Feeder station help needed

[Stephen Raff]

I decided to set up a feeding station in my back yard and brought one of the pole types with arms for hanging feeders a bath an a tray. I don't have the biggest back yard and its surrounded by 12-15 foot walls. I have one feeder for fat balls, one with a all season mix in and some peanuts in a tray, I have also scattered the all season mix on a couple of ledges in the yard.

Well I do have birds coming in now, a robin, sparrows, blue tit and blackbird. However they aren't interested in the feeders and just take from the scatterings on the ledges or from the ground. Sometimes they do use the station to land on before moving on. The blue tit is the only one who will occasionally have a go at the fat balls.

I've attached a photo to try and show the yard. you can see the ledge they are happy to eat off below and to the right of the feeders, there is also a ledge the other side that you cant see. The robin and sparrows spend a lot of time on the ivy in the top right corner.

The only other places I can put the feeders is in the left corner and then they would be closer to the ivy or in the middle of the yard but I did try that for a week and it was no different.

Any ideas how I can get the birds to make use of the feeders? It is great to be sat here now though watching them all out there although Mr Robin is a bit of a bully



Thank you
Stephen

[artdemole]

The birds will take a week or so to get used to something new in the garden.Hunger this time of year will soon have them feeding as they will know where to come for food.My regular blackbird only goes on tray occasionally.Chaffinches feed on ground underneath my feeder.Robin has a go now and then. Have 5 regular Blue Tits that are always flitting on and off the mixed seed on tray and hanging feeders,one is a cage for fat balls which is mainly used by the starlings.Collard Doves are also daily seen.Hope you see more soon.

[Stephen Raff]

So my key word for the day is 'patience'

Thanks Artdemole.

[merlin2k]

I have the same type of feeder as you have but have found that the black bird and robin prefer the floor or next doors large bird table .In the spring one blackbird would use the metal tray but only if there was cake on it. I think the robin and blackbird prefer flat open feeding spaces.Maybe a bird table in addition to the feeding station,that is what I am going to do,then you can put cake ,apples and sultanas and mealworm and rolled oats etc out for your blackbird and robin.The bluetits seem to love sunflower hearts more then anything and fat balls and crushed peanuts.I have found that all the birds like the sunflower hearts.I am also going to try the loose suet treats this week.Once they realise that the food is regular and what they like and not stale they will keep coming back.

[Cowgirl]

I agree merlin, my backbird only uses the tray as a last resort to peer into the living room window as if to say, oi where's my grapes?

Stephen you could try sunflower hearts & niger seed as well, that brings in a lot of differeent types of birds.

Your feeder pole position looks ok, they like to be close to a hedge or ivy so they can hide quickly if needs be.

They will come honest!

Sorry this photo's not very good, it's only a phone camera & my windows need a good clean!

[nightshade]

If I was a bird I would be wary of the big flappy black BBQ cover, it is also between the feeders and the water feature (does it have water?)

[John D]

Originally Posted by merlin2k

I have the same type of feeder as you have but have found that the black bird and robin prefer the floor or next doors large bird table .In the spring one blackbird would use the metal tray but only if there was cake on it. I think the robin and blackbird prefer flat open feeding spaces.Maybe a bird table in addition to the feeding station,that is what I am going to do,then you can put cake ,apples and sultanas and mealworm and rolled oats etc out for your blackbird and robin.The bluetits seem to love sunflower hearts more then anything and fat balls and crushed peanuts.I have found that all the birds like the sunflower hearts.I am also going to try the loose suet treats this week.Once they realise that the food is regular and what they like and not stale they will keep coming back.

Not all birds like feeders. Blackbirds,Dunnocks, Robins etc etc prefer feeding on the ground or from tray/plate like feeders. Sparrows,Finches,Tits like seed type feeders or fatballs. Always remember to take the green netting of fatballs before putting the fatball into the appropriate holder.

John D
Zenfolio | John's Wild World

[Madmills]

I agree about the black cover, it could be flapping or noisy and the birds might get spooked by that and by the need to position feeding stations near to trees and bushes so they can dart in and out when necessary.

I also think it's important to be food and bird specific - to bring in the small clinging birds you need to supply their favourite food, which as mentioned before is sunflower hearts.
The goldfinches go mad for them as do all the finch family, i have chaffinches, linnets and greenfinches on my seed feeders.
I now don't bother with niger at all.
Grain based feed isn't that well liked by the clingers but will attract ground feeders.

Gardman sell hooks that are about 5" long and you could get some of them and hang more seed feeders from your 'feeding tree' aswell as other suitable places around the garden.

In this weather the birds will be looking for a lot of feeding places so if you're offering what they like they'll appear.

[actionfinch]

Patience , i feel is a good key (like the others have said), i was the same , at first nothing but the birds get used to it.Sunflower seeds work wonders on the blue tits,with me. so try them Trial and era as welli have moved a feeder pole to prevent squirrels but have seen much on it, starlings on the fat balls thats it, but what with the weather for some reason the garden has dried up a bit...

[Kayleigh]

Home-made fat cakes and a washing line..
There is a new nut feeder on the other end..