On my bird feeders

[rossy]

forgot to mention put some suet blocks up in suet feeders of course they love them. rossy.

[Peter S A Baker]

Originally Posted by ashgale

we used to have the same problem with Starlings, but now we are lucky to see a single Starling let alone a flock of them

i know they can be an expensive visitor to the feeders, but so can woodpigeons and collared doves, we have three large feeders that are filled daily, sometimes even twice daily but the pigeons can empty them in less than an hour,
and we have a resident "horde" of 30 plus house sparrows that can tuck an awful lot of seed away in a short time too,

we have been getting through two 20kg sacks of seed every 2/3 weeks just lately
plus Robin mix and mealworms too !

i think that Starlings are much maligned in some cases, i miss the chortling and wheezes etc that they would make when sat in a nearby tree, and their antics in the garden
but all birds are welcome to our feeders, whatever species they are, (especially our 5 Goldfinches though )

ashgale.

As I said 'I don't not want Starlings' just wish I didn't get that many, I must say though it's lovely to see them in squadrens with their fly pasts just before they go to roost. I have five or more (eleven today) Goldfinches, that come together to the feeders and they are one of my favorites! Sparrows I can't count how many! just over the back fence, near the feeders, is an uncultivated patch of about 1/4 acre, overgrown with bushes, blackberries and a couple of big trees, the sounds that emanate from there is wonderful, can't wait for the spring!
Peter

[Peter S A Baker]

Originally Posted by artdemole

Welcome to Wab with such a poststing list of birds.Those Sparrows could be doing with being attracted away to fatballs and suet cake feeders of their own.Placed further away in the garden may do the trick.

Thanks, you might be right, I will try moving the fat balls and cakes further away and see what happens.
Peter

[Peter S A Baker]

Originally Posted by htcdude

Welcome to the site

Wow a great variety of birds!

You could look at some of these:

Squirrel Resistant Feeders

(not necessarily from that site, there are probably cheaper ones)

Nige

Thank you for the welcome. I must try the Squirrel Resistant Feeders, thanks again
Peter

[dennis downing]

I have tried anti squirrel feeders in an attempt to keep a supply of seed available all day for the smaller birds, the larger birds scare away the smaller ones and soon clear the table.
Mine is hung from a cup hook, the starlings can still cling onto the bottom tilting it to one side by there weight resulting in the seed tipping out

[tigertom]

I have a lot of starlings comeing to my garden but have found by putting suet blocks up away from main feeding station dont get problems as starling love suet blocks and you can pick these up cheap I get 3 for a quid and I do like starlings so keep all happy this way and often get song thrush and blackbirds feeding under suet blocks on what starlings drop.
I must get at least 20-30 starlings at a time normaly in morning and late in afternoon.
MIKE

[Peter S A Baker]

Definately going to give it a try, thanks. Peter

[Peter S A Baker]

Good job I like Starlings then as I dont think there is a surefire way of rationing them!
Thanks
Peter