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[CLKD]

We try to buy our seeds, nuts from Costco at cheaper than we can get in garden centres.  Meal worms come from Sheffield weekly.

Off to shake the nut feeders and re-fill the worm tubs

[Taz2]

When I did that CLKD the birds deserted the feeders. I find that the cheaper ones are not always fresh and are made up of a lot of seeds which the birds don't eat. I either order mine from Jacobi Jayne or, more recently, Vine House Farm who grow as much of the seed themselves as they can. Maybe order a small amount to see if that will attract the birds back?

Taz x

[Hurdity]

Wow Taz that's a lot of seed! How many feeders do you have to get through that lot?!

Have now got rid of the old nuts, washed the feeders, bought some more fat balls and a seed/mealworm block and hoping for the best - that the birds return to enjoy a feast! Unfortunately in winter the cover is bare in our front garden so maybe that's having an effect. Perhaps need to plant an evergreen shrub or two.... and of course there a a few cats around here

Hurdity x

[Taz2]

Small birds do like cover Hurdity. They love to have a bush or tree within easy hopping/flying distance from the feeders. Mine are positioned in trees and in the summer you can hardly see them.

I have two large feeders for the mixed seed and a large nyger feeder and smaller sunflower heart feeder plus a small nut feeder. I also have a birdtable on which I put all my food scraps plus a breakfast of biscuit crumbs (digestive) grated cheese, sultanas, dry porridge oats and sometimes wholemeal bread crumbs. Sometimes I add in Atora suet too. I feed them all the year round and it's in the summer that they get through the most because they feed from around 4.30 in the morning until 9.30 at night.

The reason I use so much seed is my high population of collared doves and wood pigeons.

Taz x

[CLKD]

Gosh Taz the nuts aren't the 'cheap' kind, it's what the garden centres buy and sell for treble the price  .......... Costco is a wholesalers.  I know of Vine House Farm, we chat to the owner every year at their Bird Fair stand .......... but it's too dear and they order their meal worms from Wrigglies anyway  whereas I buy direct from a Company who breeds live foods for reptiles mainly.

[Taz2]

I was meaning seeds not nuts!    I don't feed meal worms.  I think Vine House Farm prices are competitive considering they are delivered to the door and a lot of the seeds are home grown too.

Taz x

[CLKD]

Ours aren't eating much seed this year.  It's great the Vine Farm grow a lot of their own: I have their e-mail news letter so can keep up with news! 

[honeybun]

I took part in the RSPB garden bird watch this year and now they are pestering me with emails letters and phone calls to join.
If I want to join I will do but don't pester me.

I give to charities that I like and think are worth while. Unfortunately birds are way down on my list and I won't be doing the bird count again. 


Honeyb
x

[Limpy]

HB - There may be some way of unsubscribing to the emails so you don't get hassled in the future.........

[Taz2]

There should be a check box at the bottom of the email to unsubscribe

Taz x

[honeybun]

I have unsubscribed from the emails but the young man who phoned me this evening was politely persistent. Eventually after having told him at least four times that I did not want to set up any direct debit I hung up. He just would not take no for an answer.

After having donated to the Help For Hero's charity this afternoon and chatted to the man who was collecting , birds and saving habitats really did not seem significant.

I just wanted to enjoy the bird count and not be harassed for money.


Honeyb
x

[Taz2]

Did you get the person's name Honeybun. This is from a few years ago http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/british-birds/79468-well-thats-2-cold-calls-from-rspb-2.html

Taz x

[catdude]

Lots of birds in our garden - they seem to queue up in the morning waiting for the feeders to be filled up. You can feel eyes on you  We feed sunflower seeds, sunflower hearts, fatballs and they also like the half coconut shells filled with a fat and seed mix. We get a regular assortment of birds - robins, blackbirds, house sparrows, dunnocks, starlings, blue tits, great tits and the occasional nuthatch.

We have got a lot of shelter in the way of hedges and a large hazel tree as well as having woods and fields nearby.

[oldsheep]

Honeyb, I know what you mean. I got a cold call from IFAW, who I once worked alongside and we used to support with a small DD each month. We currently do other charities. I said no politely and explained about 4x but she kept on about the hideous suffering of animals in various parts of the world and wouldn't let me go for about 20 mins. I'm sure she meant well and it's a hard job, but I was put off ever dealing with them again.

we have a flat roof area outside our lounge on the top floor. I'd love to put a small bird feeder (both small and for small birds) but not sure what I could put? It would have to be both light and stable. For the smaller birds though. We have a lot of magpies and they don't need any help. Nor pigeons (last week's car wash bill was £14 from being 'pebbledashed' by that lot  - top flat so have to go to hand car wash )
But there are quite a few small birds and I love seeing them.
I'd not mind feeding my special friends the green parakeets either though 

[CLKD]

I have wire feeders that only small birds can get into, for meal worms: but could fill them with seeds etc. ......... Ithink even the ones that stick onto windows would soon be over-run by starlings  - my male blackbird was close by whilst I was weeding this morning,head on one side (him not me  ) until I threw some worms at him.  He may have a female on a nest?