Red ribbon tied to feeders!!

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by metalfish

Aah maybe this is your answer... it's probably the crows and magpies putting the littluns off, they both predate small birds and if there's no cover to hide in they wont come near.

This is rather an amplified view of the risk I think! Corvids do predate chicks and eggs during the breeding season, but rather more unusually, adults. Far greater risk of cat/Sparrowhawk predation, especially if there is food on the ground. The Crows/Magpies could be putting the small birds off by intimidating them but not enough to keep them away from the feeders altogether, especially during the winter months. At the moment, it's the abundance of autumn berries around because the mild weather has meant insects have still been a main food source. Once the berries start getting low, the birds will come. All the advice on this thread is valid, especially the need for fence cover/natural plants/natural perches, in the garden, but it's not what's keeping the birds away at the moment.

[dickybird]

hi shiffty

im finding that apart from the tits regularly using the hanging feeders and the odd blackbird or magpie taking some catfood, many of the other birds are still feeding 'naturally'-as has been said, theres still quite a good supply of insects,spiders and fruit about.
i daresay once it gets colder and this food source is depleted, you'll get visitors. from my experience cats,hawks,magpies etc rarely scare the other birds away for long--maybe only a day or two.

[shiffty]

thanx for the reply dicky,,,i went out today to a local garden centre and bought a nice apple tree to plant near the bird table..its around 4ft with a few branches sprouting out....i know it will take a few years to grow, but hopefully it will add a bit of cover for future birds..

[lucy78green]

I did a wee experiment in my garden as the birds seemed to have a preference for a seed feeder with a red hole, and wouldn't eat out of the other green plastic one. I put red electrical tape around the hole, I have also repainted my green metal peanut feeder red with enamel paint, and I painted all my fatball feeders red, orange and yellow. The birds do seem to be more attracted to the feeders now, but their position on the tree is also a factor. Some birds prefer those feeders higher up the tree, others like the ones nearest the hedge. The starlings prefer the ones next to a handy branch so they can perch there and feed instead of hanging onto the feeders. Despite having a nyjer feeder for over a year I had hardly any interest until I changed branches, and now I have 1 pair of goldfinches who come nearly every day.

[shiffty]

thats a very interesting little story there...i have also painted the tops of the feeders red...as yet no interest..but will keep posted of any changes!!!

[metalfish]

[quote=Picidae;564406]This is rather an amplified view of the risk I think! Corvids do predate chicks and eggs during the breeding season, but rather more unusually, adults.

You're right, I was a little over the top! The theories on coloured feeders are interesting, my feeder is yellow and seems v.popular, it's in the open and 2 foot or so from a fence where the sparrows and greenfinches line up. Mind you there's no cats for about half a mile so no worries there, just a local perigrin but I guess he's more interested in pigeons.

All these responses to Shifty's question are really interesting, it's amazing how many differsnt factors can affect what comes to your feeders, not just what you put in them.

[earthdragon64]

I'm a bit further north than most of you, and have seen a marked increase in small birds at my feeders in the last couple of weeks.

This coincides with almost all the berries in the immediate area being eaten by an influx of Fieldfares, and to a lesser extent, Redwings.

So, now that there is a lot less natural food around, I'm seeing a lot more birds in my garden. It definately is worth persevering, but keep an eye on the food you have out and replace it if it starts to go off. I've noticed that a combination of damp and frosty weather can turn peanuts mouldy pretty quickly.

[Dinasaw]

Hey, Shiffty!
Yes, feeding the birds is more variable than you would suppose!
We nearly abandoned putting any food out at all because it seemed we were just preparing bait for all the neighbourhood cats and sparrowhawks! As we are in a rural location there is now plenty of natural food for the birds in the hedgerows and fields anyway, but not many birds have been visiting the garden at all, and fewer still to the feeding stations. The fat balls were black and beginning to sprout!! Today I have seen some activity from hedge sparrows and the robins (which have in fact remained 'faithful' throughout the summer), so I've put out some fresh seed and new fat balls in a red container - see if your hint works!
Also threw chunks of bread up onto the garage roof for the rooks waiting in the tree. Shame Boysie was just cleaning his car!

[shiffty]

be very interested in your findings....these red tops r certainly bringing in the squirrels.....damnnnnnnnnn those pesky things lol.......

[SheffieldLass]

If no-one nearby is feeding the birds then they will not be used to feeding stations, and wary for quite a long time. But I'll bet they have spotted it by now but they'll be waiting for the first one to make a move, probably even pushing each other off to try to persuade them to make the first (and most dangerous) move. When a brave one has shown it is safe the others will move in.

I've just moved to a new house, very rural hamlet with extensive woodland on three sides, fields on the other, and the gardens have nice beech hedges all round giving plenty of cover. I put up my feeders one night (about 3 weeks ago), at crack of dawn the next day a robin was on it, followed a minute or two later by a tree sparrow and a blue tit. The two feeders were half empty by the evening. Neighbours do feed the birds so they were used to feeders. However I was amazed at the speed at which they took to it. Now my feeders (3 of them) are empty by 10.30 am ... One is filled with hemp seed which is not quite as popular as the sunflower seeds. Which was meant to be for the very hungry as a reserve ... however the tree sparrows and greenfinches seem to rather like hemp, as does the marsh tit. I think I'll acquire some very cheap mix so there is something available for the very hungry in the afternoon.

I'm boasting now ... I've got masses of tits, sparrows of both types, greenfinches, goldfinches etc visiting. And the nuthatch, coal and marsh tits are busy storing food caches. There is still plenty of wild food around in the adjoining countryside though. I wonder what it will be like when the weather gets cold and wild food gets short . I'm struggling to count numbers for Garden Bird Watch, there is just so much activity.

My previous garden was urban with many cats in the neighbourhood. It took about 4 weeks for anything to touch my feeders when i first put them up, but no-one fed them nearby and there was very high predator risk. (The feeders were too high for cats to reach, and visibility around them good) The numbers built up gradually and I did tweak the position of feeders in relation to cover as a result of careful observation of what they seemed to prefer. My neighbour started putting out food too, same type of feeder and food, similar stand but never got the numbers that my feeders attracted ... due I'm pretty sure to more appropriate cover (trees) near my feeders.

I noticed straight away at my new house the very different behaviour of birds in the garden where there is very little cat threat. They spend so much time on the ground eating weed and flower seeds and insects, and greenfinches shredding green plants too. Something they never did at my old house. And no more do I have to sweep up the seeds that have dropped under the feeders. They clean up every last bit.

[shiffty]

As my garden does not have much natural cover for the birds.im wondering if this is putting them off...heres another recent pic of my garden

[Susie]

Welcome to WAB. I've been reading this thread with interest.

I am sure that as the natural food dries up and birds become hungrier they will come to your feeders but I do feel that lack of natural cover is a problem at the moment. When ever a bird is out in the open it is vulnerable. Your apple tree will be great when it is bigger and it is good of you to take such a pro-active approach.

I wonder if I could make another suggestion though, would it be possible to add a trellis along the top of your existing back fence? A couple of feet of trellis would give birds somewhere safer to perch and also make it difficult for cats or other predators to walk along the fence top. Just a thought. If you could grow some climbers up the fence then even better as you'll provide insects for the birds to feed on as well as cover.

Susie

[k4t3]

I agree with Sheffield lass, if you have a ready set up bird feeding station or neighbours that feed them then you are much more likely to get the birds in. I moved to my new home in February this year after (sadly) inheriting it from my Nana, who fed the birds religiously. In the first few weeks of joyfully watching the feeders and tables I counted over 20 species that regularly visited, and this is only a semi rural garden in Yorkshire!
All my feeders are boring base green but the colour issue is very interesting, I feel the need to test this out! Fascinated to hear of any outcomes on this issue.
Best of luck with tempting the birds to your feeders Shiffty, and please keep us posted!

[shiffty]

just like to thank all members for there opinions on my feeders and bird table.
it seems to have been a real popular thread this...i hope i can send some good news in due course when the weather gets a bit colder...thanx again all.

[SheffieldLass]

Hi Shiffty

Just looking at the latest picture of your garden, one comment ... the feeders hanging from the bird table ... they look quite low and that any bird on those feeders might not be able to see over the fence from there, and hence be pounced on by sparrowhawk flying low up the valley. They do seem to like good visibility. The one hanging from the tree looks fine though.

I'm sure that in due course they will venture in though. It looks a bird friendly spot.

Melanie

[shiffty]

hi everyone...after my last posts a month or 2 back..its great to say the birds have finally plucked up courage and decided to check out my bird table and feeders...the table went up the second week in october and i was feeling rather let down as i had not recieved any feathered friends up until yesteday..ive had blue tits great tits and the odd chaffinch so far to feed at table and feeders....hopefully they will tell there mates and turn up in larger numbers....thanx all for telling me they will arrive in the winter....heres a pic of a great tit and amore REGULAR visitor mr squirrel....lol

[metalfish]

Fantastic! Worth all that effort eh

[Firefox]

congratulations on finally having a birdie at the table! lol