Birds

[mk1noz]

Hi all.

I am trying to attract the wild birds into my garden but so far failed. With the exception of 1 or 2 Magpies.

I have made a small table which I have put by my wild life pond and also got a bird feeder with water dish. They have a choice of nuts, fat balls, mixed seeds, meal worms and dare I say, bread. This is a bit further away next to a tree and in front of my shed all down the bottom of my garden.

My pond is doing really well since that was dug in march, native flowers added etc. where I now get all sorts visiting.

Can anybody help and advise?


Cheers.

[Picidae]

hi Mk

Good on you for trying - sounds like you're on the way to building a real wildlife garden.

As far as attracting birds, you've picked the hardest time of the year. There's plenty of their preferred natural food around and many of the youngsters have now fledged. This is a time where it will start to be quiet in the garden for lots of people when the adults go off to moult and the youngsters disperse to find new territories.

Keep with it though and by the autumn it will really start to pick up for you.

You should get some garden visitors through the summer with the excellent choice of food (bread probably isn't such a good idea, it can swell up and the birds get dehydrated as they are too full to drink water - I'd soak it first if you really want to continue with the bread and be certain to use wholemeal).

Most importantly, keep your feeders clean and put fresh water out regularly - this is also the time of year where risk of infection, especially to young finches is high.

Ps. If you are using the bought fat balls that come in netting, remove the netting and put them in a fat ball feeder - birds can get their feet and necks entangled and fatalities have occured.

[grymalkyn]

For many years, I've also been making fat-crumb-balls from old bread and fat from the meat. This seems to work and not cause dehydration. I also just put the fatty crumbs out sometimes if time's short for making into balls.

I began here in June 2000, there were no birds either as the place had nothing much for them then. By autumn they were coming well and haven't stopped since . We get all sorts, including a regular sparrowhawk - so we must have a good population for her to hunt with us.

Keep going, don't give up . The pond will attact more insects and so more birds. As your whole eco-system gets going they will come.

[mk1noz]

Thanks for that.
Just been sat by my pond watching the little frogs make a run where I have seen my first dragonflies 1 red and 1 blue and to top it off the bees are starting to use the "bee box" I got a few months ago.

[grymalkyn]

Wooo-Hooo !!! keep it up. I find it just so exciting - even after years of doing it! - to see the new life come in each year *g*

BTW, the red and blue ... are they dragonflies do you think or damsel flies?

My husband (Paul) is very into bees, do you know what sorts are using your box yet?

[bobbarber]

Originally Posted by mk1noz

Thanks for that.
Just been sat by my pond watching the little frogs make a run where I have seen my first dragonflies 1 red and 1 blue and to top it off the bees are starting to use the "bee box" I got a few months ago.

Hello mk1noz , you can tell if they are dragonflies or damsel flies by looking at their wings when they are at rest. Dragonflies stick them out at right angles to their bodies and damsels hold them parallel to their bodies...Bob

[mk1noz]

Hi all, throughout the spring and summer I have put out a variety of food out for the birds (nuts, seeds, fat ball and fruit) and still to this date I have not had any birds visit apart from 2 magpies now and again. I've put out a bird feeding station near by a tree, theres a pond in our garden where the frogs have made their home along with other pond life which is really fasinating.
Can anyone help me or advice if where or what I'm doing wrong?

[relayer901]

Is there something about the current location of your feeder that the birds might find dangerous? For instance, are there shrubs, etc, which might provide an easy 'ambush' place for a cat or a predator?

Also, some smaller birds like to have a nearby branch or place to sit and keep lookout until they are happy to go onto the feeder. Tits will go to the feeder and then quickly go back to their perch to eat. Having said this, it sounds like your feeder is close to the tree anyway presumably it provides this kind of perch?

Are there any other parts of the garden where you might try to put your feeders? I've only got a small garden, but (over a long period of time!) I had to experiment by moving my feeders around different parts of the garden until I found the places where the birds were happy! Not that they're fussy or anything!

About two years ago I could not attract birds to my feeders. With the advice of the good folk of this forum I eventually got there! To be honest it sounds like you are well set up, with a pond, etc, so good luck - I'm sure the birds will find their way because they don't usually miss out on a good eaterie!!

[John]

I think more importantly is where you site the feeder. Site it close to good cover so that if any birds feel threatened (predator about is one reason) they have a quick escape route. This will allow them to feel more confident about using your feeders.

Also use a few different feeds but especially sunflower hearts. Birds, especially finches, love hearts. Fat balls are also a good addition as are peanuts (good quality please). Mixed seed (again good quality) is another I use. Please don't use bread. It has no nutritional value and is not good for birds.

There are many other forms of food to check out but the basic starting point is sunflower hearts, peanuts, mixed seed, and fat balls. Check out on the internet where you can get good quality seed at the right price. It's best to bulk bulk if you can as buying smallish amounts from local seed shops becomes prohibitive cost wise. I usually get mine when I call into a friends in Suffolk from Charnwoods. They're based in Framlingham. I'm sure you will have one close to you. I buy large quantities as my feeder stations are established and well used.

I called into my mates in Suffolk a couple of weeks ago and called into Charnwoods on the way and bought 5 x 25kg of hearts, 2 x 25 kg of mixed seed, 2 boxes of 100 each box of fat balls and 20 kg of peanuts. That lot cost £155 and that will last me about 5 to six months, unless the birds really get stuck in. I have been known to go through that amount in three months.

One thing to remember. Regularly clean your feeders, and around your feeder station, as disease can cause havoc to feeder stations not maintained properly.

Another point is if your feeder station becomes very successful it could become quite expensive to maintain the feed on a regular basis.

Hope that helps and good luck with your feeder station.

John