How many bird feeders do you have up?

[Bizzy Lizzy]

Hi everyone,
I have 8 bird feeders hanging up in my garden at the moment and an old plate on the ground.
I was just wondering how many feeders you lot have. What types and what you have in them.
I'd also love to hear if any of you have made your own and if they've been more succesful than the feeders that you've bought.

[Deb London]

Four at the moment. Two hearts, one mixed seed, one fat balls.

There are others on standby for when I clean these out.

[nightshade]

I only use two feeders now for sunflower seed and one for peanuts, when the weather gets colder I will put out fat-cake.
When I had half a dozen feeders some of the shyer birds would take a look at the melee and leave. Reducing the number brings in many different types and spacing the remaining feeders seems to make them more comfortable.
Sparrowhawk attacks have also decreased since spreading out the feeders.
Oh! I have a small mammal drinker that was put up for bumblebees it does attract some birds. There is also a three foot oak log suspended from a tree branch this still has its bark and various holes drilled in it that I stuff with fat and peanuts or sunfower seed and a little honey. It is popular with both types of Spotted woodpecker, there are also smaller logs on the ground for the Green woody also. Sorry this is getting a little disjointed, there are various small round pots about some in a bunch under the porch these get kibbled nuts and crushed sunflower seeds with honey to bind like a small dry cake. Insects are drawn to the pots and the birds follow, some even roosted there during the snowy months recently. Water will always add a bonus there are two bird baths and the pond. Corvids get scraps and mixes away from the seed feeders from a covered bird table. There are also decorative bark areas for those that like a good rummage

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by Deb London

Four at the moment. Two hearts, one mixed seed, one fat balls.

Not sure why people are so keen an sunflower 'hearts'. The husk on a sunflower seed is 'designed' to give it long term protection against mould and deterioration by the oils becoming oxidised and rancid.

Jim

[Richard Baber]

Five: 2 sunflower hearts, 2 peanuts and a peanut cake tube, which is far more popular than any fat foods I've made myself. Tried more than this but proved to be overkill. I offer hearts to avoid mess on the ground from the husks. The feeders empty within a couple of days so I have no problem with mould or rancidity.

Waiting for the blackcaps to reappear...

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by Richard Baber

I offer hearts to avoid mess on the ground from the husks. The feeders empty within a couple of days so I have no problem with mould or rancidity.

But do you know how long the hearts had been in store, before you bought them?

Jim

[slimrbp]

I'm the same I use the hearts to reduce the mess on the ground form discard husks and seeds due to sorting.

Anyway back to the OP's original question. I have four feeders.

Two four ports with sunflower hearts, one with a guardian to keep off the parakeets and squirrels and one that is fair game for anyone who can get on it
I also have a fat ball feeder and a ground feeder.

I have a Nyger feeder but the collared doves worked out how to perch on it and were scoffing the lot so I gave that up!

I have two spare seed feeders so I can change them over regularly for hygeine reasons.

[artdemole]

On feeding station 3 mixed seed which are well used daily by all the usual visitors .1 Cage for fat balls.Also a tray/dish which also contains mixed seed.Plus water dish.There is a place for a suet block cage but that is not used until the weather gets really cold.

[Deb London]

Originally Posted by Jim Ford

Not sure why people are so keen an sunflower 'hearts'. The husk on a sunflower seed is 'designed' to give it long term protection against mould and deterioration by the oils becoming oxidised and rancid.

Jim

I dunno Jim, except they get what they like and they go through bags of the stuff. It never gets the chance to go off.

PS They're RSPB hearts and a best seller and they know more about the birds than I do.

[Deb London]

Originally Posted by Jim Ford

Not sure why people are so keen an sunflower 'hearts'. The husk on a sunflower seed is 'designed' to give it long term protection against mould and deterioration by the oils becoming oxidised and rancid.

Jim

Duplicate.