Are we over-feeding birds?

[Rob Jones]

Originally Posted by lol geoff

I agree with Jon_C I feed mainly to attract the birds into my garden. While they are there they often have a rumage around eating insects and slugs saving me having to get rid of them, and I get to watch them from the comfort of a nice warm 'hide'.

I think the most important thing is a continuous supply of water for them and other creatures that come round. If it's below freezing your unfrozen water bowls might be the only drinking water around for miles.

I agree Geoff but my 'frozen' water bowls don't stay frozen for very long these days. I think it's more a problem for birds if they stay frozen for days or even weeks at a time.

[watsthat]

I see we`ve got a few posts from the CC does not exist camp. You don`t have to call it climate change (it may not be) but one thing is certain its getting warmer compared to previous decades.

Re feeding the birds; I sometimes throw a handful of premium seed on the top of shed but only for my own selfish desire to see what comes down.
I do think that some people overfeed with the best of intentions but I wonder how many of those even consider the bigger picture. If birds have problems we should do our best to disturb their enviromment as little as possible and let them deal with it. This year I`ve seen evidence of a sharp downturn in Greefinch numbers and quite a few Chaffinches with fungal/mite infections of their legs and feet even some who have lost a foot. Is it caused by bad hygene at the feeding stations? I don`t know for sure but us lot have a lot to answer for.

While I`m on my soapbox; don`t you find it really annoying when horticultural pundits glibly advise on a plethora of chemicals to treat many situations in the garden. When 9 times out of 10 the problem will resolve itself eventually anyway. The problem is us, not the pests. If you plant something exotic that, for example, slugs like and it gets devoured, learn from that experience and plant something else.

I`ll stop now,

Pete

[Seajay]

Originally Posted by watsthat

I see we`ve got a few posts from the CC does not exist camp. You don`t have to call it climate change (it may not be) but one thing is certain its getting warmer compared to previous decades.

Re feeding the birds; I sometimes throw a handful of premium seed on the top of shed but only for my own selfish desire to see what comes down.
I do think that some people overfeed with the best of intentions but I wonder how many of those even consider the bigger picture. If birds have problems we should do our best to disturb their enviromment as little as possible and let them deal with it. This year I`ve seen evidence of a sharp downturn in Greefinch numbers and quite a few Chaffinches with fungal/mite infections of their legs and feet even some who have lost a foot. Is it caused by bad hygene at the feeding stations? I don`t know for sure but us lot have a lot to answer for.

While I`m on my soapbox; don`t you find it really annoying when horticultural pundits glibly advise on a plethora of chemicals to treat many situations in the garden. When 9 times out of 10 the problem will resolve itself eventually anyway. The problem is us, not the pests. If you plant something exotic that, for example, slugs like and it gets devoured, learn from that experience and plant something else.

I`ll stop now,

Pete

Could you please tell me the evidence you have to back up your statement that us lot have a lot to answer for?

[watsthat]

Originally Posted by Seajay

Could you please tell me the evidence you have to back up your statement that us lot have a lot to answer for?

Hi Seajay

Sorry about that. As usual I was ranting on without checking to make sure everything made sense. To clarify; the "us lot" I was referring to was the human race and its ability to consume, waste and destroy more than any other living thing on our planet. I hope that clarifies it.

Pete

[stripee]

It's important for bird health to keep the feeders clean, especially in wet weather when peanuts can go mooshy and possibly mouldy.

[Seajay]

Originally Posted by watsthat

Hi Seajay

Sorry about that. As usual I was ranting on without checking to make sure everything made sense. To clarify; the "us lot" I was referring to was the human race and its ability to consume, waste and destroy more than any other living thing on our planet. I hope that clarifies it.

Pete

It certainly does Pete and of course you are right though I'm not sure about feeders being the cause of deformities. I was wondering if you'd read something somewhere? As Stripee and others have said there is a necessity to regularly clean down and provide the correct feed.
Anyone read anything on diseases from feeders? I'd hate to be doing something well intentioned that was acturlly doing harm.

[wild flower]

Google the "Garden Bird Health Initiative" for more info on disease and importance of keeping the bird table and feeders clean.