Bird Feeders

Thought this was about American weirdos who liked their women weighing in at 40 stone.

On a more serious note, I've never seen long tailed tits use my bird feeder. They usually assemble as a group and feed on insects in my acer tree.

Robins never go near it either, the ground feeding little monkeys.

It seems they are not very 'feeder-friendly' so the ones here are unusual.

Mind you I remember when I was a lad you hardly ever saw goldfinches on a bird feeder either, so maybe some take longer to learn than others.

When the long-tailed tits come to my tree they usually feed on the fat balls I hang in it. Not actually picking at the balls themselves, but all the loosened bits on the mesh the other birds have left, ditto on the peanut feeder.

Whilst robins are usually ground feeders, I have one who comes here who really likes sunflower heart seed and has managed to negotiate a bird feeder this year to eat from it. It has thicker perches than usual, though, sort of oblong in shape, so perhaps that's why the robin has managed to stand on them.

I read somewhere that you should remove the nets from fat balls and hang them in a feeder.

Well, I disagree EGG. My birds get through 4 in about a day this weather - and all the bits on the nets are picked clean by birds such as long-tailed tits, which they wouldn't do if they were in metal feeders.

i put up a fat ball but does it not freeze solid in this weather?

I'm hoping I might get a visiting Goldcrest again this year. The last one I had also liked to pick the debris off the fat ball bags.

No, Denis.

Wouldn't have thought so. It'll still be peckable.

Seems every site recommends removing the nets as the birds can get their feet tangled.

I don't use them now as "my" birds don't seem to like them, netted or not.

I had a Goldcrest visit last winter and for the first time a Nuthatch. Havent seen either this winter yet.
Masses of goldfinches, long tailed tits and blue tits though.
Anyone know are there less Chaffinches about?? I havent seen any for ages.

I get 3 pairs of chaffinches this year. 2 more than last year.

EGG, I've been using them for years and have never, ever seen a bird get their feet tangled in them!


I've found there is a distinct difference in fat balls which come in green nets and red nets:

The green ones they love. The red ones they really dislike and will only eat if there is nothing else.

I tried the green ones and ended up binning them, untouched. Strange.

Egg In which case you have got mine. Please send them back.

Harry, about 2-3 years ago there was a virus about that wiped out a lot of Greenfinches and Chaffinches.
I've seen far fewer of both species since.
Unfortunately, the virus might still be about as I saw a really bloated, cumbersome (a typical effect of it) greenfinch just the other day. He could barely stand on the perch to a feeder.

Perhaps our southern jessie birds are more likely to get their feet tangled than your rock hard northern birds.

Very funny EGG!

Sad to hear that Tommy but id noticed the Greenfinches virtually disappear. Used to have at least 4 at one time. Now its a rarity to see even one.
Goldfinches seem to be doing well, they visit me at least a dozen at a time.

Greenfinches are very rare here now.

15 years ago I used to see 10-15 at once on my table and feeders.

Same here, Harry (and Egg).
Very rare sightings of greenfinches now, although they used to come 'mob-handed'.

Goldfinches are probably my most common bird now. I've counted up to about 15 at one time. Never usually less than 6 feeding.

I had a pair of Bullfinches at the bottom of the garden on Sunday but they never seem to to come anywhere near the feeders. Any ideas to get them closer?

Have you tried beckoning them?

Very good, Egg!

Harry, at my old house, bullfinches were my most common visitor, as amazing at it may seem.
I haven't seen a one since. I think it just depends on your location, luck and what they want to eat (mine loved peanuts).

Chaffinches are the common bird in my garden(typically about 8),followed by Greenfinches(5 or 6).During this cold spell often see about 5 blackbirds.Not as many tits as usual around this winter and it's weeks since I last saw a single sparrow.

Iamajambo, I've never noticed a dip in the sparrow population here (although it's been widely reported for the last few years). There's always been an abundance of both house and hedge varieties.
Tits, of all kinds have been plenty this last few months: blue, great, coal and marsh.

Thanks Egg I will try that

Yes plenty of Blue and Great and the occasional Coal. have never seen a marsh Tit though.

Sparrow numbers on the up round here.

There's a squirrel comes into our garden that performs incredible acrobatics to get nuts from the feeder.

What is the best food to put out for robins and blue tits? There are a few that come into my garden and I would like to feed them in this weather, however I also have squirrels as well.

Peanuts and sunflower hearts.

Thanks, EGG

I used to provide sunflower hearts and mixed seed in tubular feeders.The mixed seed was more or less ignored,so now I put the sunflower hearts in both but place the mixed seed on the ground for those who cannot access the feeder perches.Also provide fat balls in a cage feeder.Used to put these out simply hanging in their nets but squirrels would make off with them.

Tommy Toes,I started a thread on the absence of sparrows a few weeks ago.As mentioned above,haven't seen a single one for many weeks.I normally record 5 or 6 in the 'Big Birdwatch'.

Sparrows getting more plentiful here after the numbers dropped massively a few years ago.

The marsh tit is my 'favourite' at the moment, Harry.
A beautiful little bird.
He calls to me from the back of the lilac tree when I fill the feeders up.

This is a useful site by the RSPB, where you can log on to different birds, read about them and hear their calls.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/m/marshtit/index.aspx

Had a bright green parakeet on the bird feeder this afternoon - loads of them in south east london but never usually come in to the garden

Every now and again I get about 10 long tailed tits come in and make a right racket. Get loads of sparrows, blue and great tits, green finches but never had a goldfinch.

Tried some nigella seeds for the goldfinches as they love them apparently but no joy.

Thanks for that Tommy.