Food and feeders (1 Viewer)

[Trevor Lee]

Hi Elizabeth, I have spent the afternoon cleaning and making new feeders for the coming winter.

I have a large home made post similar in shape to a footpath sign but with lots of feeders hanging from it.

We hace a squirrel proof ceramic nut feeder, a wooden nut feeder, two seed feeders, a covered open seed feeder for the robins and smaller birds. I have today made several small wire cages to accept small fat balls (2 at a time) as hanging them by string meant the starlings usually broke them up and they scattered very quickly. I had only just hung them up when two Great tits and 3 Blue tits vwere vying for the honour to be the first to dine.

I have also just made a new ground feeding table. This is probably for a third or less of the price than those you buy.

Theres something really satisfaying about constructing your own feeders for a fraction of the cost. Birds are reaaly not fussy about how they look so long as they do the job and they can get at the food.

I also make my own nest boxes and give these to freinds and hang them in local woods with peoples permission.

Birds we have at the moment are Song thrush (recently returned after long absence) GSW (new addition) Robin (pair) dunnocks, Wrens (lots of them) Great, Blue long tailed Tits, Blackbirds, starlings, Collared Doves, Woody's, Jacky's, Jay ocassionally, Chaffinch, Greenfinch.

We have had Gold finches at the back of the garden and grew teasels for the last 2-3 years to tempt them in but with no look.

Have you noticed how on RSPB garden bird watches the birds seem to stay away? They obviously have a sense of humour!!

Best wishes

Trevor

 

[Susan C]

Hello - I've just begun to put out seed again this fall - and have been amazed at the variety of birds that visit. I've seen a downy woodpecker at a suet /peanut butter/seed cage, nuthatches on an old tree trunk, chickadees and goldfinches at the nyjer (nyger?) seed feeds, lots of starlings, red-winged blackbirds and grackles, who's main objective seems to be to make a big a mess as possible. The mourning doves come in to clean up after them. Also spotted a ruby-throated hummingbird on a regular basis.
We've also had a small flock of waxwings the other day, who were after the fruit on the old crab-apple (I thinkk).
Not too bad for a start!