Having to leave house:(

kangarooz · #1 (**permalink**) 05-01-2011, 04:38 PM

Well just found out we have to move out of our rented house as the owners need it back. My question to you all is how should I deal with the birds? I think the owners will feed the birds a bit but no where near to the levels I do. I just don't want to suddenly stop feeding when we have to leave, so I thought about a gradual withdrawal, but then we have so many birds that do rely on my feeding to survive and esp over winter it would be the worst time to stop! I don't know what is the best solution.

Any help or suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

nigel_b · #2 (**permalink**) 05-01-2011, 05:00 PM

Well sad news and I don't know the answer but I'd go down to half for a couple of weeks then a quarter for a couple more. That assumes you've got a month left of the lease.

Lemars · #3 (**permalink**) 05-01-2011, 07:58 PM

We have a huge sparrow population (plus many other species, of course) here and were away for 10 days over Christmas. Previously, we've asked friends to drive over and feed on our behalf, but it's 30 minutes each way for them. Instead, we acted on a recommendation and strung up 50 bird-balls. Yes, we allowed 5-a-day because they normally demolish 3/4 and they'd have been without all the other daily sunflower seeds, millet and peanut and wild bird-seed top-ups.

When we returned, they were no bird-balls in evidence, so I presume they'd eaten the lot at the party.

Within 24 hours, the whole flock (or flocks) had returned and appear to be back to their normal gorging selves.

How far away will you be and can you either pop back, ask friends to do the job, or string-up a long-term feast for them ??

Littlesparrow · #4 (**permalink**) 05-01-2011, 09:14 PM

I'm sorry to here you will have to move, like Nigel-B said reduce the feeding as gradually as you can and try to speak to the owners of the house so they will carry on feeding the birds to some extent. Try not to worry,you are probably not the only one feeding the birds in the area.

mamma-p · #5 (**permalink**) 05-01-2011, 11:10 PM

You must be gutted at having to leave your home and hope the next people will feed the birds at least for the rest of winter. Maybe you could leave a couple of buckets of fatballs for them to put out for them. If the food is already there they might be more inclined to feed them than they would if they had to go shopping for it. Hopefully they'll grow to love the birds as much as you do and carry on the good work. I hope you find a great home to live in with lots of birds to watch.

htcdude · #6 (**permalink**) 06-01-2011, 07:37 AM

Can you not just pop back every day to feed them?

Adam Cheeseman · #7 (**permalink**) 06-01-2011, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kangarooz

Well just found out we have to move out of our rented house as the owners need it back. My question to you all is how should I deal with the birds? I think the owners will feed the birds a bit but no where near to the levels I do. I just don't want to suddenly stop feeding when we have to leave, so I thought about a gradual withdrawal, but then we have so many birds that do rely on my feeding to survive and esp over winter it would be the worst time to stop! I don't know what is the best solution.

Any help or suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

Apart from the suggestions made it is best to think that the 'garden' birds are probably not relying on your supply alone. It's been shown that birds move around various close food sources rather than stay in one place. Probably to avoid predation and competition.

Cheers,

Adam

Paul mabbott · #8 (**permalink**) 06-01-2011, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam Cheeseman

Apart from the suggestions made it is best to think that the 'garden' birds are probably not relying on your supply alone. It's been shown that birds move around various close food sources rather than stay in one place. Probably to avoid predation and competition.

Cheers,

Adam

I'd agree. Possibly best to give up feeding entirely now but perhaps put out some food when/if the weather turns seriously bad over the next few days. Dietary supplementation from humans is only probably critical during bad weather spells and, of course, when there are nestlings to feed - shouldn't be a problem for the next few weeks!

kangarooz · #9 (**permalink**) 06-01-2011, 04:20 PM

Thank you guys.

I can't stop feeding them I just don't have the heart to see the 20+ blackbirds and the goldfinches etc waiting in the tree for me like they do every morning and go hungry! Think I will feed them till we leave, it will mean they might have a few weeks of no food but hopefully the weather won't be to bad, but I will leave the owners when they move back in a letter, along with some food. When they came round to do some work they were really impressed by how many birds they were because when they first lived in house there was none at all! So hopefully they will continue to feed them.

We moved in 18 months ago and there was no birds, the species I have managed to attract (with alot of work and money!), its only a small garden though, bout the size of a large garage.

Types that I managed to attract in period, it makes me so sad I have to leave after all my effort

Blackbird, Starling, house sparrow, blue tit, coal tit, green finch, pied wagtail, dove, wood pigeon, robin, wood pecker, long-tailed tit, some type of hawk, gold finches, chaffinch, jackdaw, crow, thrush, fieldfare, Great tit,

As well as a couple of other small ones I can't identify.