nuthatches

suetblocks · #1 (**permalink**) 19-05-2007, 12:33 PM

Hi my name is martin im 12 years old and since about september last year i have put foods out including mixed seed,suet,LOADS of nuts most in a giant feeder some crushed and some in a small feeder,sunflower hearts and mealworms. i have attracted 26 different species of birds in a very small west london garden next to a tree but one bird ive never seen is a nuthatch. Any help on attracting them to the garden PLEASE REPLY thankyou very much for any replies.

glsammy · #2 (**permalink**) 19-05-2007, 01:10 PM

I'm obviously not the one to help much, as compared to your 26 species, mine is just 7!! That is with loads of feeders, perches, branches, tables, everything I can think of! I think you should count your blessings for the 26 species you get!

suetblocks · #3 (**permalink**) 19-05-2007, 01:39 PM

tHANKYOU very much for such a kind reply

but i would really really love to attract nuthatches,jays,jackdaws or any other 4 birds that would take my tally of birds to 30

Paul mabbott · #4 (**permalink**) 19-05-2007, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suetblocks

........ since about september last year i have put foods out including mixed seed,suet,LOADS of nuts most in a giant feeder some crushed and some in a small feeder,sunflower hearts and mealworms. i have attracted 26 different species of birds in a very small west london garden next to a tree but one bird ive never seen is a nuthatch. Any help on attracting them to the garden PLEASE REPLY thankyou very much for any replies.

I wish you well Martin but for the many years I lived in London I never saw a nuthatch!

Since moving to this house in Sheffield they are regular visitors

. The difference is that our garden here is next to a large wood and nuthatches are woodland birds - they want lots of trees.

So, you could coonvert yours and your neighbours gardns into woodland (

) or, I'm afraid, you'll have to be content with other species. There will be plenty and your support with food &c will encourage others to come in .... Good luck, Paul

PS: and 26 species shows that you're doing a pretty good job!

Tursiops2 · #5 (**permalink**) 19-05-2007, 01:53 PM

Hallo suetblocks, and welcome to the forum.

Nuthatches are cracking little birds, and it looks to me like you've done about as much as you can to attract them to your garden. Nuthatches like open woodland with plenty of tall, mature trees. The best places to find them in London are old parks like Bushy Park and Richmond Park. If they are in your area they will find you eventually; if they're not, then probably the best you can hope for is that a wandering individual finds your garden in the autumn/winter and stays around for a few days.

26 species is a pretty respectable tally for a small urban garden, so you're obviously doing something right

. What have you listed so far?

All the best
Tursiops2

suetblocks · #6 (**permalink**) 19-05-2007, 02:37 PM

Thankyou VERY much for all your help if there is any birds not on this list that i could possibly attract pease tell me. gsw,collared dove,robin,feral pigeon,wood pigeon,magpie,blue tit,starling,great tit,mistle thrush,wren,greenfinch,coal tit,crow,common gull,long tailed tit,dunnock,female/male blackbird,pied wagtail,house sparrow,tree sparrow,chaffinch,goldfinch,bullfinch and a bird i saw around december time but failed to identify.

.

glsammy · #7 (**permalink**) 19-05-2007, 03:00 PM

If you know there are Nuthatches near to you, they like simple foods, such as peanuts etc. Around here they feed at the edge of woodland areas from open feeder trays as in this shot:

One thing to be careful of though, although Nuthatches like large peanuts, you mustn't put then out at the moment, young birds could easily choke on them.

suetblocks · #8 (**permalink**) 19-05-2007, 03:13 PM

Thankyou for your info glsammy i will not give up on seeing a nuthatch but from everyones information the possibility does seem reasonably small. Is there any birds not on my list that i could have a chance of seeing? all replies are much appreciated. thankyou

Tursiops2 · #9 (**permalink**) 19-05-2007, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suetblocks

Thankyou VERY much for all your help if there is any birds not on this list that i could possibly attract pease tell me. gsw,collared dove,robin,feral pigeon,wood pigeon,magpie,blue tit,starling,great tit,mistle thrush,wren,greenfinch,coal tit,crow,common gull,long tailed tit,dunnock,female/male blackbird,pied wagtail,house sparrow,tree sparrow,chaffinch,goldfinch,bullfinch and a bird i saw around december time but failed to identify.

.

That's a pretty good list. If you're getting both GS Woodpecker and Tree Sparrow, there must be some good woodland with mature trees near you, so you could have Nuthatches around. Don't give up hope!

I notice you don't have Swift on your list. You could try putting a nestbox for them up under the eaves of your house. Info here:London's Swifts Homepage

Describe the bird you saw in December

T2

suetblocks · #10 (**permalink**) 19-05-2007, 04:39 PM

the bird i saw around december time was about a size of 10-14cm it was white on its front but i could not see its back colours because of the angle i was looking at it from. I have seen swifts around my local area and may well purchase a swift box. The tree sparrow was i feel a definite one off but the gsw is a common visitor to the nut feeder but comes to the garden only early in the morning. The times ive seen it the magpie has chased it of

.The tree sparrow i saw once on the nut feeder unfortunately did not stay for long quickly flying away.