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Feed the wildlife.

2

Comments

  • #52
    gozunda
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,996 ✭✭✭✭gozunda


    Markgc wrote: »
    Why are you describing them as vermin?
    Because they attack lambs as a source of food? That's nature. It's up to farmers to protect their 'assets'.
    What about Elephants native to Tanzania for example. Farmers grow crops in the animal's natural roaming pathways and elephants tend to eat them, destroying potential yields.
    Should they be eradicated at every opportunity?
    Or take tigers in Asia. They often live in close proximity to humans and tigers have killed more people than any other big cat. Should they be eradicated at every opportunity?
    Today in the news a newborn lamb "frozen to the ground" and left for dead is recovering after being saved by a pet dog. Its mother had struggled to give birth to twins during Storm Emma, which had left the animal in freezing conditions. As she gave birth to the second lamb in those conditions, the mother must have left it and it became frozen to the ground!
    The farmer left the sheep outside to struggle on. Is this cruelty?
    Shouldn't these type of farmers be eradicated at every opportunity?


    AH the old 'nature' argument :rolleyes: in that case may I suggest we should leave pets children, babies etc for wolves and other predators. Shure the poor things are only hungry and doing what's natural....

    See:
    https://www.google.ie/amp/s/www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/fox-kills-pet-dogs-housing-2141800.amp

    Oh and you do realise the number of attacks of foxes on children and adults have increased in the last few years Why? Because idiots are feeding them and they have less fear of human interaction or habitation. Do not feed foxes - its not good for them and they can more than adequately feed themselves.

    In snowy weather foxes find easy pickings in the local wild bird population and they find it relatively easy to predate wild birds which are cold and on the ground looking for food. Another good reason to use a proper bird table.

    Btw foxes are not endangered and managing fox numbers in this country is not about 'eradication' - its about controlling predation activity for example where foxes break in and slaughter an entire house of chickens during the night but eat one or two only.



    You dont know much about sheep farming I can tell you that as well.


  • #53
    Lepidoptera
    Registered Users Posts: 146 ✭✭Lepidoptera


    kavanagh_h wrote: »
    Im sure its a really stupid question but why can't the birds eat snow as a means of getting water? Is it not the same as cold rain water only icy?

    It's a really inefficient way of getting water - they end up burning way more metabolic energy than they get in hydration. For one thing, it requires metabolic energy to heat the snow inside the body, so the birds have to eat more food in order to stay warm if they eat snow as well.

    It's a poor return for the energy expended as well. Snow provides deceptively little water for it's bulk. If you want to see for yourself, put some snow in a pot or container and warm it until it melts - you'll be surprised how little water you end up with for the volume of snow. Then consider that little birds can only eat very tiny amounts at once. They'd have to eat a fair bit in order to get the equivalent of a gulp of water, and they would lose body heat at the same time. Small birds already require a lot of calories to stay warm, so they really can't afford to lose out like that.


  • #54
    fryup
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,067 ✭✭✭✭fryup


    Markgc wrote: »

    With regards to porridge oats, if you throw out dry oats birds may eat them but the chances of the oats remaining dry is usually slim in our variable weather.
    Cheap alternatives are readily available.

    so giving them cooked porridge is a no no ?


  • #55
    lolo62
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,145 ✭✭✭lolo62


    fryup wrote: »
    so giving them cooked porridge is a no no ?

    Yep few posts back they can cause the beaks to become glued shut and the birds starve. Great thread this I'm learning so much and definitely never knew that


  • #56
    Jomcc
    Registered Users Posts: 452 ✭✭Jomcc


    Haven't had a Nyger seed feeder in my yard for best part of 6 months. I have 2 peanut feeders which are filled constantly and get a good few small birds. I see the odd Goldfinch.
    I bought a Nyger seed feeder yesterday and put it out. Place is full of Gold Finches this morning. How did they all know:D

    Also put out a Suet block hanging in a feeder. I've often put these out before but always end up throwing it in the bin because nothing seems to go near it. Even today, it's not being touched.:rolleyes:


  • #57
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 77,027 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    Give it time, "if you build it, they'll come" (to paraphrase Hollywood).


  • #58
    Jomcc
    Registered Users Posts: 452 ✭✭Jomcc


    New Home wrote: »
    Give it time, "if you build it, they'll come" (to paraphrase Hollywood).

    😂😂. I suppose my real question was, do birds communicate with each other & say did you see yer man down the road left out a Nyger seed feeder.


  • #59
    archer22
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,116 ✭✭✭archer22


    gozunda wrote: »
    AH the old 'nature' argument :rolleyes: in that case may I suggest we should leave pets children, babies etc for wolves and other predators. Shure the poor things are only hungry and doing what's natural....

    See:
    https://www.google.ie/amp/s/www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/fox-kills-pet-dogs-housing-2141800.amp

    Oh and you do realise the number of attacks of foxes on children and adults have increased in the last few years Why? Because idiots are feeding them and they have less fear of human interaction or habitation. Do not feed foxes - its not good for them and they can more than adequately feed themselves.

    In snowy weather foxes find easy pickings in the local wild bird population and they find it relatively easy to predate wild birds which are cold and on the ground looking for food. Another good reason to use a proper bird table.

    Btw foxes are not endangered and managing fox numbers in this country is not about 'eradication' - its about controlling predation activity for example where foxes break in and slaughter an entire house of chickens during the night but eat one or two only.



    You dont know much about sheep farming I can tell you that as well.
    I nominate that post for BULLSHYTE of the year award...Foxes killing Dogs my hole :rolleyes:.

    Are you a bit bored this weather because you can't get out Tally hoing :D


  • #60
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 77,027 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    Jomcc wrote: »
    ����. I suppose my real question was, do birds communicate with each other & say did you see yer man down the road left out a Nyger seed feeder.

    They definitely do. :)


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  • #61
    Lepidoptera
    Registered Users Posts: 146 ✭✭Lepidoptera


    Birds can be very quick to discover when there's a local food source. You'll also probably hear a fair bit of chirping/squabbling once you have a couple there, and that noise will just attract even more. They travel around a fair bit scouting for food. The past few days have been unusual, but in general they'll move around a bit during the day looking for multiple sources.

    I was reading a book on birding awhile back called Lost Among the Birds. If I remember correctly, the author is somewhere in Alaska in the dead of winter looking for a rarity but the area is completely deserted - not a sight or sound of birds anywhere. He finds a local, who goes into his house and grabs some seed and scatters it around outside. Within 30 seconds the first birds appear, seemingly from nowhere, and within a couple minutes there are dozens and dozens.


  • #62
    david75
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 7,611 ✭✭✭david75


    It’s mad since the thaw. I can loads and loads of smaller birds tweeting all day. Way more than usuall for this area. Migrates maybe?


  • #63
    DOCARCH
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 18,157 Mod ✭✭✭✭DOCARCH


    If anybody is feeding birds in the Marley Park (Rathfarnham/Ballinteer) area, can they have a look out for birds that from the aviary, in Marley Park, that collapsed due to the amount of snow!

    https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/dubliners-asked-look-out-tropical-14365643


  • #64
    Lepidoptera
    Registered Users Posts: 146 ✭✭Lepidoptera


    david75 wrote: »
    It’s mad since the thaw. I can loads and loads of smaller birds tweeting all day. Way more than usuall for this area. Migrates maybe?

    Big weather events and storms always cause interesting shifts with birds. Some birds would have fled West across Europe to try to escape the Beast and ended up on our shores exhausted as a last ditch attempt to survive.

    This is also a big transition period for birds in general as we're entering the breeding season. Winter migrants will be leaving Ireland and heading to their breeding grounds soon while birds that breed here will be returning. A lot of people who fed birds during the storm reported sightings of unusual visitors to gardens - snipe, redwing, fieldfare etc. I had redwing in my garden, and they'll be leaving soon to continental Europe to breed as they are winter migrants.

    Birds are currently looking to establish territories, compete for mates, find nesting sites, etc. Birds sing primarily to establish/defend territory and to attract mates, so you know spring has arrived when bird song starts ramping up :) (unless we buried in snow, that is!)


  • #65
    Snowc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 613 ✭✭✭Snowc


    Had 2 pine martens at the peanut feeders for the last 2 days never seem them in the garden before and I followed their foot steps in the snow and they must have traveled a fair distance:eek: lovely creatures but they keep knocking the feeders to the ground and empty them and are frighting all small birds away.Just hope the move away when the thaw sets in as I believe they can be a danger to pets and farm animals.


  • #66
    John_Rambo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,875 ✭✭✭John_Rambo


    Snowc wrote: »
    Had 2 pine martens at the peanut feeders for the last 2 days never seem them in the garden before and I followed their foot steps in the snow and they must have traveled a fair distance:eek: lovely creatures but they keep knocking the feeders to the ground and empty them and are frighting all small birds away.Just hope the move away when the thaw sets in as I believe they can be a danger to pets and farm animals.

    Wow, could do with a couple of them here. We've grey squirrels raiding the bird feeders. I'd say the Pine Martins would put manners on them. Interesting to read Lepidoptera's post. We'd two curlews in our garden during the snow. The only time we've ever had them before was during the freeze in 2010. We live very close to the Bull Island nature reserve.


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  • #67
    david75
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 7,611 ✭✭✭david75


    One thing is abundantly clear.
    My area is *plagued* with seagulls. I’m pretty sure we live in ground zero for their mating and nesting. Usually From February all the way through summer it’s constant shrieking from about 5am onwards by the adults and chicks.
    And they’re beyond a nuisance once grown.

    There’s Been no sight or sound of them at all so far. I’m not sorry either.
    I know it’s weirs to favour one over another but they’re such a nuisance around here I don’t care.


  • #68
    david75
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 7,611 ✭✭✭david75


    Snowc wrote: »
    Had 2 pine martens at the peanut feeders for the last 2 days never seem them in the garden before and I followed their foot steps in the snow and they must have traveled a fair distance:eek: lovely creatures but they keep knocking the feeders to the ground and empty them and are frighting all small birds away.Just hope the move away when the thaw sets in as I believe they can be a danger to pets and farm animals.


    Someone told me in another thread that the reemergence of the pine Martin is helping the red squirrel come back across the country. That’s a good thing


  • #69
    gozunda
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,996 ✭✭✭✭gozunda


    archer22 wrote: »
    I nominate that post for ********* of the year award...Foxes killing Dogs my hole ...

    Doubters gonna doubt ... :rolleyes: if you actually read the post - it is about feeding foxes as suggested by one poster. The link was one reason why that might not be a good idea.

    I didn't write the article - you do know that?

    But did you read the news article? And the comments from the ISPCA as well about the fox attacks on the pet dogs in that area? Are they all liars as well?

    You do realise foxes are predators and will predate / kill whatever and whenever they can - whether that is wild birds animals or small pets they are not that fussy imo.

    https://davidjmobrien.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/fox-roe-fawn.jpg

    http://www.freewebs.com/nwtf/03 Live stock & Pets Cat.jpg

    Here a few more reports for you to read and tell the world that you know better ;)

    http://metro.co.uk/2018/02/15/killer-urban-fox-attacks-baby-bouncer-sneaking-family-home-7314171/

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2276529/Fox-attacks-baby-First-picture-week-old-Denny-Dolan-finger-ripped-Bromley-home.html

    http://www.bbc.com/news/10251349

    https://amp.independent.ie/irish-news/news/elderly-woman-needs-twenty-stitches-after-vicious-fox-attack-34370130.html

    https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/irishman-killed-fox-stamping-death-9527344

    Are they all "bullshyte"? I bow before your superior knowledge of course ...


  • #70
    mobil 222
    Registered Users Posts: 227 ✭✭mobil 222


    John_Rambo wrote: »
    Wow, could do with a couple of them here. We've grey squirrels raiding the bird feeders. I'd say the Pine Martins would put manners on them. Interesting to read Lepidoptera's post. We'd two curlews in our garden during the snow. The only time we've ever had them before was during the freeze in 2010. We live very close to the Bull Island nature reserve.

    If you have seen curlews in your garden then you are very lucky,
    There numbers have declined substantially in the last ten years
    Please see below.

    https://www.npws.ie/farmers-and-landowners/schemes/curlew-conservation-programme


  • #71
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 77,027 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    Capercaillie (over in the Nature and Birdwatching forum) has been doing a monumental amount of work to help them along. I'll see if I can find the threads.

    EDIT: My mistake, I was thinking of corncrake. Still, I wasn't wrong about the monumental amount to work he's done. :)


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  • #72
    erica74
    Registered Users Posts: 2,619 ✭✭✭erica74


    Jomcc wrote: »
    Haven't had a Nyger seed feeder in my yard for best part of 6 months. I have 2 peanut feeders which are filled constantly and get a good few small birds. I see the odd Goldfinch.
    I bought a Nyger seed feeder yesterday and put it out. Place is full of Gold Finches this morning. How did they all know:D

    Also put out a Suet block hanging in a feeder. I've often put these out before but always end up throwing it in the bin because nothing seems to go near it. Even today, it's not being touched.:rolleyes:

    It's funny you say that, the same thing happens in my garden. I have 10 different bird feeders, 2 of everything scattered across the garden and then I drop food in a few random spots and it's only when there's nothing else left that the birds go near the blocks and the fat balls.

    I'm a soft touch myself, all it takes is one bird to land near the kitchen window, which looks out into our back garden, and I'm out putting out fresh water and food.

    I love to watch the politics of all of the birds in the garden.


  • #73
    Graces7
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    One_Of_Shanks wrote: »
    yeah raw ones are fine. This popped up when ya google it:

    Uncooked rice may be eaten by birds such as pigeons, doves and pheasants but is less likely to attract other species. Porridge oats must never be cooked, since this makes them glutinous and could harden around a bird's beak. Uncooked porridge oats are readily taken by a number of bird species.

    I have been taught the opposite. Soaked rather than cooked though. As they swell when they meet liquid the fear is that a hungry bird will eat too many and they will swell inside them dangerously. That makes sense to me.


  • #74
    Wine Goddess
    Registered Users Posts: 551 ✭✭✭Wine Goddess


    Graces7 wrote: »
    I have been taught the opposite. Soaked rather than cooked though. As they swell when they meet liquid the fear is that a hungry bird will eat too many and they will swell inside them dangerously. That makes sense to me.

    Welcome back Graces7 we were wondering how you were!


  • #75
    Comhrá
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,817 ✭✭✭Comhrá


    Wine Goddess wrote: »
    Welcome back Graces7 we were wondering how you were!

    Indeed.....welcome back Graces7 :)

    I'm noticing interesting bird behaviour with my two feeders in the back garden.
    One feeder is topped up with mixed bird seeds and they have it emptied in a few hours. The nearby one is filled with peanuts and there's no demand for it while there are seeds available. I ground up peanuts in a coffee grinder and it seems to have made them somewhat more appealing to smaller birds.

    Also, I spread seeds on a dry concrete patch under my oil tank and even during the snow, they remained largely untouched. No oil contamination or anything, but the hanging feeders take priority all the time for some reason. The seeds on the ground were there for several days.


  • #76
    thomasj
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,834 ✭✭✭thomasj


    Wine Goddess wrote:
    Welcome back Graces7 we were wondering how you were!

    It was great to see all the old familiar posters popup , it made a great week on the weather forum even better ! :)


  • #77
    dogmatix
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,404 ✭✭✭dogmatix


    I've got a range of feeders up and running - the bird mix seed feeder is very popular - usually emptied in a single day. The fat ball feeder is next most popular, the sunflower seeds feeder is next up but no-one is at all interested in the nyger seed feeder.

    Lots of different birds such as robin pair, male and female blackbird, collared dove, some sort of sparrow/starling flock, large numbers of tit's and chaffinches and some rooks, jackdaws and a few magpies.

    The only downside is it is nearly impossible to put clean bedsheets out to dry on the washing line these days.


  • #78
    Graces7
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    Snowc wrote: »
    Had 2 pine martens at the peanut feeders for the last 2 days never seem them in the garden before and I followed their foot steps in the snow and they must have traveled a fair distance:eek: lovely creatures but they keep knocking the feeders to the ground and empty them and are frighting all small birds away.Just hope the move away when the thaw sets in as I believe they can be a danger to pets and farm animals.

    If you feed the pine martens? I shared a house with pine martens for years and never a worry with my pets and no evidence re predation on farm stock . One of my cats used to play with them, an enchanting sight and the little ones would run in and out of the house in summer.


  • #79
    John_Rambo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,875 ✭✭✭John_Rambo


    mobil 222 wrote: »
    If you have seen curlews in your garden then you are very lucky,
    There numbers have declined substantially in the last ten years
    Please see below.

    https://www.npws.ie/farmers-and-landowners/schemes/curlew-conservation-programme

    They appear only when it snows for some reason!! I'm told they're not our native ones, but migrant ones. Still nice to see though. They're surprisingly big up close!

    Cracking feeding advice from everyone here, thanks. Aldi currently have monster bags of nuts for birds. Four stone spud bag size for a tenner.


  • #80
    Akrasia
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,599 ✭✭✭✭Akrasia


    Well, the tadpoles in my garden pond seemed to have survived :)

    At least some of them anyway

    https://youtu.be/AUt_47gjErU


  • #81
    lolo62
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,145 ✭✭✭lolo62


    OK I've kept feeding since the storm and snow and am thoroughly enjoying the little visitors to the tree behind my house. Only problem is it's getting expensive as 1kilo of sunflower seeds is gone in less than a week along with two coconuts with fat mix and 4/5 fat balls.
    I found a big bag of fat balls in Dealz for €3 so am not going to bother with the coconuts as the fat balls are the same food. Anyone know if there's a better deal than €4 for a kilo of sunflower seeds in Tesco...? I'm guessing that's cheap as it gets but thought I'd ask here anyway just in case. Thought I'd have luck in b&q but they charge€10 for 2 kilos!


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  • #82
    RockDesk
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 293 ✭✭RockDesk


    lolo62 wrote: »
    OK I've kept feeding since the storm and snow and am thoroughly enjoying the little visitors to the tree behind my house. Only problem is it's getting expensive as 1kilo of sunflower seeds is gone in less than a week along with two coconuts with fat mix and 4/5 fat balls.
    I found a big bag of fat balls in Dealz for €3 so am not going to bother with the coconuts as the fat balls are the same food. Anyone know if there's a better deal than €4 for a kilo of sunflower seeds in Tesco...? I'm guessing that's cheap as it gets but thought I'd ask here anyway just in case. Thought I'd have luck in b&q but they charge€10 for 2 kilos!

    I get this delivered every month. Subscribe and save gives you free delivery.

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B007QD0JMI/ref=sns_myd_detail_page


  • #83
    sdanseo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,234 ✭✭✭sdanseo


    A snippet of recent experience - do NOT put any food on the ground and clean up remnants reguarly.

    We have had to temporarily stop feeding all animals anything that isn't poison.


  • #84
    Kamili
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,479 ✭✭✭Kamili


    Homebase also have cheep eats branded seeds for €1.78 a kilo. It's mixed seeds but my gang go nuts over it. They also do big tubs of fat balls starting at €6.99 for 30 if I remember correctly..

    There's also 1.4kg of sun flower seeds too, just checked their website..

    https://www.homebase.co.uk/search/products?q=Cheep%20eats&redirectFrom=Any


  • #85
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 77,027 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    Some of the larger co-ops sell large bags of seeds and bird food at a reasonable price. If you're not looking for huge bags of seed, sometimes TK Maxx has wildlife food on sale, a few years back they had bags of food for hedgehogs.


  • #86
    Cornerstonelad
    Registered Users Posts: 47 ✭Cornerstonelad


    New Home wrote: »
    Some of the larger co-ops sell large bags of seeds and bird food at a reasonable price. If you're not looking for huge bags of seed, sometimes TK Maxx has wildlife food on sale, a few years back they had bags of food for hedgehogs.
    Pet Bliss Co. Wicklow have black sunflower seed @22.49 per 12.75Kg


  • #87
    Outkast_IRE
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,516 ✭✭✭Outkast_IRE


    Have a seed feeder installed since Sunday - no sign of any activity yet. Had a robin check it out but was nervous and flew off.

    Just waiting for them to properly discover it.


  • #88
    Kamili
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,479 ✭✭✭Kamili


    Outkast_IRE wrote: »
    Have a seed feeder installed since Sunday - no sign of any activity yet. Had a robin check it out but was nervous and flew off.

    Just waiting for them to properly discover it.

    Robins are ground feeders so they rarely use the feeders, although sometimes they do.

    Hopefully word will get out you have it and it will start getting visitors! :)


  • #89
    Malayalam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,188 ✭✭✭Malayalam


    Yeah, I tied a wooden box up into a tree so the birds would not have to compete with the cats over the cold winter. Forgot about the local bears though...


  • #90
    creedp
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,814 ✭✭✭creedp


    Outkast_IRE wrote: »
    Have a seed feeder installed since Sunday - no sign of any activity yet. Had a robin check it out but was nervous and flew off.

    Just waiting for them to properly discover it.

    I have had a seed feeder up for the last 2 winters and it is visited by a whole range of smaller birds. However the problem I increasingly have is crows. They attack the feeder with a vengeance to the point of damaging it. In an attempt to make it more difficult for them to access it, I hung it in the middle of a thick whitethorn bush but while my arms are constantly scratched from refilling it, the crows are not put off by my natural defences and still maraud the feeder on a daily basis. Anyone any suggestions for effectively fending off the crows while allowing ready access for smaller birds as Im not so keen spending money feeding crows!!


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  • #91
    Kamili
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,479 ✭✭✭Kamili


    Instead of hanging it on a branch directly, try tying a piece of string on the hook part by making a loop between the branch and the hook (maybe 3-4 inches long) and use that to hang it.
    The weight of the crows often makes it swing and they can't easily keep a grip on it to get the food out. Should be fine for the smaller birds as they are not weighty enough to make it swing.


  • #92
    John_Rambo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,875 ✭✭✭John_Rambo


    The age old question.

    I've been feeding robins, tits and finches all winter with regular feed and niger seed in a prickly holly tree in the garden. I keep the fat balls for the really cold spells. Should I continue? Are they reliant on it now? I'm fairly consitent, it's part of my nippers "chores" now and he likes seeing the birds feed. It's a rare chore where he actually see's results. They nest in the garden.


  • #93
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 77,027 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    In short, yes. :)

    There's a dedicated thread in the Nature & Wildlife forum, if you want to take a look.

    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057857978


  • #94
    John_Rambo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,875 ✭✭✭John_Rambo


    New Home wrote: »
    In short, yes. :)

    There's a dedicated thread in the Nature & Wildlife forum, if you want to take a look.

    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057857978

    Ah!! thanks so much New Home.


  • #95
    joujoujou
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,805 ✭✭✭✭joujoujou
    Unregistered Users


    creedp wrote: »
    [...] the problem I increasingly have is crows. They attack the feeder with a vengeance to the point of damaging it. [...] Anyone any suggestions for effectively fending off the crows while allowing ready access for smaller birds as Im not so keen spending money feeding crows!!

    Get some flowering baskets in a garden centre (2 for each feeder), plus some carbine hooks to keep'em together (them hooks will be the easiest to open the whole thing to top up a feeder), one basket upside down, one normal way, feeder inside. Problem sorted. :cool:

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    Outkast_IRE wrote: »
    Have a seed feeder installed since Sunday - no sign of any activity yet. Had a robin check it out but was nervous and flew off.

    Just waiting for them to properly discover it.

    First feeder I had here, and I was devastated - no birds presence at all! Took them approx 2 weeks to discover it, just be patient. :)


  • #96
    Graces7
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    sdanseo wrote: »
    A snippet of recent experience - do NOT put any food on the ground and clean up remnants reguarly.

    We have had to temporarily stop feeding all animals anything that isn't poison.

    :confused:


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  • #97
    Graces7
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    Malayalam wrote: »
    Yeah, I tied a wooden box up into a tree so the birds would not have to compete with the cats over the cold winter. Forgot about the local bears though...

    smiling here. Love pinemartens and shared a house with one and then her brood once. Lovely photo; thankyou


  • #98
    Graces7
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    Been feeding haphazardly here as the cats reach everywhere


  • #99
    sdanseo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,234 ✭✭✭sdanseo


    Graces7 wrote: »
    :confused:

    Rats in the garden, taking advantage of all the food.

    Once they're gone, will get a bird table that can't spill food onto the ground.


  • #100
    lolo62
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,145 ✭✭✭lolo62


    I'm having great fun feeding the birds so far. There were some green finches to begin with but a whole mob of goldfinches have pretty much taken ownership of the sunflower hearts feeder. No green finches since. I've seen a blue tit once or twice, a couple of chaffinches and a Robin. Lots of starlings and crows too but they seem to prefer the fat balls so that's grand. A little Robin comes in and eats the seeds that have fallen.

    If I add another feeder with different seed will that attract different birds? Have seen meal worm and suet blocks too but they seem kind of messy..


  • #101
    Akrasia
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,599 ✭✭✭✭Akrasia


    lolo62 wrote: »
    I'm having great fun feeding the birds so far. There were some green finches to begin with but a whole mob of goldfinches have pretty much taken ownership of the sunflower hearts feeder. No green finches since. I've seen a blue tit once or twice, a couple of chaffinches and a Robin. Lots of starlings and crows too but they seem to prefer the fat balls so that's grand. A little Robin comes in and eats the seeds that have fallen.

    If I add another feeder with different seed will that attract different birds? Have seen meal worm and suet blocks too but they seem kind of messy..

    Different feed attracts different birds. It's a good idea to vary the feed you leave out because some of the 'bully' species can set up their territory to guard their favourite bird feed and this can prevent smaller birds from getting the food. If the feed changes regularly, these bigger or more aggressive birds won't always be guarding the same spots.

    It's great to feed the wild birds at certain times of the year when their natural feed is scarce or weather conditions are poor, but you don't want them to become dependent on it either. This time of year when the birds are nesting and the first broods of chicks are starting to hatch, high protein feeds like peanuts and mealworm are great for birds feeding chicks

    Don't forget the ground feeding birds either. Fruit and seeds are great for robins, blackbirds, thrushes, chaffinches, sparrows etc

    I always throw out any leftover boiled rice for these birds onto some grass out in the open to keep them safer from cats in the area(I don't put salt in with the rice when I'm boiling it)


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