Off Topic: bird feeders. Wot you got?

[Rasta]

Bump!

I'd rather talk about maggots than bikes.

[johnnystorm]

Good intel up there ^^^ about sourcing mealworms. I had no idea and have just been buying big tubs off Amazon. Any thoughts on these below?

https://www.chubbymealworms.co.uk/colle ... fly-larvae

And I might give a peanut feeder a go as well and see what it brings in.

Those are the ones that are OK for hedgehogs as well, the only thing wrong I can see are that they are about twice the price per kilo as buying them from Maltbys Stores.

[TheBrownDog]

That is quite a saving ... order placed for mealworms and sunflower hearts. I also learned that you should soak mealworms before putting them out. What else are you lot not telling me?

[johnnystorm]

That is quite a saving ... order placed for mealworms and sunflower hearts. I also learned that you should soak mealworms before putting them out. What else are you lot not telling me?

Chris Packham says not to worry about soaking them as dry ones are better than no worms. I do tend to soak them in the summer but as they are being scattered onto a sodden lawn at the moment its not a priority.

[thenorthwind]

Me and my partner are off for a couple of days having a "holiday" at home, so I was sitting in the garden having coffee and enjoying the sun, when I decided this was as good a time as any to sort out the bird feeding situation. I gave my feeder a good clean the other day and refilled it, but the birds seem to have largely forgotten about the (probably pretty low quality) seed mix within, despite having gone through it remarkably quickly in the past. Maybe someone else nearby has started putting out better grub?

I went out and got a new fat ball feeder (they don't seem to eat them out of the glass feeder I got) and a peanut feeder, as well as some "winter" seed mix. Apparently garden centres are "essential retailers"

The robin, tits, and sparrows have already located the fat balls, but unfortunately so have the crows, and I'm sat here watching the pigeons eyeing up the peanuts, so I'll have to implement my bird-bourgeoisie protection system. Here it is on my original feeder:



The hanging baskets keep the crows/pigeons/magpies out, and the sieve (minus handle) catches the spill and stops them congregating on the ground below.

[Bearlegged]

Excellent work! I hope the smol boids appreciate it.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I noticed the Long Tailed Tits are back here this afternoon. Not seen them for a while.

[Rasta]

Long tailed tits arrived at 2pm this alvo. First time.

Re the fat balls. If you hang the holder so it swings freely, it prevents the larger birds getting at it.

[TheBrownDog]

I had the wren back today ... gosh it was lovely. And much appreciated with my new 20x50 monocular (I think that is what it is)

I like the "keep the big bustards out tactics" but there's a robin in my garden that pretty much has been kicking the poor show out the blue tits all day. I've managed to keep the starlings off all the feeders by simply making them reallly, really swingy. And Ive got a new feeder that really only allows the smaller birds to get the goodness.

Next ... next .... I've devoted about 1/3 of my garden to wild growth and hedgehogs and not giving a stuff. Just leaving it for the bugs and critters.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I had the wren back today ... gosh it was lovely. And much appreciated with my new 20x50 monocular (I think that is what it is)

Ooh, I had a Wren come into the workshop to lend a hand this afternoon - lovely. Far better than the fledgling woodpecker I had last year, he was a savage b'stard

[TheBrownDog]

We've had a wren nesting in the loo at the horse yard for the past 3 years. It gets in via a few gaps in the paneling at the back, and has built its nest above the door. So when you come in, mostly busting because the loo at the horse yard would give the Worst Bog In Britain a run for its money and it is very much a place of last resort, the bloody thing freaks out and goes all flappy flappy flappy, scaring the bejesus out of ya and flying off. It's so toiny. Honestly, first time I saw it I thought it was a moth.

[Rasta]

3 little owls on my evening walk back from a swim. Always take my binos now.

[thenorthwind]

Re the fat balls. If you hang the holder so it swings freely, it prevents the larger birds getting at it.

Cheers, will see if I can get it a bit freer.

[thenorthwind]

Just submitted my results from the RSBP Big Garden Birdwatch last weekend. I wasn't planning to do it, but I spent the morning knocking out the redundant window between my house and garage and sitting down for an hour staring out of the window seemed like a great idea. Did anyone else do it? My list was even more pitiful than I expected!