Who else has put the feeders out

[Smint]

The weather is changing so put the feeders out 3 or 4 days ago, fat balls peanuts and sunflower seeds, made an error in one feeder so will have to wait till that one runs down before putting the mixed seeds in it and sunflower in the 4th, that one's squirrel proof and has a base which catches the easy flowing small seeds so they don't just drop on the ground.

Blue tits were the first as always, a small number never leave because our outside cameras are home to spiders and we get treated to regular close ups of the tits spider hunting and fluttering under the eaves for any escapees, they've also started poke nosing in the 2 bird houses which they probably used earlier in the year for breeding, couple of spiders were web making in front of 2 of the cameras last night, big mistake.

[Simpo Two]

I didn't think the weather was that cold but smelled woodsmoke outside this morning - someone must have their stove going!

[budgie smuggler]

I haven't yet because of that disease, probably start towards the end of Oct.

[Smint]

Yes its fairly early but i want the birds to get used to where the feeders are before the cold snap arrives as it tends to all of a sudden.
As expected the squirrel found them pronto, gives the dogs something to keep an eye out for and chase.

[rossub]

Never took them away.

I know why they did it, but the RSPB saying not to feed at all from May to Sept was overdone in my opinion if you’re the type to keep watch on them. I also rotate them daily, as I’ve got 2 sets.

I go through 20kg of sunflower hearts a month, which will have helped raise an enormous amount of youngsters. In all that time, I saw 1 sick Greenfinch. Took the feeders down and found it dead the next day…. been no further sick bird sightings since.

[127Sport]

budgie smuggler said:

I haven't yet because of that disease, probably start towards the end of Oct.

Could you elaborate?

Username checks out, by the way.

I've suddenly noticed a flock of green parakeets around my house every evening for the past few weeks now. This is new to my area (Oxfordshire). Does anyone know if they go for bird feeders?

[Smint]

rossub said:

Never took them away.

I know why they did it, but the RSPB saying not to feed at all from May to Sept was overdone in my opinion if you re the type to keep watch on them. I also rotate them daily, as I ve got 2 sets.

I go through 20kg of sunflower hearts a month, which will have helped raise an enormous amount of youngsters. In all that time, I saw 1 sick Greenfinch. Took the feeders down and found it dead the next day . been no further sick bird sightings since.

We kept feeding all through one year but seemed to be overstocked with birds, where in my very lay view they need to feed naturally as spring blossoms with the youngsters finding their own patches as summer comes, i'm probably completely wrong here as usual but that's how it feels to us.

Confess there's much pleasure to be had from hundreds of birds nipping in for a nosh up when the weather is bitterly cold, we love it when the sparrows come in numbers as they do their excited chirruping is music to the shell likes, from our dining table we can watch the antics through the window, tall hedges all around the garden and a decent spinney at the bottom of the garden, stream flows through the spinney so no issues with water all year round, thogh we do provide a bird bath too.

I don't mind the few squirrels getting a share from the peanuts and seeds they can filch,we were hoping for some cob nuts ourselves off out tree, but said squirrel had every single one away, we usually manage to find a handful he's missed but not this year maybe he reckons this winter is going to be hard.

[rossub]

That’s something I don’t do - bird baths.

Unless you’re willing to constantly refresh the water and clean them, they’re even worse than feeders for spreading disease.

Luckily there’s a pond and stream nearby though.

[danb79]

Ours have been out a few weeks now - I’ve popped a large old planter tray in the wooded area I’ve cleared at the bottom of the garden, on top of a tree stump, and the birds/squirrels love the peanuts and mealworms I pop in there

The seed feeders are all very busy on the fruit trees and in the hawthorn hedge; same with the fat ball feeders

Early hours in the morning is best; 5am onwards - they’re all very busy and lots of squabbling and chirping

[budgie smuggler]

127Sport said:

budgie smuggler said:

I haven't yet because of that disease, probably start towards the end of Oct.

Could you elaborate?

Username checks out, by the way.

I've suddenly noticed a flock of green parakeets around my house every evening for the past few weeks now. This is new to my area (Oxfordshire). Does anyone know if they go for bird feeders?

There is some disease that can be spread from bird to bird via feeders, so the RSPB were advising people not to have them out over the summer.

Looks like they've updated the advice, see "Feed safely" on this link

https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/news/how-t...