Any keen bird feeders out there?

Primrose

Our local sparrowhawk is having a field day and obviously has young to feed. Twice this week we have come down to breakfast and have found feather scattered all over the lawn. Parents are obviously early risers and out to catch other birds to are busy feeding their yiung too.

Our hanging bird feeders are situated right next to a large bush to provide some shelters for feeding birds to flee i to if attacked but obviously some are not quick enough. If ever you have seen a sparrowhawk catch its prey, it's a pretty quick operation.

torbrex

I have noticed a drop in the birds eating the suet pellets, I generally put out a handful for the ground feeders when I am filling the hanging feeders but the last lot is still sitting there, hardly touched, even the starlings are not bothering with it.

seven-day-weekend

torbrex wrote: »

I have noticed a drop in the birds eating the suet pellets, I generally put out a handful for the ground feeders when I am filling the hanging feeders but the last lot is still sitting there, hardly touched, even the starlings are not bothering with it.

Probably plenty of insects for them to eat at this time of year.

JP08

Had the majestic sight of the heron landing in the garden over the back fence yesterday.

Beautiful bird, but I suspect their fishpond is down on stock now - always a risk with the river so close. Thankfully ours is well netted over.

Waterlily24

We get lots of lovely birds here. I've also seen a sparrow hawk kill a little sparrow very easily plus a wood pecker trying to peck a stone post lol.


The above is my favourite though. Up until last year he/she had been visiting nearly daily since 2006 when we moved here. A couple of years ago there were three perched in full view.

Fay

Well, I'm thrilled...we have blue tits nesting behind the fascias of our garage. We watch the parents go in and out and then hear the chicks! I feel like a success as it means the garden is appealing to them and not just the food station lol

Primrose

That's lovely Fay and so exciting. Do try and catch the chicks leaving the nest if you can although it's all over so quickly, but then thrilling to see these little balls of fluff fluttering around the garden learning to fly.

KxMx

We've got a nest in the guttering above the bedroom next to mine. I can hear the babies when the parents come back now

Usually a starling nest or two every year along the row of five in the gutter, this year it's finally our turn to host.

So while I haven't seen the parents I'm 95% confident it's starlings.

Had the first babies in the garden yesterday, brown, very flufly starlings. Lots of adult tits day to day so hoping for those babies soon.

Ken68

Todays visitor


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Gers

That's a brilliant photo Ken, so close and sharp. Thanks for sharing it.

Here's my visitor to Cafe Gers this morning, scooping up all the wasted sunflower hearts left by the birds.




After I this I went out to mow the lawn and one cheeky fat-as-a- butter-ball goldfinch just sat on the grass, under the feeder and watched me as I cut. Even when I got about three feet away he (?) just sat there eating and watching. He's the fattest gold finch I've ever seen, really round. At one point he hopped over the mower cable when it got between him and the food.

Siskins are fighting. Swallows are swooping around in and out of the barn and I'm done in the garden for the day!