persevre till you find what they like. The Hertford birds are VERY fussy! You won't do much about squirrels I am afraid, we have loads of them from the trees round The Water Tower but just have to live with them. They do love peanuts so they need to be in one of the very heavey cages feeders if you want to try and stop them getting them.
Reply ID 78863
quote:You're not the first to comment Donostia!
Originally posted by Donostia
You must have dodgy fat balls
Reply ID 78866
Thanks everyone there's plenty of 'food for thought there'!! - Sorry, that was terrible.
Reply ID 78884
I find that a good supply of clean water for them to drink and wash in helps attract them.
Reply ID 78885
I get a great variety and I don't even put out any feed for them - they must just find their own in abundance in my lawn. I have a flock of 9 partirdges, a Pheasant, a Woodpecker, some large-ish bird of prey munching something as well as the usual crows, magpies, starlings etc.
Reply ID 78887
quote:You should change your name to TheZoo1973.
Originally posted by thefair1973
I get a great variety and I don't even put out any feed for them - they must just find their own in abundance in my lawn. I have a flock of 9 partirdges, a Pheasant, a Woodpecker, some large-ish bird of prey munching something as well as the usual crows, magpies, starlings etc.
Reply ID 78894
quote:We've put out fat balls for years but they don't seem to be very popular with fur or feather. Strange.
Originally posted by Ewoowar
I gave up with fat balls as they would completely vanish within days. I'm not sure if was due to rats or squirrels. The pet shop on Fore Street sells a good selection of bird food.
Reply ID 78895
Do rats climb trees?
Reply ID 78897
quote:Yes. Rats with big bushy tails.
Originally posted by Arty
Do rats climb trees?
Reply ID 78898
quote:How very squirrelist [:0]
Originally posted by Ewoowarquote:Yes. Rats with big bushy tails.
Originally posted by Arty
Do rats climb trees?
Reply ID 78899
I'm not sure if all Asda stores have this product but the Asda where I work in Crossharbour has 10kg of wild bird seed for £5.
Reply ID 78900
quote:They are both rodents.
Originally posted by Stevequote:How very squirrelist [:0]
Originally posted by Ewoowarquote:Yes. Rats with big bushy tails.
Originally posted by Arty
Do rats climb trees?
Reply ID 79043
Katieg28, you are certainly right about the peanuts in hanging feeders. I brought one from Alworths a couple for weeks or so ago and had only ever seen one bird go near it so I decided to put some of the nuts out on the table and within about 50 min they were queuing up to take their turn! The fat balls from the stall in Maidenhead also seem very popular.
Reply ID 79064
Eyeone, Nothing has changed. I am still experimenting but it is only my peanuts left loose on the table they are really interested in. I am almost feeling bullied by a load of blue tits as I think they watch me until I put them out as within seconds they are all over it. Although today I had one sparrow. Just the one but it was something different. I did buy some special seed with meal worms but they just take the meal worms and leave the rest. I have not changed that food for a week now, on principle, and am concerned it will go off. My 12 yeor old son does not get this much fussing from me about his food!
Reply ID 79081
A lot of the bird species we get around here like to feed at ground level - particularly the blackbirds. I have found that using a combination of hannging feeders and also putting food out directly on the ground will attract quite a variety. Some birds cannot get onto the hanging feeders. Try using Gardman no mess seed mix to scatter around - this is the best I have found and gets the blackbirds, robins, thrushes as well the tits on the feeders. http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbirds/feeding/how.aspx
Reply ID 79083
p.s. always have a tray of clean water for them too. This will help attract them.
Reply ID 79088
There is clean water in the feeder and I am already using Gardman although not on the ground, only on the feeder. In my last house I had a problem with rats (lived deep in the countryside) so have an aversion to putting on ground level but will give it a try. Put a cupful of peanuts outside at about 11 and it has all gone!! |With a load of blue tits sitting in the tree and watching it. Just put another cup and will see how long that lasts.
Reply ID 79089
Kate I had the same problem when I first brought my feeder and it took about six months for the birds to visit regularly so I believe its just a bit of patience you need. I used to put loose food out to attract them and this did make a difference.
Reply ID 79091
I also keep getting pigeons and I am not a fan of pigeons at all. How wrong would it be to encourage my son to shoot them with a BB gun?
Reply ID 79092
I don't think you should be encouraging your son to shoot the pigeons but if he needs some practice I have two squirrels he's welcome to get rid of! Seriously they are a problem but there's not enough BB shot in the world to rid you of them - make friends with the few that visit and hope they keep the hordes away.
Reply ID 79143
They are eating my fat balls. I am probably a little over excited by this. I went out last night to replenish the peanuts for this morning's breakfast frenzy and noticed the fat balls were about half the size. So I put another one out in excitement. Maybe I should get a hobby as this is starting to become an obsession.
Reply ID 79154
Tits like coconuts.
Reply ID 79156
Thought some of you might be interested in this http://www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/
Reply ID 79157
quote:[:D] You owe me a new coffee and keyboard.
Originally posted by Kateg28
They are eating my fat balls.
Reply ID 79159
[:I] Oops. Just realised what I wrote. You can have my keyboard now as it is covered in tea. [:D]
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