Feeding the birds

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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Feeding the birds

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Was lounging in the garden with no camera :(

Later about four sparrows fighting in one of our bushes.

Bluetits are 1/3 of an ounce and move very quickly, would have to video them.
Food is disappearing at alarming rates :shock:
like ever hour or so, no idea how many birds are visiting.

Yesterday two Robbins one on the fat ball feeder and one on the table after the nuts.
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
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mercalia
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Re: Feeding the birds

Post by mercalia »

NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Hi,
Was lounging in the garden with no camera :(

Later about four sparrows fighting in one of our bushes.

Bluetits are 1/3 of an ounce and move very quickly, would have to video them.
Food is disappearing at alarming rates :shock:
like ever hour or so, no idea how many birds are visiting.

Yesterday two Robbins one on the fat ball feeder and one on the table after the nuts.


Pigeons or squirrels?
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Feeding the birds

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Hi,
Loads of Robbins blackbirds goldfinch a few sparrows a couple of wood pigeons.
Blue tits in and out of the box.
Possible squirrels getting on the Bird table.
I Reduced access to the bird table with horizontal bars, spaced apart just so.
But removed a small infill, was meant to allow up to blackbird size only, put it back now
.

Suspected squirrel as the table was wiped clean :o
The cost of feeding the bloody pigeons :roll:
Told her indoor to stop flooding the ground with seed!
Just checked five mins ago............herby in one of four boxes :)

Oh, the rat is dead I think.
Saw a mouse last year under decking.

Saw a field mouse one eve on the cycle path on a metal 40 metre bridge :o must have been crossing.
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
mercalia
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Joined: 22 Sep 2013, 10:03pm
Location: london South

Re: Feeding the birds

Post by mercalia »

NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Hi,
NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Hi,
Loads of Robbins blackbirds goldfinch a few sparrows a couple of wood pigeons.
Blue tits in and out of the box.
Possible squirrels getting on the Bird table.
I Reduced access to the bird table with horizontal bars, spaced apart just so.
But removed a small infill, was meant to allow up to blackbird size only, put it back now
.

Suspected squirrel as the table was wiped clean :o
The cost of feeding the bloody pigeons :roll:
Told her indoor to stop flooding the ground with seed!
Just checked five mins ago............herby in one of four boxes :)

Oh, the rat is dead I think.
Saw a mouse last year under decking.

Saw a field mouse one eve on the cycle path on a metal 40 metre bridge :o must have been crossing.



I have almost given up on giving the birds food that the squirrels also will eat eg sunflower seeds or other seeds. So I am just supplying fat balls and dried meal worms ( just a few as they are not cheap ) and also meal worm suet pellets from Pound land 500grms for £1.

suet pellets.JPG


I use my pointy device that keeps away the pigeons it seems :) that i made from a hanging tray from Lidls with a strip of those bird spikes coiled round

100_7270.JPG


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LARGE-BIRD-P ... 2749.l2649

I only put out a small amount now on a first come first served, when its gone its gone principle. For small birds thats enough, as its the pigeons ( or squirrels )that just gobble it all up?
mercalia
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Re: Feeding the birds

Post by mercalia »

jumping cat.gif
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Feeding the birds

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Not sure but I think it's a bird.
Dragged under the decking, it's all filled in now.
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NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Feeding the birds

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Other day saw a bird bleating on the wall, could not see what it was but a small young bird perhaps.
Along pops a robin, a bit later the robin flew into the holly bush quickly followed by the young bird.
Then next day the robin on the ground with the young bird perched in the bush waiting for something.
First time I have seen a robin feeding their young, I assume.

Out the other day in evening a dusk, a flying something in front of me with what looked like a red led on its back, 1ST thought its a glow worm flying insect whatever, it flew in front of me and then two red leds on rear of head, confused as it was flying away from me.
Only normally see prey birds in low light, it stopped on path in front of me, took off again and its a bird but I am obviously seeing its eyes on a rear view.
Flying low and then turned on me and flew over my head, possible my front light confusing it.
Bigger than a blackbird smaller than a pigeon.
Earlier where I have seen several small deer previously, (two jumped the hedges) a deer crosses road (lane) in front of me by twenty five yards coloured tail so doe, woodland both sides.
Saw my first squirrel in the day, normally see many early morn but changed my ride times.
Dodging many small rabbits along cycle path, forced to stop mostly.
Seen a fox twice a badger once, several deer at dusk crossing cycle paths etc.
Wednesday eve saw a bird flying low other side of fence on cycle path just in front of me at my speed, before dusk in good light distinctive from its head, an owl.
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
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NATURAL ANKLING
Posts: 13780
Joined: 24 Oct 2012, 10:43pm
Location: English Riviera

Re: Feeding the birds

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
mercalia wrote:
NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Hi,
Loads of Robbins blackbirds goldfinch a few sparrows a couple of wood pigeons.
Blue tits in and out of the box.
Possible squirrels getting on the Bird table.
I Reduced access to the bird table with horizontal bars, spaced apart just so.
But removed a small infill, was meant to allow up to blackbird size only, put it back now.


pictures?

Saw a Fox a hour before dark way home on my bike.
Had a bird fly into my helmet at left ear :o either my glasses cord or my earphone cord must have caught it, in the dark.
A mile latter saw bats flying, they are very distinctive even in the dark, flew right into me and up into my armpit :shock: again probably caught up in my rucksack gubbins, maybe the wireless every thing confused it.
Bluetits have fledged I think as little activity of late.
Blackbirds are still in abundance, only a few pigeons which drop in front of me whilst I am working in garden.
Last few days a pigeon is on the ground but appears not to fly despite opening wings?
Feathers in garden but its still around, so put it in the dog carry box over night with some water and seed, let it out tomorrow, no idea whats wrong with it, have had pigeons plunge into the roof gutter to die sometimes.
A wren on the drive after flies in the spiders webs, feet away from me.
Magpies eating all the worms dried :( .
2019-05-29_011413.jpg
2019-05-29_011530.jpg
2019-05-29_011659.jpg


P.S.
Inlaws have a camera in bluetit box, now empty after a woodpecker opened up the hole.
Mine have metal plate sheet alu 28mm, other box 32 mm with a thick plastic plate.
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
mercalia
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Re: Feeding the birds

Post by mercalia »

well my squirrel visitor likes cream crackers. Rather funny seeing it run away and climb down the wall with a cream cracker ( the big ones) in its gob
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Feeding the birds

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Well that's all that was left-
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Dead chick and a unhatched egg.
Dead chick and a unhatched egg.
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
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NATURAL ANKLING
Posts: 13780
Joined: 24 Oct 2012, 10:43pm
Location: English Riviera

Re: Feeding the birds

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Earlier on at 21.00 look up path and cat waiting to be fed.............food destined for the hogs
Er indoors found them grunting in the garden :?
Ah Tonight
Ah Tonight


Over the weekend a tweeting in the apple tree, five / six birds very young and being fed by an adult smaller still.
Goldcrests or Firecrests,,,,..Orange yellow stripe on forehead, not that you can see.
Goldcrests or Firecrests,,,,..Orange yellow stripe on forehead, not that you can see.


"The goldcrest is the smallest resident bird in Britain at around 9cm in length and the firecrest is only a little bit bigger at 10cm. ... A firecrest is more specialised and prefers coniferous woodlands so you would be unlikely to see it in your garden unless it backed onto conifer woodland.18 Apr 2014"

They are minute :)

https://www.livingwithbirds.com/tweetap ... -goldcrest
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
mercalia
Posts: 14630
Joined: 22 Sep 2013, 10:03pm
Location: london South

Re: Feeding the birds

Post by mercalia »

NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Hi,
Earlier on at 21.00 look up path and cat waiting to be fed.............food destined for the hogs
Er indoors found them grunting in the garden :?
IMG_0579.JPG

Over the weekend a tweeting in the apple tree, five / six birds very young and being fed by an adult smaller still.
IMG_0137.JPG

"The goldcrest is the smallest resident bird in Britain at around 9cm in length and the firecrest is only a little bit bigger at 10cm. ... A firecrest is more specialised and prefers coniferous woodlands so you would be unlikely to see it in your garden unless it backed onto conifer woodland.18 Apr 2014"

They are minute :)

https://www.livingwithbirds.com/tweetap ... -goldcrest


I got a catapault from Ebay for the cats and some mud pellets. makes them jump and run like the blazes. In my case they are after the small birds in th tree below my balcony
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100Pcs-Sling ... SwZrtZqSut
Last edited by mercalia on 6 Jul 2019, 11:54am, edited 1 time in total.
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Feeding the birds

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Bit of a midget, three in garden last night.
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NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
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NATURAL ANKLING
Posts: 13780
Joined: 24 Oct 2012, 10:43pm
Location: English Riviera

Re: Feeding the birds

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Hogs are now coming out In the daylight To eat the mealworms and suet pellets on the ground intended for the birds :?
well they'll eat anything won't they.
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
mercalia
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Joined: 22 Sep 2013, 10:03pm
Location: london South

Re: Feeding the birds

Post by mercalia »

I have a fat ball container hanging from the roof of my balcony and about 6 am each morning I get a flock of fledgling and other bluetits/great tits and long tailed tits gobbling down the fat. The wire mesh is crawling with them. Within 30 minutes they are all gone maybe see them as a flock late/early evening.
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