Advice on bird feeders please.

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Spreckly
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Advice on bird feeders please.

Post by Spreckly »

When we go shopping later this week, I want to look for a bird feeder encased in a sort of framework like the one in your photo, Richard, on bird feeding.

We are plagued with jackdaws, who are taking a lot of the seed, fat balls and peanuts from the smaller birds. I know they have to feed too, but the smaller birds are frightened off, even the ring doves and our lame pigeon keep away during the jackdaw mealtimes.

What I want to know, is, is the sort of bird feeder in a wire cage keeps the larger birds away, as well as squirrels, as it advertises. Can anyone give me their experience, please.
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Richard
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Re: Advice on bird feeders please.

Post by Richard »

Hi spreckers

My personal observations of Magpies and Jackdaws is they don't tend to cling on to feeders, they either stand close to one and stretch or sit on top (if they're not swinging around) and lean over.

I would get one similar to mine with the dome top but only fill it with peanuts half way so they can't lean over.
Also hang it so that when they try and sit on top, it swings about and puts them off.

My back garden feeders are in view from my Office Shed, even the gentlest of taps on the window and they're gone.
But.......I don't spend all day in the Shed !

Richard
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Richard
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Re: Advice on bird feeders please.

Post by Richard »

A very welcome visitor at present are two Males and one female Pheasant. They love foraging around underneath the Feeders.

Bad news is an occasional Rat does as well !

[center]Image[/center]

Taken from my Shed window

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Spreckly
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Re: Advice on bird feeders please.

Post by Spreckly »

Thanks for the advice Richard.
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Spreckly
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Re: Advice on bird feeders please.

Post by Spreckly »

Went into town for our weekly shopping trip yesterday, and purchased a squirrel/larger bird-proof feeder. We watched anxiously to see if the blue tits and sparrows would accept it. Only a few blue tits ventured to use it, and so far I have seen no sparrows. We've got the peanut feeder, and I'll see about splashing out on one for bird seed at a later date.
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Richard
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Re: Advice on bird feeders please.

Post by Richard »

Great spreckers.

The Sparrows will take to it I'm sure, they do here.

Until they do, they and any Dunnocks will be quite happy picking up the tit bits underneath :-D

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Re: Advice on bird feeders please.

Post by Richard »

They flap a bit at first, but soon educate themselves.

As with all creatures - food rules !!

[center]Image[/center]


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Spreckly
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Re: Advice on bird feeders please.

Post by Spreckly »

The bluetits and sparrows are happily feeding from the new feeder. The jackdaws haven't got a hope!
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Richard
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Re: Advice on bird feeders please.

Post by Richard »

dd

[center]Bingo !!

)c( )c( )c([/center]
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Re: Advice on bird feeders please.

Post by wildlifemad »

Glad your new feeder is working as it should Spreckly, we are lucky enough not to see Grey Squirrels here very often at all, we had one turn up a few weeks ago but I chased him off every time I saw him & he didn't reappear!!!
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Re: Advice on bird feeders please.

Post by Spreckly »

We bought a second cage type bird feeder last week, for fat balls. The jackdaws to my horror, have managed to get at them, so OH has put two small blocks of wood at the bottom of the container, and one fat ball further up, as they seemed to be pecking from the bottom. Not seen them this morning, apart from having a good feed from the bird table.

The squirrels haven't been a problem, though we do have them mainly at the bottom of the garden.
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Re: Advice on bird feeders please.

Post by Richard »

A never ending battle I'm afraid !!!

Glad about the second feeder, watching them can be so therapeutic.

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Re: Advice on bird feeders please.

Post by Spreckly »

The jackdaws are winning with the fat balls. Once we had finished them, they will be off the menu
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