Our Feeding Stations :):)

Its at this time of year, that they say to cut down on feeding as there is so much natural food around, Sept Oct. I've reduced ours alot. Thats why the feeders are quiet. Glad Rodney has'nt forgotten you
WS

I've reduced mine a lot, I put out some sunflower seed, crushed peanuts and a few mealworms. I think Rodney is a permanent feature now

I am having problems on my feeding station with snails climbing up the pole of my feeder. I go out every morning and remove them and then a few hours later they are back up again. I am worried as they attach themselves to the underside of the feeding trays and I don't know if they could spread some disease to the birds.

Anyone know if they could spread diseases or anyway to stop them climbing up

Not sure about that PPH - it's not a problem we've had ........ what about some grease then they'd slide down the pole before they got up it !

Lai Pai

didnt think about that. I'll try that out. They are not big snails only little ones but I just don't want the risk of passing on any disease. Although the snails might not have picked the best place to be as I'm sure they are exposed and a tempting snack for some birds

From Garden Centres you can but copper bands to put round pots, and containers this stops slugs, and snails. I should think it would do the trick. I cant see that they would endanger the Birds as they are a natural food.

WS

You obviously don't have any Song Thrushes in your garden,snails don't last long round here.

I did during the summer but they've stopped visiting, hopefully they'll come back but in the meantime I'll keep on picking the snails off the feeder

I've noticed a lot of snails and slugs in the garden just lately, none climbing the feeder as yet and I hope they don't, but I will be keeping an eye out for them and will have to think of greese or something to stop them climbing if they do as i'm not as brave as you PPH to pick them off, spiders and slugs are not my best crawlies

littlewid-x-

Well, the time has come. After the birds heading off to the farmland and lush hedges nearby we took down our bird feeder.

Today we noticed some tits had returned, so we put the feedback back up, freshly stocked with seed, nuts, fat balls, birdcake and dried mealworms. Delighted to say a couple of hours later we had sparrows, great tits, wagtails and dunnock all come down for a snack.

The berries on our trees look quite dry so I think the signs are there for a change in the weather, and our feathered friends are going to be grateful for food being put out this week.

No sign of the woodpeckers yet. Hopefully they've managed to hatch a little one and will return to gorge themselves on our peanuts again.

We did the same yesterday TT. All the feeders have been washed, cleaned and re-stocked. So far the tits (various) have been back and our local woodpecker - no doubt more will follow as it get's colder. We've still got plenty of apples/pears around so they won't be hungry yet.

Lai Pai

I was hoping to get my feeder sorted this weekend but haven't quite got there yet, so looks like a job for the week, so i'm keeping my fingers crossed it doesn't get too cold before I get it sorted. Mind you at the moment I haven't seen many little birds as yet but i'm sure as soon as the feeder is up and running again they will all appear. Mind you I have just heard the weather as I was writing this and the cold weather is certainly on it's way this week

littlewid-x-

I'm delighted to report Wanda is back!

Unlike last winter she wasn't attacking the peanuts, rather she was tucking into the birdcake. SM and I didn't have the camera to hand, so no up to date photo. But here's a reminder of our big beaked girl...

Glad Wanda is back TT......next time......have ya camera at the ready my friend looking forward to more pics of Wanda and your other little visitors.

littlewid-x-

Good to hear Wanda is back TT - looking forward to photos

Lai Pai

You've done well there TB to get her back so quick. My feeders are still slow, been keeping them going just on minimal amounts, a bit of seed, and the odd far ball, the peanuts are hardly moving. There is so much natural food out there still, and its good that the Birds are really taking advantage of it to build themselves up for the winter, but we still have our resident flock of about 30 Sparrows so thats why have been putting a little food out still
WS

Our seed feeder was full three days ago. It was empty by this morning. I get the feeling the feathered ones are stocking up for a cold snap.

Strange that TT, I put two fat balls, and half filled the seed feeder yesterday, and hardly any has gone. Perhaps its because we live out in the country, and as I said there's loads of natural food around
WS

We've got lots of natural food too WS but some of the birds are still coming to the feeder, not huge amounts going, but our woodpeckers are always there throughout the year, they must be lazy, and we had some goldfinch. Also noticed lots of Long tailed tits around so hopefully they'll start coming to the feeders again.

Lai Pai

So, seedfeeder refilled on Thursday morning and empty by Friday evening - despite us living on the edge of substantial farmland and hedgerow.

The birdcake has been destroyed. And as I type, Wanda is tearing into the peanuts. I think there is some cold weather on the way.

Some of our feeders have been almost emptied - the sunflower hearts needs refilling, but the fat balls are being ignored

Lai Pai

I've found out why ours has quietened off. Our flock of 30 Sparrows have been made homeless . Where we live they have got someone to cut the field hedges, with one of those big cutters they use on Tractors, when they finished the fields they cut the hdge, and a big bush just down from where we live, and that big bush was the Sparrows home. We are just hoping they will find somewhere close, and they will remember where the food source is, but its quite a few days now, and they have'nt been back yet.
On the bright side, we'd just got in this afternoon, and I saw Wilma, our female Great Woodpecker, had returned, she was feeding on the nuts. Like TT could'nt get a photo, I still had the shopping in my hand .

WS

If Wilma is anything like Wanda, she will come back to the feeder at about the same time each day. It was sitting and waiting for Wanda that allowed me to get the photos of her. She was only 10 minutes out on timings!

The fat balls have hardly been touched, but the seeds and nuts are getting a lot of attention from the tits and wagtails.

Might have to buy some more birdcake tomorrow

Recipe from the Scottish Wildlife Trust(hope they don't mind me sharing)
Peanut Suet:-
1 cup peanut butter(crunchy or smooth)
1 cup of lard
2 cups of porridge oats
2 cups of corn flower
1 cup of white flower

Melt lard and peanut butter in a pan,then add the other ingrediants.Spoon hot mixture into a container(half coconut shell for example) and leave to cool.

Is'nt that typical of Birds, I'd just posted on how the Sparrows had vanished since the bush they used to use had been cut down when Mrs S shouted their back . Yes your right TT, Wilma was the same last year, she arrived more or less on the clock, so fingers X should get some good photo's of her this year
WS