Any keen bird feeders out there?

SG27

our robin parents are attacking the babies now. I suppose to push them out to find their own territories. it's hard to see but nature I suppose. They have another nest now with more babies to feed so no time for the juveniles. It's a shame I was hoping they would be around longer.

1940sGal

Gers wrote: »

No babies in the garden!

Stay patient with this one! I've got 3 nest boxes in my garden, all of which have been there a long while. One has been up more than 4 years and never been used. Sitting in the garden a few weeks back i noticed a robin fly up and in to it. Turns out it finally has some residents

I can't tell for certain if there are eggs in there or babies yet but at last check the female was sitting in there and the male bringing her food so i'm assuming she was incubating eggs. I'm going to have a little watch tonight though. I've got a spot just under a lilac tree where i can sit with the binoculars.

Primrose

Yes the secret is to put yourself in the brain of a bird and whilst humans would hang their feeders in the middle of a lawn for instance so they could get a good view, this would be danger territory for birds leaving them very exposed. Our feeder which has three arms for hanging feeders on, is very close to a magnolia bush which gives then plenty of cover. They will often tske seeds or grain from the feeder and fly straight into the bush with them so they can be eaten in safety if they're not immediately flying off with full beaks to feed babies.
We have a regular sparrowhawk around here so it's important they have a safe exit refuge nearby when feeding.

KxMx

I am often amused by the blue & great tits picking up a single peanut from the ground, and then flying into the tree next door to eat them.

(don't worry, I don't feed whole peanuts this time of year!)

Primrose

We grind up peanuts in one of those mini food processors and mix them in with bird seed in the bird feeder tubes. The undoubted favourite food this time of year is the suet pellets. That feeder tube has to be refilled a couple of times a day. It's costing us a fortune !!

Happygreen

baby sparrows have hatched, I now have to keep a constant eye on the puddles. They fly in for a drink ad can't get out again...

Gers

Tonight I had two starlings coming in for the mealworms I scattered around. One was on the platform and one was managing to get into the hanging holder. I guess that they were feeding young as they buzzed back and forth a few times.

Siskins are back, loads of goldfinches, chaffinches eating mostly on the ground and blue tits galore too.

I've got swallows in the back barn, every time I go in they fly out in great flurries. I hope I won't put them off.

My black sunflower hearts were getting stolen by little field mice! The floor of the back barn is littered in empty shells so I've bought proper thick plastic buckets with close fitting lids now.

Happygreen

Yesterday I caught the pair of pigeons in my cherry tree! And there was me saying earlier that they don't give my veg plot any trouble - they are too busy munching on green cherries, grrrhh.

I saw my favourite bird yesterday driving thorugh the communal forest - sadly not in my garden - a Jay! I used to collect their feathers as a child

twiglet98

I haven't seen starlings here for years but earlier in the week, I put mealworms and suet pellets out as usual before leaving for work (after the cat has been out, and is shut indoors again), by the time I got back to the kitchen there were two on the bird table and by the time I had changed my shoes, there were 17 of them. They seem to have disappeared earlier in the evening than the usual crew so the blackbirds and robin eat their fill then.

A young magpie was on the kitchen windowsill earlier, eating mealworms from the window feeder. Never seen one right up at the house before.

The barn swallows' first brood must be close to fledging, they're incredibly noisy when the parents go back to the nest.

davenport151

Hi all,
been MIA for a while but rest assured I am still feeding and watching those birds.

Had a new one for me a few weeks ago and I keep spotting him now and again -a Great Spotted woodpecker! Go a good pic too, nice of 'him' to stay long enough for a close up!

Well pleased with this. We do have mature trees over the road from us at the side of a business park so guessing that's where he was from.