Which Garden birds need help most at winter

Del.Monte

corks finest wrote: »

My brother had to put 3 bells on his cat,erect a circular fence made of chicken wire nearly 4 foot around his feeder to keep the bloody cat from getting the goldfinches , but he still manages to snatch 3 plus weekly, slowing down now, was a daily kill up to 2 weeks ago, this guy was lying in the grass under the feeder for hours

If things are that bad it would be better to stop feeding the birds altogether.

Knine

Del.Monte wrote: »

If things are that bad it would be better to stop feeding the birds altogether.

Or keep the cat inside! That is a lot of dead birds

beachhead

Regarding birds getting diseases--all bird feeders should be cleaned regularly in hot water with a tiny amount of washing up liquid to help remove any clinging debris and washed throughout afterwards with cold water

mattcullen

corks finest wrote: »

My brother had to put 3 bells on his cat,erect a circular fence made of chicken wire nearly 4 foot around his feeder to keep the bloody cat from getting the goldfinches , but he still manages to snatch 3 plus weekly, slowing down now, was a daily kill up to 2 weeks ago, this guy was lying in the grass under the feeder for hours

Amazing the birds would still feed with the cat so close .

TheChizler

All year up to last month I had a flock of maybe two dozen house sparrows, collared, doves, robins and various crows (and two mice) frequenting the area around my feeder, but they've all disappeared the last few weeks, it's that normal? I'm terrified I've poisoned them all with my feeder which was unwashed up to two weeks ago. Urban location so I'm hoping I'm competing with neighbours for their affection (mice excepted).

Eleven Benevolent Elephants

What type of bird is this?

He visits my garden every day.

Del.Monte

Pied Wagtail.

kildare lad

mattcullen wrote: »

I'm finding that our neighbouring cat comes in anytime I'm not watching. I had to chase it out three times today. We have a small tray the size of a plate that we can put on the feeder pole. The small birds are happy out coming down eating sunflower seeds off that so gonna just put a handful of seed in that every morning when we can keep an eye and make sure that the cats not about. Not comfortable leaving food out otherwise as the activity draws the cat in and he can target ground feeding birds or birds rooting around the borders waiting for a turn on the feeder.

Gonna get some thorny cuttings and leave them in the spots I know the cat likes to wait in ambush too.

In other words they can have breakfast with us and then feeding time is over! Mind you the coal tits get through it in no time. They're gas little fellas.

Any luck with the chilli powder . I find it real annoying that cat owners think they've the right to let their cats wonder around all day , pissing and sh*ting in people's gardens and killing wildlife . It's says more about the neighbours than the cats.

mattcullen

kildare lad wrote: »

Any luck with the chilli powder . I find it real annoying that cat owners think they've the right to let their cats wonder around all day , pissing and sh*ting in people's gardens and killing wildlife . It's says more about the neighbours than the cats.

I did a quick Google search and one or two of the results said it can injure cats which I don't want to do. No trouble with the cat today so will see how things go and look into it again if needs be. I put a few rose cuttings in it's favourite hiding spots and am just putting out enough seed for the birds to go though in about half an hr while we watch them in the morning. Better than nothing.

Saw the same cat going to take a ****e right where I was growing green beans in the summer. He was half way through his ****e when I came running out and he really didn't like me interrupting but he scarpered leaving me to clean up his crap. I have to admire this cat even though he drives me nuts. Not one for lying around the house for sure!

corks finest

Del.Monte wrote: »

If things are that bad it would be better to stop feeding the birds altogether.

Problem is he loves both,and the amount of goldfinches etc hitting the big window is unreal especially the younger ones, he’s still attracting upwards of 20 goldfinches plus others daily

kildare lad

corks finest wrote: »

Problem is he loves both,and the amount of goldfinches etc hitting the big window is unreal especially the younger ones, he’s still attracting upwards of 20 goldfinches plus others daily

Why not just let the cat as most birds are finished feeding ?

kildare lad

mattcullen wrote: »

I did a quick Google search and one or two of the results said it can injure cats which I don't want to do. No trouble with the cat today so will see how things go and look into it again if needs be. I put a few rose cuttings in it's favourite hiding spots and am just putting out enough seed for the birds to go though in about half an hr while we watch them in the morning. Better than nothing.

Saw the same cat going to take a ****e right where I was growing green beans in the summer. He was half way through his ****e when I came running out and he really didn't like me interrupting but he scarpered leaving me to clean up his crap. I have to admire this cat even though he drives me nuts. Not one for lying around the house for sure!

I'd admire your patience , could you cover the the veg patch with chicken wire to stop him going in.

mattcullen

kildare lad wrote: »

I'd admire your patience , could you cover the the veg patch with chicken wire to stop him going in.

Ah he only did that once in fairness (that I know of) ! My four year old keeps telling me not to throw water at the cat and that cats need to eat too!

appledrop

The best thing to feed is sunflower hearts.

All of birds love them + actually proven on Autumn watch when it was about 3 or 4 times more popular than any other seed they put out.

Its much better than black sunflower seeds as very little mess.

You can get a proper feeder for it that starlings find hard to use.

On feeder we have goldfinches, loads of sparrows Robin, blue tits, great tits, coal tit, the odd greenfinch( about 6 years ago as many as sparrows but disappeared about 3 years ago slowly coming back)

Not much mess made with sunflowers hearts although goldfinches can be bit messy when in a flock.

The blackbirds, collar doves, wood pidgeons + chaffinches clean up any small mess on ground that is made which is great to keep away any rodents.

We also have neighbours cat which I don't mind as has a bell + not there all time but again keeps away any rodents.

We also have sparrowhawk that visits but is usually more partial to pigeons than the sparrows!

I also don't over feed in sense that might take say 2 days to empty feeder than ill wait another day to fill it to make sure any remaining seed it definitely cleared up.

They all do a good job keeping place tidy!

appledrop

Meant to add I throw out odd apple or even more popular pear for blackbirds especially in frosty weather.

This can also attract the odd thrush.

I always worry about little wren in garden in snowy weather as nothing we can give them as only eat insects as far as I know.

bassy

Eleven Benevolent Elephants wrote: »

What type of bird is this?

He visits my garden every day.

https://www.irishgardenbirds.ie/irelands-top-20-birds/

Graces7

kildare lad wrote: »

I'd admire your patience , could you cover the the veg patch with chicken wire to stop him going in.

That works so well. I do it myself to stop my cats using the new dug earth. They will not walk on chicken wire.