It hasn't yet been very cold here this winter, but I'm sure it will be in time, and our garden birds will need extra food.
Last year I bought some of those fat/seed balls that one hangs in trees; I had NO TAKERS, and after they had sprouted and gone moldy, I had to throw them away.
This year I have bought something a bit more purpose-built; a standard seed feeder with the contents being kept dry, away from the cold and wet.
I have hung it in the Apple tree in front of the house, but as yet I haven't seen a single bird coming to feed. Where are they all?
We have plenty of Seagulls, Pigeons, Magpies, and Blackbirds; but hardly any small garden birds. It remains to be seen if any turn up.
The RSBP is carrying out it's annual garden bird count at the moment (The Big Garden Birdwatch). People are asked to count all the different birds they see in their garden, and send-in the results. Well, there's not much point my taking part in the survey, as there aren't any. I have a feeling that my neighbour's two cats might have something to do with it.
I'm just hoping that my feeder (being reasonably high up) will remedy that!
I thought of putting a feeder like that in our garden but somehow I don't think we'd have any takers either.
ReplyDeleteWe hear a lot of bird song but rarely see the birds. A sparrow now and again, even a Robin but it's mostly crows and seagulls
I occasionally see a Wren behind my garage, and a Robin in the park, but nothing seems to want my offering of seeds! Maybe in time.....
DeleteSome of the wildlife charities are now wondering if feeding the birds is actually doing more harm than good. While small garden birds have increased there has been a huge drop in others like greenfinches and chaffinches due to problems with them eating mouldy feed.
DeleteThis feeder should overcome that problem. I've had others in the past where the seeds were encased in wire mesh, and they started to sprout and go nasty after a very short while. This one should keep them dry and wholesome (I hope).
DeleteWe do get a few garden birds on our feeders and P is scrupulous about keeping them clean. A friend of ours has 20 feeders hanging in the large tree beside his sunroom window and is treated to a frenzied display every day.
ReplyDeleteThat is what I was hoping for. Maybe in time....
DeleteHow long has it been in the tree? Apparently it can take 3/4 weeks for birds to get used to a new feeder.
ReplyDeleteOnly a few days so far. I hope you're right. It possibly also needs to be colder for them to want to eat a different diet.
DeleteWe feed the birds all through the year, the little brown jobs live in our neighbours jungle and come to feed every day, which is a joy for us. We feed them sunflower hearts.
ReplyDeleteI always feed them in France, where we have a huge variety of small birds. Here we live in a very 'green' area, but there are very few small birds. I have no idea why!
DeleteI have been feeding our garden birds for forty years without a word of thanks from them.
ReplyDeleteUngrateful bastards!
DeleteIt does take a little while for the birds to get used to a new feeder.I have 2 little see through houses. One stuck to the kitchen window and one on the living room window. We have lots of birds but I think its because our flat is one floor up. No cats. Theres a tree that is level to my kitchen window and the little birds tend to swoop from it to the bird house. lovely to watch.
ReplyDeleteI love to see birds. They are there to decorate our skies and our hedgerows. Life would be dreadful without them.
DeleteYou're not alone Cro. We have fed the birds all year round for donkey's years now and have noticed the decline this year particularly. During that cold snap a couple of weeks ago we expected birds to be queueing up but they didn't, no sign of any. However, now that it's warmed up a bit they seem to be making a return. Our main problem here is squirrels who keep doing a raid on the bird feeders!
ReplyDeleteI think my main problem are the two black Cats from next door who sit around looking menacing. However, I would have thought that birds could easily escape them!
DeleteWe used to regularly feed birds with the kind of feeder that you have, but gave up when a couple of cats started showing an unhealthy interest in the birds, lurking in the shrubs and scaring the birds away. Not helped either by getting occasional visits from a sparrowhawk that frightened away the smaller birds.
ReplyDeleteYes, I think the Cats could be the problem, but the feeder is quite high up in the tree. No Hawks or Buzzards here.
DeleteLots of birds this winter, but we also have grey squirrels the size of house cats hanging around. Fat bastards can eat a full bird feeder down to nothing in 20 minutes flat. So I've devised a Shawshank prison type deterrent around the poles which keeps the greedy greys on the ground eating only what the birds spill...which is plenty. My husband says I should patent it.
ReplyDeleteThey can be a real pest around the bird feeders. We don't have any nearby, but in France we have plenty of Red Squirrels.
DeleteIt's an absolutely FOUL day here today, I think all the birds are tucked-up in the dry somewhere. Like me!
With your new feeder nicely positioned, it should draw the birds.
ReplyDeleteAre your Brighton friends and neighbors seeing a decline in the bird population? If you are all seeing fewer birds, that raises greater concerns about the bird population.
I think everyone's noticed it. Maybe they've all gone elsewhere!
DeleteI was surprised at the birds that are out and about, the other day I saw a cardinal, a north american robin, and a woodpecker while walking on the treadmill.
ReplyDeleteIn France we see no end of different varieties; many we don't even recognise. Here it is very different. I just hope that the ones we have turn up at my feeder!
DeleteI’m back x
ReplyDelete