Winter feeding

54and56

Hi all,

What type of food is recommended to leave out during the winter for tits and robins etc?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Mixed seed, peanuts and fat balls will cover a multitude for you. And don't forget to have water available too.

Bsal

And don't forget to clean your feeders at least once a week to help prevent the birds getting disease.

philstar

and sweep the area underneath the feeders, to prevent a build up of bacteria for ground feeders like robins

Capercaillie

philstar wrote: »

and sweep the area underneath the feeders, to prevent a build up of bacteria for ground feeders like robins

+ change location feeders often. Have feeders in open (predation by cats is reduced).

fryup

simon says.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSL1uvpcnFM

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

For somebody who just wants to feed garden birds in general and is just starting off, forget the specialist seeds in that film. Just get a decent seed mix. I have a weekly average of 19 species in the garden and a total garden list of 56 species using just a seed mix, peanuts, fruit and water.

OpenYourEyes

Birdwatch Ireland have a garden bird feeding factsheet here:

http://www.birdwatchireland.ie/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=a1EAgOihboo=&tabid=386

Birdnuts

Robins love meal worms - though they are quickly snapped up

philstar

any redwings or fieldfare about??

Birdnuts

philstar wrote: »

any redwings or fieldfare about??

Plenty - but they won't start really coming into gardens till we get some hard weather in the new year(in my experience)

Isambard

most popular feed in my garden by far are Sunflower Hearts, followed by Nijer Seeds, but you would need very deep pockets as the birds would empty a feeder in a day or so.

Best value would be peanuts which are a lot cheaper and pretty popular.

Mixed seeds are a waste of money as I find the birds just throw out most of the seeds to get to the tastier morsels.

Fat balls almost totally ignored.

I have my feeders protected from the Jackdaws and Rooks (and cats) who just wolf down the lot and discourage smaller birds.


Redwing flock often visible in field at the rear, but not in the garden as yet.

magicbastarder

i've found that peanuts were typically left untouched in our garden - fatballs usually did well, but strangely not this year. mixed seed always a hit, but as you mention, as much with the pigeons who get what's discarded as it is with the smaller garden birds.

how long do fatballs usually last in storage?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

magicbastarder wrote: »

i've found that peanuts were typically left untouched in our garden - fatballs usually did well, but strangely not this year. mixed seed always a hit, but as you mention, as much with the pigeons who get what's discarded as it is with the smaller garden birds.

how long do fatballs usually last in storage?

I can't keep the peanut feeders stocked as they are being emptied daily.

Mixed seed works very well for me but I don't put it in feeders; just on the tables and a bit on the grass. I use a 'no mess' mix and the birds eat every bit.

Fastball will keep a year if in a cool place.

Currently feeding an average of 19 species and over 75 individual birds per week at the moment.

magicbastarder

i'm using the last of a bucket of fatballs which had been kept in the garage, since i'd say easter or thereabouts. i was wondering if it had gone off, but also tried a freshly purchased bucket which prompted just as much (or as little) interest.

the mixed seeds i have been putting in a standard feeder as well in a suspended tray.

fryup

i'm just keeping it simple...peanuts & fatballs

and its mainly tits, great,blue & coal that come to my feeders

cd07

Niger seed. Cant keep up withe the goldies red polls and odd siskin. They empty the large feeder daily. Also have peanuts and mixed seed which draws a lot of tits. Greenfinch and chaffinches not to mention 10plus collard dove at any given stage!

fryup

anyone using sunflower hearts? do they attract any unusual birds? like say siskins or redpolls?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

fryup wrote: »

anyone using sunflower hearts? do they attract any unusual birds? like say siskins or redpolls?

I used to and Niger seed too but, to be honest, I get the redpoll, siskins, goldfinch etc just as much with a decent general seed mix so I stopped using them.

fryup

am i right in saying only a severe frost will bring a more eclectic mix of birds ??

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

fryup wrote: »

am i right in saying only a severe frost will bring a more eclectic mix of birds ??

Sometimes but not always. It's more a matter of what's available locally for them.

B1gft

I have mix seed. I put them on the ground which the 10/12 doves very quickly eat. I fill a feeder everyday, which the small birds eat.

The peanuts and fatballs not as popular this year, I put it down to the mild winter.

Knine

Have Niger feeders out but no Goldfinch at all. Last year I was over run with them. I wonder why I have none this year?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Knine wrote: »

Have Niger feeders out but no Goldfinch at all. Last year I was over run with them. I wonder why I have none this year?

There's no shortage of natural food around still.

Isambard

they're all in my garden. A largish flock descended today, some on the feeders but more scavenging around the trees and bushes.

fryup

is it alright to give birds mouldy bread?

esp big birds like crows, magpies, duck, swans etc

OpenYourEyes

fryup wrote: »

is it alright to give birds mouldy bread?

esp big birds like crows, magpies, duck, swans etc

No it's not. They get the mould on their bills when they eat it, that mould then gets on their feathers when they preen, and it colonises/grows and damages the feathers! Definitely not ok. It's a particular problem in swans - known as 'pink feather disease'.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

fryup wrote: »

is it alright to give birds mouldy bread?

esp big birds like crows, magpies, duck, swans etc

Absolutely no way. Bin it.

Isambard

having worked for a bakery I have a dread of mouldy bread....bin it. Stale bread Ok but probably not recommended either.

I think vegetables such as peas or cabbage are the suggestions but my daughter tells me the ducks ignore them and go for the bread as first choice if available.

OpenYourEyes

Isambard wrote: »

having worked for a bakery I have a dread of mouldy bread....bin it. Stale bread Ok but probably not recommended either.

I think vegetables such as peas or cabbage are the suggestions but my daughter tells me the ducks ignore them and go for the bread as first choice if available.

Stale bread wouldn't be as bad as mouldy bread, but it would still be very tough to digest for the bird. I'd try and break it up into crumbs as much as possible in that case, but as you said it's not recommended.

Vegetables like cabbage, salad, half-grapes, peas etc are the recommended foods for ducks/swans alright. Unfortunately they will probably go for the 'junkfood' of bread where it's available. Some places have a ban on feeding bread, particularly white bread, though it's rarely strictly enforced because we want to encourage people to interact with wildlife where possible. Tricky situation in that respect!

Isambard

probably best to throw stale bread into the water I guess if using it.

philstar

i've got a whole pile of pretzels left over from new year's

can i give them to garden birds? too salty?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

philstar wrote: »

i've got a whole pile of pretzels left over from new year's

can i give them to garden birds? too salty?

Yes, too salty. Don't feed them to the birds.

okedoke

Ive been feeding the birds for the last few weeks in the garden. A few weeks ago it was mostly tits and robins coming to the feeders (fat balls, sunflower hearts and peanuts) but for the last few days approx 80%+ of the small birds are goldfinches. Not complaining, they're beautiful birds, but i'm wondering why the sudden change

Isambard

ifind they tend to bully the other birds, I've installed more feeders separate and they are swamped now with Greenfinch and Chaffinch with the Goldfinches sticking with the original feeders, the Tits are largely separate again elsewhere.

okedoke

I noticed they seem to be pretty aggressive alright. There's usually a few Chaffinches on the ground below the feeders.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

okedoke wrote: »

Ive been feeding the birds for the last few weeks in the garden. A few weeks ago it was mostly tits and robins coming to the feeders (fat balls, sunflower hearts and peanuts) but for the last few days approx 80%+ of the small birds are goldfinches. Not complaining, they're beautiful birds, but i'm wondering why the sudden change

Goldfinches move about in flocks in winter. They have found a new food source but will probably, mostly, move on shortly.

okedoke

interesting - thanks

fryup

inundated with long tailed tits over the last few days, they love the fat balls

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

fryup wrote: »

inundated with long tailed tits over the last few days, they love the fat balls

One of my favourite birds. I had a flock of 61 in my birch trees last Winter. What a sound!

whyulittle

Carlee Chubby Tights wrote: »

One of my favourite birds. I had a flock of 61 in my birch trees last Winter. What a sound!

Just out of curiosity, how do you count a flock of 61 LTTs?!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

whyulittle wrote: »

Just out of curiosity, how do you count a flock of 61 LTTs?!

Decades of practice in doing surveys and counts.

magicbastarder

he had a flock of 60, and one extra lad arrived just as the others were about to leave.

fryup

maybe the upcoming cold snap will bring a more eclectic mix of birds to the feeders??

*fingers crossed*

Half-cocked

Got a pair of Black Caps coming to halved apples I stick on branches in the hedge.

sirspamalot

Hello there,

I live in an urban area. The main wildlife around me are rats, Seagulls and Magpies.

I have tried to attach bird feeders to the tree directly outside my front door. My neighbour has two cars and parks his outside my house regularly.
Fair enough, he takes the spot when I am not using it.

What I DO object to is that he tears down the fat balls and bird feeders I have hung up for the song birds. He says the bird **** is damaging his cars and that he will have me prosecuted for "littering"

Has anyone had this problem before? Any suggestions? Is there a law I can defend my actions with?

Thanks a mill

S.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

If these are trees on a public road then, technically, he is correct.

Isambard

whether or not he is correct, is it worth making an issue of something like this? Hardly conducive to good neighbourly relations to continue with the feeders.

If it were me., I'd find an alternative to the feeders, do you not have a back garden? If not there are window feeders you could buy which could be attached to windows away from the road.

54and56

Saw a small brown wren in the garden for the first time today. Was delighted. Lovely little thing. This isn't my picture but represents what I saw.

philstar

^^^^^^^^^^^^

for the first time?? i thought they were very common nationwide ?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

philstar wrote: »

^^^^^^^^^^^^

for the first time?? i thought they were very common nationwide ?

Of course they are common and widespread but not everybody sees one in their garden. BTO garden bird surveys report them in only 28% of gardens. They are a secretive little bird.