Wild Bird feeding forum?

OpenYourEyes · 09-02-2015 04:31PM

Aldi are getting birdfood in again on Thursday: https://www.aldi.ie/en/specialbuys/thurs-12-feb/

I tend to stock up on the fatballs and big bags of seed, both have proven popular over the last two winters!

Gran Hermano · 09-02-2015 04:38PM

OpenYourEyes wrote: »

Aldi are getting birdfood in again on Thursday: https://www.aldi.ie/en/specialbuys/thurs-12-feb/

I tend to stock up on the fatballs and big bags of seed, both have proven popular over the last two winters!

Lidl doing similar on 9/2
http://www.lidl.ie/en/Offers.htm?id=401

I'm looking to restock nijer and sunflower hearts which neither seem to have.

TopTec · 09-02-2015 04:41PM

Picked up a couple of bags of the sunflower hearts from Lidls this morning. I think their fat balls are still pricey and supplement my home made ones with a big tub of them from my local Connaught Gold mart. Better deal.

TT

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 09-02-2015 10:11PM

Are the aldi or lidl seedmixes any good or are they bulked out with wheat and corn?

OpenYourEyes · 09-02-2015 10:28PM

Mack Clean Wall wrote: »

Are the aldi or lidl seedmixes any good or are they bulked out with wheat and corn?

The Aldi one isnt bad, but it has more wheat and corn than other stuff - better than a lot of others I've come across though. I occassionally top it up with a 1kg bag of sunflower seeds from Lidl just to improve the ratio.

Mech1 · 10-02-2015 01:52AM

I have almost given up on seed mix, most you get are pure filler so I buy the components ie hearts, niger, Black Sunflower, millet, then add rasins and sultanas and peanuts chopped and whole, a handful or so per kilo of dried mealmorms and another of suet feeder.

To that approx ensemble, I add the same volume of the best quality I can find mix, and then 1/4 of total volume cerial like cheerios, rice cripies etc.

Birds are loving it here, gotta put up a video!

Mech1 · 10-02-2015 01:58AM

All the feeds mentioned above, and homemade beef dripping with extras, are also out in there own separate feeders

Maybe 11 feeders in total in a smallish suburban back garden.

All get visited but the big mixture seems to be the biggest draw.

Woodville56 · 10-02-2015 10:21AM

Mech1 wrote: »

I have almost given up on seed mix, most you get are pure filler so I buy the components ie hearts, niger, Black Sunflower, millet, then add rasins and sultanas and peanuts chopped and whole, a handful or so per kilo of dried mealmorms and another of suet feeder.

To that approx ensemble, I add the same volume of the best quality I can find mix, and then 1/4 of total volume cerial like cheerios, rice cripies etc.

Birds are loving it here, gotta put up a video!

Gourmet dining ! Lucky birds ! Great recipe but probably quite expensive to maintain over winter period ?

Mech1 · 10-02-2015 10:32PM

Woodville56 wrote: »

Gourmet dining ! Lucky birds ! Great recipe but probably quite expensive to maintain over winter period ?

Ahh not too bad if you buy loads on a week that your flush, maybe not so good for anyone on a very limited budget, but I would spend maybe €40 a month? plus the kids cereals go down very quick but the missus pays for them.

Mech1 · 10-02-2015 10:38PM

Oh by the way, check the use by date on all big tubs of feed you buy, tried 4 suppliers last month before I got in date seed and peanuts.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 10-02-2015 10:38PM

Mech1 wrote: »

Ahh not too bad if you buy loads on a week that your flush, maybe not so good for anyone on a very limited budget, but I would spend maybe €40 a month? plus the kids cereals go down very quick but the missus pays for them.

Those breakfast cereal are about €4 a pack! :eek:

Mech1 · 10-02-2015 10:43PM

Mack Clean Wall wrote: »

Those breakfast cereal are about €4 a pack! :eek:

SHhhhh....

Woodville56 · 11-02-2015 05:13PM

First solitary Lesser Redpoll of the winter at the nyger feeder on Monday - number up to six today ! Still watching out for a Siskin !

Woodville56 · 17-02-2015 10:19AM

Woodville56 wrote: »

First solitary Lesser Redpoll of the winter at the nyger feeder on Monday - number up to six today ! Still watching out for a Siskin !

And this morning it arrived - first Siskin of the year on the nut feeder !

magicbastarder · 06-05-2015 05:18PM

interesting survery results from feeding birds from NZ - although they do note that the local populations already favour introduced species.

http://conservationmagazine.org/2015/05/beware-of-the-backyard-bird-feeder/

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 06-05-2015 06:25PM

magicbastarder wrote: »

interesting survery results from feeding birds from NZ - although they do note that the local populations already favour introduced species.

http://conservationmagazine.org/2015/05/beware-of-the-backyard-bird-feeder/

In fairness, a slice of bread and a cup of seed is not a diet to encourage any diversity. If we were garden feeding in New Zealand we would be providing fruit and insect sources for our birds.

OpenYourEyes · 03-10-2022 02:24PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119690720#Comment_119690720

Mixes are overrated. Put out peanuts, and put out sunflower hearts, and you'll cater to everything with that. When it gets frosty, consider fatballs.

At the moment there's a huge amount of food available in the wider countryside so birds aren't using feeders much. It's the quietest October in years for my feeders, but it's good to have a bit out, and bit by bit the birds will return later in the year.

Alun · 03-10-2022 02:34PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119695965#Comment_119695965

My feeders have never been busier. Swarms of goldfinches, 10-15 at a time squabbling over access to the sunflower kernels, other finches and sparrows in the ground feeder eating, yes, a seed mix. Small flocks of long tailed tits on the fatballs, and our resident woodpigeon and collared doves. Meanwhile the peanut feeder remains virtually unused.

Bsal · 05-10-2022 12:05AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119696010#Comment_119696010

Same here my feeders have never been busier, I have the largest charm of Goldfinches I've ever had at the feeders around 100 strong flock, the Goldfinch seem to have had a great breeding season this year along with Wood Pidgeons and Collared Doves, House Sparrows, all the Corvids and Starlings.

OpenYourEyes · 12-10-2022 12:16PM

That's interesting BSal and Alun, you're in the minority! Are you in Urban, Suburban or Rural areas?

Dibble · 12-10-2022 02:21PM

I too am experiencing a very busy time at the moment with the feeders. We have a lot of Goldfinches at the sunflower seeds. Approx 30 in our garden the other day (most we've ever had), along with the usual tits, sparrows, pidgeons, etc. The sparrows are eating the sunflower seeds and the mixed seed. Only when these are empty do they venture to the peanut feeders. I am based in suburban Dublin.

11James11 · 21-11-2022 08:25PM

Anybody any recommendations on the where to get 25 kg peanuts delivered in Ireland?, place I ordered from before no longer does bird feed and most places I found are looking for twice the price I used to pay

Bsal · 22-11-2022 02:39AM

My go to for birdfood recently, great prices compared to the normal retailers and cheap enough delivery

https://www.newbawnwildbirdfeed.com/the-shop/

Wild Bird feeding forum?

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