bird feeders

foreign_correspondent

Hello, I would like to buy some bird feeders for my dad. He has some largish trees in front of his house and there are lots of birds (including a woodpecker) in them.

He would like some bird feeers which he can hang in the trees, and which will last reasonably well.

Can anyone recommend a type of bird feeder or a supplier? There are so many types on the web, and I really dont know enough to know which is best..

thanks

fc x

noonesperfect

CJ wild bird food supplies have a good range, I got mine from there and they very quick with delivery.

http://www.birdfood.co.uk/

alanobrien

Our local wyvale has a sale on bird feeders etc at the moment - worth a look if you have one close

peter_the_piper

I usually buy a sheet of 1/4" mesh and make my own. Cut a square of wood for the top, cut a piece of mesh to suit and fold as necessary. "Sew" the edges with thin wire and your done. Don't forget to cut a slot in the top to fill up with, make a flap of mesh or the blue tits will just fly in and out again.

~Chameleon~

Whilst on the subject of bird feeders, I placed several around my garden a few weeks ago to feed the birds through winter and I've noticed a sudden influx of starlings to my garden, previously unseen here, mainly attracted to the dish of mealworms.

Now, I put the mealworms out for the blackbirds and robins, both of which nest in my garden, but they're not getting a look-in now as these bullying starlings are chasing them away and then eating everything in the dish

Is there any way I can discourage this?

I do have some seed and peanut feeders too but the starlings don't appear interested in either of these :rolleyes:

Debt_Free_Chick

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

Now, I put the mealworms out for the blackbirds and robins, both of which nest in my garden, but they're not getting a look-in now as these bullying starlings are chasing them away and then eating everything in the dish

Is there any way I can discourage this?

Serve them an ASBO? :rotfl:

You can't control nature. If the food is there, then you'll attract the local riff-raff.

I think you'll find that the blackbirds & robins get their share too. They usually nick a mealworm and hop off under some shrubs to consume it. They then hide there and wait for the starlings to go before they go back for seconds.

Remember that blackbirds & robins are ground feeders - they will visit the bird table, but they're happier feeding on the ground.

floyd

I put fat balls in the apple tree for the starlings, OH likens them to Fagin's ragamuffins darting about pinching whatever they can.
Anyway, I also buy mealworms and songbirds ground feed from http://www.noahsarkgardens.co.uk then throw the ground feed into bushes and under shrubs. The robins and blackbirds are usually watching when I do it and know exactly where it is so while the starlings are busy with the fat balls they get their fill.

~Chameleon~

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

Serve them an ASBO? :rotfl:

:rotfl: I wish! They really are a major PITA although it is sometimes amusing to watch them squabbling amongst themselves to get at the food :rotfl:

You can't control nature. If the food is there, then you'll attract the local riff-raff.

I think you'll find that the blackbirds & robins get their share too. They usually nick a mealworm and hop off under some shrubs to consume it. They then hide there and wait for the starlings to go before they go back for seconds.

Remember that blackbirds & robins are ground feeders - they will visit the bird table, but they're happier feeding on the ground.

Yes, I have spotted them on the ground grabbing the stray worms that the starlings have knocked out of the dish and also spotted a couple of hedgehogs snuffling around for stray worms the other night, so have started throwing some on the ground too between the shrubs

~Chameleon~

floyd wrote: »

I put fat balls in the apple tree for the starlings, OH likens them to Fagin's ragamuffins darting about pinching whatever they can.
Anyway, I also buy mealworms and songbirds ground feed from http://www.noahsarkgardens.co.uk then throw the ground feed into bushes and under shrubs. The robins and blackbirds are usually watching when I do it and know exactly where it is so while the starlings are busy with the fat balls they get their fill.

There's a young male blackbird that is a regular visitor (he still had a few fluffly feathers back in the summer to help me identify him, but has now transformed into a very sleek handsome chap ) and he always sits a few feet away waiting for me to throw him a handful of worms

Thanks for the link, have just placed an order with them as they're cheaper than my local garden centre :T

Debt_Free_Chick

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

:rotfl: I wish! They really are a major PITA although it is sometimes amusing to watch them squabbling amongst themselves to get at the food :rotfl:

I think they may be on the "at risk" register - so don't be too hard on 'em

~Chameleon~

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

I think they may be on the "at risk" register - so don't be too hard on 'em

Yeah, at risk from a twelve bore shotgun!!! :rotfl: (only kidding )


There is a bird round here that definitely does need an ASBO slapping on it though! I've not yet been able to identify it despite seeing it a few times recently, but is definitely a small/medium hawk-type bird, and it's attacking and killing small birds

Last week I heard a kerfuffle in the bushes and the little birds (I think they're dunnocks) were screaming and making a fuss and flying over to the hedge at the other side. I thought it must have been a cat at first but as I went down to look, this large bird flew out of the bushes carrying a small bird away with it :eek: