Where are the birdies??

[Babycakes]

Grace and I bought a bird feeder, built it together (she used her Handy Manny tools) installed it in the front garden and put out some bird food. (2 fat balls and a seed bell)
That was on monday and no birds have come yet
The front garden is quiet. I live on a terrace that has no street in front of it - there is a footpath, a green and then a big hedge which has the train line on the other side. I thought there would be lots of hungry birds in the hedge.
Grace is getting quite upset. how can I attract the birds to our feeder?? Should I try putting out some live mealworms?

[Totally Scrambled]

Morning BC,
Don't despair, it can take a couple of weeks for them to find a new bird table. Once one finds it it will tell all it's mates and they'll all be round.
Dom

[stace]

Yes very true Dom, once they find it they will be back

[Babycakes]

We have a plan. we are going to scatter some loose wild bird seed on the garden table in front of the feeder, and put out a dish of live food for the robin - if that doesnt work we're going to try scattering breadcrumbs on the grass in front of the house, next door do that and they get starlings and seagulls coming (better than nothing when you have a 2 year old to explain things to!)

[Homemade]

If next door get starlings and seagulls they may be scaring smaller birds away.
It does take a while for birds to find a new feed station. Once you have started getting regular visitors it is important to keep feeding them as they will visit every day to their regular places and would be wasting energy if the feeder is empty.
It is also important to clean the feeders from time to time as leftover peanuts can rot and become poisonous. (not your special peanut of course!)
Have fun though, I am sure you will get lots of birds soon.

[perchy]

Whilst food is important and it will be lovely for Grace, water is very important too, I started by putting pots of water out, I was surprised how quickly birds came to it, I also put food out, but there may still be some berries on the trees and the need for water may be greater, give it a go, one of them always wants a drink or a bath. I use anything for water, they are dotted around the garden, as long as the bowl is not too deep anything shallow is good, you can put a few stones in to weight it down. Good luck

[Babycakes]

Water is a good pount Perchy. We have several shallow baskets that have filled with rain water, but they are on the ground so I may see about bodging up a bird bath - perhaps they're scared of cat attacks on the ground.
We put the worms out, and a new feeder with mixed wild bird seed. We scattered some seeds on the patio table, on the bench and along the windowsill. Just keeping an eye on it all now.

[perchy]

All my water pots are fairly near some sort of protection, either a hedge or tree, in case predators from above come a visiting!! unfortunately birds are taken by cats, its part of life I am afraid, if you do decide on a bird table and its one you put together yourself put an empty biscuit tin facing downwards on the post and then the top it does stop some cats from snatching birds whilst they are feeding, the bird table should be placed where the birds have good all round vision of the area, also go on your local news sites or bird watching forums, they have lots of good advice and if its local to you you will know what birds you can encourage, some like seeds, some prefer scraps etc, good luck

[Babycakes]

The robin came today and took a mealworm

[Babycakes]

Yeah she did, she was so excited! She watched for him all day but says she didnt see him again.

[stace]

Now he has sampled his fav he will be back