Bird Feeder

Storm 10

For the past few weeks there are very few birds coming to my nut feeder, I used to have to fill it twice a week, now once a fortnight , just wondering why the fall of in them coming is it because of all the rain we had and they find it easier to get their own type of feed or do any of you have suggestions.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

It's a bit odd for the time of year. For the past few weeks, including today, I can hardly keep the feeders filled because there are so many birds. Are neighbours feeding birds as well? Any new cats in the area?

Storm 10

Christopher Round Smooch wrote: »

It's a bit odd for the time of year. For the past few weeks, including today, I can hardly keep the feeders filled because there are so many birds. Are neighbours feeding birds as well? Any new cats in the area?

Just the usual cats that come around but they never bothered them ,maybe its the brand of nuts I am using, bit of a mystery to me as it always had at least the resident Sparrows coming.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I don't think the brand of nuts would be a factor.

WildIreland

Storm 10 wrote: »

Just the usual cats that come around but they never bothered them ,maybe its the brand of nuts I am using, bit of a mystery to me as it always had at least the resident Sparrows coming.

Fewer birds at the feeders here too -- though there are still quite a few.

I think it has a lot to do with the fact that even though it's been wet and wild, the temperatures have been really mild, and there's much more invertebrate prey around than would normally be the case in late January. Birds are actively foraging more. Here in West Cork there seem to be loads of small insects on the wing and in the undergrowth, the tits and goldcrests, in particular, are having a field day gorging on them, while the finches and sparrows seem to be sticking with the feeders.

Also as Srameen suggests, if another food source has turned up locally (neighbours feeding a broader selection of foods, for example, or a spillage at a grain silo, or anything along those lines) that may temporarily lure birds away. They'll tend to focus on the most efficient source of energy for minimal effort expended.

I wouldn't worry too much. They know there's food there, and will likely return when temperatures drop or the alternative food source loses its appeal.

Odelay

Where do you live? There could be changes in farm feeding around this year that may provide alternative diet.

TopTec

Over here in North Mayo, it is mainly the opposite. Comparing my records from last years bird survey I am up on Goldfinches, Chaffinches, Coal tits and Blackbirds. The same levels for Dunnock, Robin, Tree Creepers and Wren but down on Great Tits, Greenfinches and Siskin. Overall numbers are up.

Surprise visitors include 3 Jay's that have been here for a month now, never had them here before, and a very tame Crow that lives in the Garden!

TT

Storm 10

Odelay wrote: »

Where do you live? There could be changes in farm feeding around this year that may provide alternative diet.

Galway City

WildIreland

TopTec wrote: »

Over here in North Mayo, it is mainly the opposite. Comparing my records from last years bird survey I am up on Goldfinches, Chaffinches, Coal tits and Blackbirds. The same levels for Dunnock, Robin, Tree Creepers and Wren but down on Great Tits, Greenfinches and Siskin. Overall numbers are up.

Surprise visitors include 3 Jay's that have been here for a month now, never had them here before, and a very tame Crow that lives in the Garden!

TT

Think you've had much colder weather up there -- here on the south coast it's been a really mild winter temperature wise... think that's resulting in more natural food availability and less reliance on garden feeders.

Nice one on the jays... seen the occasional one passing from the garden... never had one IN the garden though. Lovely birds.

AhHaor

I'm in Templeogue and I used to top up weekly, it's now 3 times a week. Mainly robins and starlings

kildare lad

i could go through a feeder a day... but only put out half because of the crows.. Still plenty of songbirds about

appledrop

I think what you put in feeder does make a difference. Years ago I used peanuts + would get very few birds. Now I use sunflower hearts + the amount of difference types of birds I get is unreal even though I live in urban area.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

appledrop wrote: »

I think what you put in feeder does make a difference. Years ago I used peanuts + would get very few birds. Now I use sunflower hearts + the amount of difference types of birds I get is unreal even though I live in urban area.

I'm sorry but I don't really agree. I tried everything over decades and have daily records, that I have supplied to BTO for over 30 years, showing species, numbers, and food provided. I have had over 50 species in my garden and averaged 21 species per week in 2017. I get as many species and individual birds with just peanuts in feeders and a general seed mix on the bird tables and on the ground, as I did with sunflower hearts, rape seed, niger seed etc.

appledrop

Well I can only go by my own experience. I never had greenfinches + goldfinches until I started using the sunflower hearts.

magicbastarder

our experience varies. we haven't seen long tailed tits in a couple of years, but are swamped with sparrows - and i was talking to someone recently who was saying a relative of his on the southside of dublin would kill to see a sparrow at their feeders.

fryup

has anyone ever have siskins or yellowhammers at their feeders?? or are they mainly seen on farmland?

appledrop

I'm in Dublin + have never had them.

corks finest

appledrop wrote: »

I'm in Dublin + have never had them.

in cork loads of siskins, goldfinches, some grren finches,,, bit i stopped feeding a while back due to bloody mice eatiing frim below the feeder(using niger seed mistly)

corks finest

appledrop wrote: »

I'm in Dublin + have never had them.

in cork loads of siskins, goldfinches, some grren finches,,, but i stopped feeding a while back due to bloody mice eatiing frim below the feeder(using niger seed mostly)

TopTec

In North Mayo. Just counted 9 Siskin on one of the peanut feeders. Very late this year though. Only had the odd one up until a week ago. Never had a Sparrow in 8 years!

TT

appledrop

We have about 40 sparrows here! They even nest locally. It's mad how varied it is around the country. Greenfinch numbers have really dropped in last 2 years although goldfinch numbers are up.

decky1

wouldn't attract 'Starlings' if you can help it, they will bully the other birds away+ not the cleanest of birds some one told be they carry a lot of germs etc., but having said that watched a program last night about them in Dorset where thousands of the flock together very impressive sight indeed.

OpenYourEyes

decky1 wrote: »

wouldn't attract 'Starlings' if you can help it, they will bully the other birds away+ not the cleanest of birds some one told be they carry a lot of germs etc., but having said that watched a program last night about them in Dorset where thousands of the flock together very impressive sight indeed.

I've never heard anything about Starlings carrying a lot of germs. It sounds to me like the usual demonisation of a species where people don't like it, so they convince themselves of a number of untruths to help justify that disliking of them.

OpenYourEyes

Re: The type of birdfood supplied making a difference - at the start of the winter I was getting a great variety and number while just putting out peanuts, whereas in recent weeks when I just have peanuts out I get very few birds coming to them. That being said, when I also put out other foods like sunflower hearts and nyger I get a large number and variety of birds in the garden again, including birds making great use of the peanuts. So I think the type of food does make a difference, but there are likely a number of other factors to take into account such as what other food is available in the vicinity (both natural foods and foods in other gardens).

Two rules of thumb I find useful - 1) a diversity of food types will bring in a diversity of birds, and 2) birds attract birds - if you can attract a few birds at the start then other birds in the area will come to see what they're doing there, and they'll feel safer because there's a larger number there!


Re: House Sparrows I used to get c20 in my parents garden in Roscommon, but I get none at all in my own garden in Wicklow. I suspect having a nearby breeding site has a lot to do with it.

fryup

how about suet pellets??

will i get more of a variety of bird with them?

bkrangle

I put out some new feeders last week (based in north Dublin)
My observations on their popularity so far

Suet balls: starlings, jackdaws, sparrows, black cap (a new one for our garden) - blackbirds, wood pigeons and collared dove below eating scraps
Nyger seed: lots of goldfinches, linnets
Peanuts: blue tits
Black sunflower seeds: not much action so far - saw one goldfinch at it

A fair few robins in the garden but not sure what they're eating - insects I guess

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

bkrangle wrote: »

I put out some new feeders last week (based in north Dublin)
My observations on their popularity so far

Suet balls: starlings, jackdaws, sparrows, black cap (a new one for our garden) - blackbirds, wood pigeons and collared dove below eating scraps
Nyger seed: lots of goldfinches, linnets
Peanuts: blue tits
Black sunflower seeds: not much action so far - saw one goldfinch at it

A fair few robins in the garden but not sure what they're eating - insects I guess

That's a fantastic start. Try a general mixed seed, just a handful each day scattered on a bird table and on the ground. Chaffinches, house sparrows, Robins, etc. prefer ground feeding to hanging feeders.

New Home

I add some dried mealworms to the mixed seeds and suet balls, too - what's the general consensus about them?

magicbastarder

i got mealworms before, and the starlings - which we'd usually not see - swamped the feeder and they'd empty it in about 20 minutes.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

magicbastarder wrote: »

i got mealworms before, and the starlings - which we'd usually not see - swamped the feeder and they'd empty it in about 20 minutes.

Same type of thing here. They get scoffed very quickly and overall I never got any additional species or numbers with them.

I only use fats in extreme weather. They are popular and much needed but generally feeding fats is like giving children a choice of a balanced main course dinner or some sweets. Birds only need fats in very cold conditions.

New Home

Thanks for that.

fryup

are cornflakes ok for garden birds?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

fryup wrote: »

are cornflakes ok for garden birds?

Literally, only if you have nothing else. But, they'd do in an emergency.

diomed

New Home wrote: »

I add some dried mealworms to the mixed seeds and suet balls, too - what's the general consensus about them?

Mealworms on their own on the ground - the magpies arrive within minutes and eat them all.

diomed

I bought a crow buster cage from Newbawn Birdseed.
It is about a meter cube metal wire cage, has a plastic catch tray for spillage, and sits on a table. You hang feeders inside it from its roof.
The idea is to give the small birds a chance to eat in safety, and have their own feed that larger birds can't raid.

At the moment I have only one metal hanging feeder with sunflower hearts on a metal pole.
I had three hanging plastic feeders but the pigeons were raiding the plastic hanging feeders and breaking them.
I always throw sunflower hearts on concrete for the pigeons, and often have about fifty pigeons feeding, but some pigeons still raid the hanging feeders.
Even today, with eight inches of snow and high wind, the pigeons were up on the roof waiting for the sunflower hearts.

Isambard

I made my own from sheets of mesh from the Co-op Superstore. Mesh is big enough for small birds to enter.