Swoop..........the memories. (3 Viewers)

[Ruth Daniel]

Hello all,
Whilst replenishing and de-frosting this morning for some reason I was suddenly reminded of winter days gone by.
More especially of being a youngster and at home with my Mum and watching her feeding the birds with Swoop!!!!
Does anyone else remember the boxes of seed with those beautiful drawings of the different garden birds on the side of the packet?
Oh how the memories came flooding back!!!
Best wishes,

 

[roosmum]

Hello all,
Whilst replenishing and de-frosting this morning for some reason I was suddenly reminded of winter days gone by.
More especially of being a youngster and at home with my Mum and watching her feeding the birds with Swoop!!!!
Does anyone else remember the boxes of seed with those beautiful drawings of the different garden birds on the side of the packet?
Oh how the memories came flooding back!!!
Best wishes,

Hi Ruth :hi:
Have to confess I remember it well!
Funnily enough I too was thinking about feeding the birds as a child, the other day. I don't remember having any hanging feeders, just half a coconut (and the turkey carcass on the washing line after Christmas), everything else went onto the birdtable or the ground. The birds all managed to feed together on the table quite happily, in those far gone days they included linnets, bullfinches, yellowhammers etc. birds I consider really exotic now! Some Winters a pair of long tail tits would come to feed and they were nearly always followed by heavy snow so we kids would get really excited when they appeared.

 

[rose taylor]

I remember Swoop too, though we never bought any. We lived in the top floor flat then, until I was about 12. I do remember watching big fat woodpigeons feeding on the ivy growing on the cliff face opposite the flat. That's when the bug bit.
Happy days
Rose.

 

[Cathy H]

I remember swoop from the adverts butwe never bought any cos we didn't feed the birds then. I only got educated later.

Cheers :hi:

 

[Sue Wright]

Hi Ruth and all,

I remember it well, in fact that was what started our feeding for a while before we new of the better things for them. Like Rose 2 we also used to hang up half coconuts from the tree, streaky rashers too and the Tits loved it.

Sue

 

[Ruth Daniel]

Hi ladies,
I'm glad you all remember Swoop too! :t:
It got me thinking though that we never had a birdtable or birdbath or even any feeders.My sister and I used to thread monkey nuts onto wool in great long strings and hang them out onto the washing line!!
The rest was just thrown out onto the garden!!
I can still remember my Mum shouting at me because I'd let the dog out and he had eaten all the food meant for the birds!!! lol!!
Those were the days eh?
Best wishes,

 

[roosmum]

Thanks Ruth :bounce:

You've just brought to mind the image of our fox terrier bouncing round the bird table on her hind legs trying to get at what was on top! 3
She too would rush straight to the feeding patch to see what she could snaffle before the birds.

 

[Bea]

Yes I remember Swoop although we didn't buy it. Like most people of our (my!) generation, it was kitchen scraps, half coconuts etc. We used to get pieces of suet from the village butcher to hang in the trees , chicken carcases were also hung up and fallen apples were always left for the blackbirds and thrushes.

Things are much more sophisticated now aren't they? Bird food suppliers are thriving and my next supply of mealworms are due to be delivered tomorrow.

Regards

 

[Kits]

I think I remember the Swoop, or am I getting muddled with Trill? We used to put scraps out when I was a child. Never ever put out chicken carcases though! Sounds rather gruesome! Do you put a string through them and hang them from a line? Smacks of whatever the bird for cannibalism is to me!!!!

 

[Sue Wright]

Hi Kits,

I once worked in a grocery shop where we sold both Swoop & Trill. Swoop was for the wild Birds and Trill for Budgies.

I too have always heard that meat (especially of their own kind!!) should NEVER be put out for Birds....the string also is very worthwhile mentioning for fear of the danger possibility! Much the same as never feeding Foxes or Dogs bones from cooked chickens! It's ok for Foxes to have them in the way they get them (raw), but when the chicken is cooked it makes the bones brittle thus causing the risk of them getting them stuck in their throats. All the best,

Sue

 

[Ruth Daniel]

I too have always heard that meat (especially of their own kind!!) should NEVER be put out for Birds

You know I've never thought of that before as our xmas Turkey carcass ALWAYS went out into the garden and the birds feasted like Kings for a few days!
It was just one of those things my Mum always did and until mentioned here I'd never thought of it being canabolism!!! Ugh how awful!!
Best wishes,

 

[Bea]

I wouldn't dream of putting out chicken now, but back in the 50's that was what our family did. When you think about it canibalism does come to mind!

 

[saluki]

I wouldn't dream of putting out chicken now, but back in the 50's that was what our family did. When you think about it canibalism does come to mind!

What an odd idea! What do Sparrowhawks, Peregrines, etc. feed on if not birds?

Didn't 'Swoop' once do a garden bird ID book? You could claim it by collecting tokens off the box - or am I dreaming . . .?

Anyone remember who made 'Swoop' - was it Haiths?

saluki

 

[Linda Beaumont]

I once worked in a grocery shop where we sold both Swoop & Trill. Swoop was for the wild Birds and Trill for Budgies.
Sue

Hi All !

Sue, you took me right back to my childhood with your mention of "Trill". The ad boasted that it "makes budgies bounce with health" !!! Just imagine the sight - a whole aviary full of bouncing budgies! :bounce:
The mind boggles!

Due to a shortage of "seed for finches" at our petshop, we've actually had to feed our sparrow hordes on BUDGIE SEED (mostly millet) for the past few days - and they adore it! Sadly, after tomorrow our bird restaurant will lose its Michelin star, and the sparrows will be back to the equivalent of fish and chips.

Warmest wishes to you all!

Exit stage right, bouncing and trilling merrily...