Spare a thought for garden birds this week (late March)

Amalgam

I was generally feeding the birds less and less food because of the recent mild stretch (Dublin). This week is mean though. Think about putting out a bit more food.

It's a bad sign that our robins will not move when you go to throw food out, they just sit there and get hit with it.. Bold as brass, same for the various Finches.

There's a thread at P.ie about feeding birds and I picked up this tip:

I'm putting out extra grated cheese and soaked sultanas morning and evening. Blackbirds and starlings in particular love these treats. Tesco do a 'Value' range of both to keep the costs civilised. I can't remember the cheese price but the sultanas are only about 80c for 375g.

I wouldn't have been one to soak them before putting Sultanas out. I'll try that for tomorrow.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Please all, keep feeding birds at least until June regardless of the weather any year. Better again, follow the current advise that we feed garden birds all year round. I have fed them all year for over 15 years now. The number of birds availing of the food declines in July and August but it's still an important source of food to many birds.

I don't soak Sultanas and the birds still seem to enjoy them. I just mix them into the tub of general seed mix.

Mollywolly

My garden birds are the best fed birds in east Limerick! I've been feeding them all year round for the past five years or so and it hasn't done them any harm. Oh, and they get extra when it's cold too

Mind you, knowing what comes into my garden every day does mean that if I don't see any of my "regulars" for a couple of days I do start to worry....silly old fool

Half-cocked

I just bought another 15Kg of black sunflower seed and 25Kg of mixed seeds, looks like it will be needed!

Amalgam

Half-cocked wrote: »

I just bought another 15Kg of black sunflower seed and 25Kg of mixed seeds, looks like it will be needed!

What sort of prices Half-cocked?

This will be the last year I buy piecemeal, bulk from now on..

Half-cocked

Amalgam wrote: »

What sort of prices Half-cocked?

This will be the last year I buy piecemeal, bulk from now on..

€44 the lot in the pet shop in Sallynoggin, near Powercity. The mixed seed is very good quality, not too much grain in it.

boneless

I tend to feeds all year as well, but just apply the usual hygiene precautions folks!!

borderlinemeath

I only started feeding the birds this year, the cold snap in January was so harsh I thought I had to help them some way I could.

Now I have my regulars everyday and great to see them!

We have a few nests as well, one in the rafters of the garage and also in the boilerhouse. We've been in the house since 2005 and they come back year after year to nest.