Hugs Posted December 8, 2004 Share Posted December 8, 2004 I've got a conscience all of a sudden about feeding the small garden birds this winter. Perhaps I'm not so heartfelt as it would seem, but I don't want to feed the big buggers who seem happy on leftover chips and burgers Does anyone else feed the small birds that visit their garden, and if so what with? And how do you deter the big ones? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minxie Posted December 8, 2004 Share Posted December 8, 2004 I always throw out the bread crusts out for the birds as it seems a waste to just throw themaway, but the gulls always swoop in and scoff the lot bfore any smaller brids can get any My dad feeds the birds in their garden. He has an old half coconut shell hanging from a string so the bigger birds are too heavy to hang onto it, he fills it with wild bird seed mixed with bacon fat to keep it stuck in the shell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkey_magic Posted December 8, 2004 Share Posted December 8, 2004 Cats love it when you throw breadcrusts in your garden for the birds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addie Posted December 8, 2004 Share Posted December 8, 2004 We're no experts but have fed the garden birds for years in the colder months. Peanuts in their wire mesh holders and mixed seed in plastic holders, plus crumbled cereal, bread or plain biscuits. Not too often though. You don't even need a garden! In freezing weather we often put a shallow bowl of barely warm water too. We've had lots of visitors. Robin, starling, chaffinch, great tit, blue tit, green finch and loads of other we have to look up when we see them. If you've got a killer cat, maybe don't bother or put a bell on his collar. If you've got a window you can sit at to eat breakfast, you'll be rewarded by an endless parade of birds early morning and evening. Stop stocking the feeders and off they'll go! Very fickle are little birds. Good luck Remove the peanut sin the spring when there are babies about. The RSPB's site has all the information you could want. Good luck Edited - forgot the cat bell thingy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted December 8, 2004 Share Posted December 8, 2004 I've been feeding them for a few years now. Feed them seed and high protien in the winter, just seed in the summer. Have a birdbath but they prefer the shallow end of the pond or the waterfall. Agree with all Addie says, I tend to get my feeders, etc, from http://www.birdfood.co.uk/ and the food from the petshop at Tynwald Mills, although most pet shops seem to stock supplies as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave the Cardboard Box Posted December 8, 2004 Share Posted December 8, 2004 It's important not to feed when young birds are about - they need to learn how to find their own food, away from human help - plus They are very easy prey to cats. Cats are the biggest problem - once they know birds are being fed in a garden, they come from far and wide. You can put a bell on your cat, but not all the surrounding cats. My advice is get a good quality .22 air pistol and a viscious streak.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uni Posted December 8, 2004 Share Posted December 8, 2004 If I caught anyone harming a cat, It doesn't have to be my own - I'd would proceed to stone them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speckled Frost Posted December 8, 2004 Share Posted December 8, 2004 Feed the birds - can't we get a group of pop stars together and raise lots of cash It's Christmas time there's no need to be afraid at Christmas time we hang up nuts and lovely seeds and in our world of plenty we can chuck out scraps throw your bread crumbs around the garden at Christmas time But say a prayer pray for the feathered ones at Christmas time it's hard, but when you're having fun there's a garden outside your window and it's a place of decking and fear where the only food going is nicked by callous gulls and the Christmas bells that ring there are from around the neck of cats well tonight thank God it's them instead of you And there won't be berries on trees this Christmas time the greatest gift they'll get this year is life where nothing ever grows no grain or insects go do they know it's Christmas time at all? Here's to you, raise a glass for everyone here's to them, pecking soil that's frozen up do they know it's Christmas time at all? It needs a bit of work but I'm sure it would get to No 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted December 8, 2004 Share Posted December 8, 2004 My advice is get a good quality .22 air pistol and a viscious streak.... I'm tempted.... I've spent about £150 so far on devices to keep the little bastard from over the road out of my garden Edit to add - like your Christmas decorations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puddy Posted December 8, 2004 Share Posted December 8, 2004 We put spikes on top of the bird house when we discovered next door's cat had found a way to climb onto it via the shed roof. The cat hasn't been up there since. It's like those anti-pigeon spike devices you see along buildings, except this actually works. The worst thing for the birds isn't the cats though, they can be chased off and my cat sleeps all day and catches mice each night rather than the birds. What gets the birds quite often is the view from the front garden of the nice trees and other birds in the back garden. They think they can fly right through the house and THUD! into the window they go. They're usually ok after 30 minutes or so and fly off again but we do sit with them and make sure. I wonder if that's why people have net curtains. Not to catch the birds for pies, but to stop them from thinking they can fly though your house. We only feed the birds in winter, we feed them simple things like bacon fat, bread and nuts and we're careful to put the food in places as safe as possible from cats and sh*tehawks. The problem is, as they get fed by people more they seem to become much more tame and therefore loose some of that natural fear birds have of anything that moves, even coming down to feed when lots of people are around. Try to scare them away a little if this happens, just to keep them on their toes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted December 8, 2004 Share Posted December 8, 2004 Some products to stop birds flying into windows http://www.birdfood.co.uk/dev/shop/product...27⊂=&pID=379 http://www.birdfood.co.uk/dev/shop/product...27⊂=&pID=378 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkey_magic Posted December 8, 2004 Share Posted December 8, 2004 The best solution I've found is to stand at your window all day, looking out, and waving your arms around wildly. Naked. I never get any birds since I started doing that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer Posted December 8, 2004 Share Posted December 8, 2004 ........ I now know where you live! Nutter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speckled Frost Posted December 8, 2004 Share Posted December 8, 2004 I thought birds were attracted to nutty things? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BunnyBoiler Posted December 8, 2004 Share Posted December 8, 2004 A good high pressure water pistol will get rid off cats. Do not hurt them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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