Anyone else feeding the birds ?

[newbie]

I wish we only got one blackbird, damn bullies they are, and too many of them.

I counted 7 at once this morning, almost all males. They're obviously confused by the snow- trying to feed like bluetits and flock like starlings.

 

[Mungy]

we've been feeding the birdies this year with home made fat balls. We have the usual varieties of tits, blackbirds. One we have never seen before is a pipit. It's either a mountain variety or a meadow variety, can't remember which is away for the winter

 

[Mrs Magpie]

I hang up fat balls but I also put stuff like apples cut in half on the ground under shrubs as many birds, for instance blackbirds, tend to scuttle around there. it's the more acrobatic birds that go for the fat balls.

 

[madamv]

I only really get the same family of Magpies every year. There is only one big tree around me and thats where they live.

What can I do to help them right now? Should I be putting the dog hair in the garden for nests etc? Or food? I really have no idea...

 

[gentlegreen]

How opportune that this thread has reappeared.

I opened my living room window for the first time and there are birds tweeting away outside.

Blackbirds I think.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/rams/birdsong-blackbird.ram
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/birdsong.shtml

Hardly seen any activity at my culinary offerings though.

 

[quimcunx]

The peanuts and fat bars at work have been relatively successful. At home however they were mugged by squirrels.

 

[geminisnake]

What can I do to help them right now? Should I be putting the dog hair in the garden for nests etc? Or food? I really have no idea...

Mmmm, not many people help magpies afaik. Chances are the magpies are why you don't get other birds. They can be terrible for eating other birds eggs and young.
There are very few magpies in Angus, the farmers tend to shoot them.

It wouldn't hurt to put the dog hair out, if not the magpies something may well use it

I wouldn't feed anything from the crow family tbh. They tend to take over an area. The crows round here bully the buzzards

 

[Mrs Magpie]

The crows round here bully the buzzards

It's called mobbing. Other birds do it too.
www.rspb.org.uk/advice/watchingbirds/behaviour/mobbing.asp

 

[geminisnake]

They do it nowhere near the nests though. There's too many damn crows round here. I prefer buzzards

 

[madamv]

thanks geminisnake... Typical me to fall for the baddest birds

They are rather beautiful, and their chirping at evensong is delightful. No matter how I try, I cant glare at them. My bad

 

[quimcunx]

Remember to feed the birds again folks.

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

I had some blue tits on my feeder a couple of weeks ago but they must have been desperate as the food is horrible I really need to put somefresh stuff in. I must have a look in teh pet shop

 

[quimcunx]

I got some Bill Oddie stuff and some peanuts from Poundland or whatever it's called opposite Brixton tube.

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

Oh yes, i forgot about them. I'll pick some up tomorrow, thanks for that

 

[Strumpet]

I wanna feed the birds this year!! Prob. have to get the hanging things to go on the washing line as no where else to put anything tbh.

What shall I get? Go to pet shop?


*subscribes*

 

[weltweit]

I have had a rather nice visitor in the last few days.

I think it may be a woodpecker.

It is larger than a blackbird, green back with a red flash on top of its head, light drab underbelly and what looks like orange flashes near the tips of his wings.

It comes to dig in my grass. It seems to spend a lot of time at it but it's not getting worms thats pretty much for sure.

I think it is this guy : (Green Woodpecker)

 

[Ms T]

I put out food a couple of weeks ago - peanuts, seed and fat balls. I'm getting quite a few tits now, and a couple of robins, which is .

 

[spring-peeper]

Right now, we are only getting the chickadees (so cute -> their call is their name)

and these guys, downy woodpeckers. We also get the woodland woodpeckers. They are identical to the downy, just about six inches bigger.

We have flocks of blue jays that show up demanding food, but I don't like them. I don't stock their favourites and they move on.

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

what lovely birds you get

 

[spring-peeper]

what lovely birds you get

The chickadees are not scared of people. If you are patient, they will come and eat out of your hand. They are only a couple of inches tall and so cute.

Sometimes, while I'm walking through the forest, I can hear them calling to others in their flock -> "chick a dee dee dee, chick a dee dee dee".

Sounds of life in a forest at -20C

 

[weltweit]

Right now, we are only getting the chickadees (so cute -> their call is their name)

That chickadee looks like a cross between our robin and a blue tit. Would be about right for its size also.

 

[Riklet]

Feeding the ducks? Bashing the bishop? Well, why not! Thanks for the reminder, internet...

 

[treefrog]

There's loads of cats round my apartment block so I'm reluctant to put food out for the birds. Still, it's summer here and there's no shortage of grubs and tasty things for them to num on

In addition to the introduced sparrows and blackbirds round here we get tuis (who sound absolutely joyous )

rainbow lorikeets (brought in from Oz, I was gobsmacked when I saw them for the first time!)

fantails, which are the cutest little birds in the whole world!

 

[Mrs Magpie]

I have a cat-proof tall bamboo pole with a fat ball on it stuck into a tall planter on a plinth* I also have lots of bird friendly cat-proof berry and hip bearing shrubs. I feed the birds all year and vary what I put out at different seasons.

* I say plinth but it's large paving slabs stacked up because I have nowhere else to store them.

 

[two sheds]

I also have lots of bird friendly cat-proof berry and hip bearing shrubs. I feed the birds all year and vary what I put out at different seasons.

I just bought some more shrubs and tried to put them in yesterday but the ground was rock hard

How do you vary what you put out at different seasons?

And I hope we're all remembering to put out fresh water for little birdies with so much ice around

 

[mrs quoad]

quack

My gf gave me two Farmville ducks

 

[Badgers]

Yep...

Feed the pigeons and the crows in the churchyard at Kennington

Crusts ahoy!!!

 

[two sheds]

quack

My gf gave me two Farmville ducks

Yum

Isn't it supposed to be French hens, though?

*I'm only jealous cos i've always wanted to keep ducks *

 

[LilMissHissyFit]

We bought a big bag of bird seed after my son enjoyed feeding the pigeons in the park and the kids are now keeping the birds well supplied ( a little too well supplied really- they cant eat it all!)



Its lovely watching them landing on the plant stands while im doing the dishes

 

[sojourner]

I've put out an extra feeder, plus fat balls in a proper feeder