People often ask here if they should go on feeding birds at this time of
year. Judging by our experience, I have to say "yes, please, please do!"
We have two seed feeders in just one small area of the garden and I am
having to completely refill them every two days. I think adult birds must
be using them for easy nourishment for themselves while racing around
finding food for babies. Even in winter I've never known their levels drop
so quickly. By contrast, the peanuts are hardly being touched.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online but not completed - shop to come and some mild tweaking
to do!)

Sacha wrote:
People often ask here if they should go on feeding birds at this time of
year. Judging by our experience, I have to say "yes, please, please do!"
We have two seed feeders in just one small area of the garden and I am
having to completely refill them every two days. I think adult birds must
be using them for easy nourishment for themselves while racing around
finding food for babies. Even in winter I've never known their levels drop
so quickly. By contrast, the peanuts are hardly being touched.

The same here as regards seed feeders, however my peanuts (not available
whole, they have to peck at them)only last about 5 days. However the
main users are a pair of woodpeckers!

On 13/6/08 10:10, in article , "Broadback"
wrote:

Sacha wrote:
People often ask here if they should go on feeding birds at this time of
year. Judging by our experience, I have to say "yes, please, please do!"
We have two seed feeders in just one small area of the garden and I am
having to completely refill them every two days. I think adult birds must
be using them for easy nourishment for themselves while racing around
finding food for babies. Even in winter I've never known their levels drop
so quickly. By contrast, the peanuts are hardly being touched.

The same here as regards seed feeders, however my peanuts (not available
whole, they have to peck at them)only last about 5 days. However the
main users are a pair of woodpeckers!

The peanuts here are in a special nut feeder and we had a woodpecker on it a
week or two ago but I don't think it's returned. I filled both seed feeders
yesterday and have just looked at them. Both are almost half empty!
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online but not completed - shop to come and some mild tweaking
to do!)

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 13/6/08 10:10, in article ,
"Broadback"
wrote:

Sacha wrote:
People often ask here if they should go on feeding birds at this time of
year. Judging by our experience, I have to say "yes, please, please
do!"
We have two seed feeders in just one small area of the garden and I am
having to completely refill them every two days. I think adult birds
must
be using them for easy nourishment for themselves while racing around
finding food for babies. Even in winter I've never known their levels
drop
so quickly. By contrast, the peanuts are hardly being touched.

The same here as regards seed feeders, however my peanuts (not available
whole, they have to peck at them)only last about 5 days. However the
main users are a pair of woodpeckers!

The peanuts here are in a special nut feeder and we had a woodpecker on it
a
week or two ago but I don't think it's returned. I filled both seed
feeders
yesterday and have just looked at them. Both are almost half empty!
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online but not completed - shop to come and some mild
tweaking
to do!)



Your bird population is obviously very abstemious. Round here I had a 4
port and a 6 port seed feeder in two adjacent trees and they were emptying
every day. I've replaced the six port with one of these
http://www.haiths.com/product-Squirr...r-BFMERIP1006/ and
adjusted the weight thingy to a point where multiple small birds can use it
simultaneously but more than one Starling causes the ports to block (guess
what's eating my seed!). Even then it needs refilling every 2/3 days and
in the meantime the 4 port runs out. Peanuts last longer and niger even
longer.

On 13/6/08 11:25, in article ,
"Graham Harrison" wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 13/6/08 10:10, in article ,
"Broadback"
wrote:

Sacha wrote:
People often ask here if they should go on feeding birds at this time of
year. Judging by our experience, I have to say "yes, please, please
do!"
We have two seed feeders in just one small area of the garden and I am
having to completely refill them every two days. I think adult birds
must
be using them for easy nourishment for themselves while racing around
finding food for babies. Even in winter I've never known their levels
drop
so quickly. By contrast, the peanuts are hardly being touched.

The same here as regards seed feeders, however my peanuts (not available
whole, they have to peck at them)only last about 5 days. However the
main users are a pair of woodpeckers!

The peanuts here are in a special nut feeder and we had a woodpecker on it
a
week or two ago but I don't think it's returned. I filled both seed
feeders
yesterday and have just looked at them. Both are almost half empty!
--


Your bird population is obviously very abstemious. Round here I had a 4
port and a 6 port seed feeder in two adjacent trees and they were emptying
every day. I've replaced the six port with one of these
http://www.haiths.com/product-Squirr...r-BFMERIP1006/ and
adjusted the weight thingy to a point where multiple small birds can use it
simultaneously but more than one Starling causes the ports to block (guess
what's eating my seed!). Even then it needs refilling every 2/3 days and
in the meantime the 4 port runs out. Peanuts last longer and niger even
longer.


;-) That's just two of the bird feeders I'm talking about! We have several
in the greenhouses and a shallow cardboard tray is on a table near the till
and is frequently raided by blackbirds, chaffinches and robins. But around
lunchtime I saw a coal tit on the nut feeder - first thing I've seen on it
for some time.
The jackdaws are being taught to feed on leatherjackets in the lawn in front
of the house and there are usually young and a couple of adults ferreting
about there early every morning.


--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online but not completed - shop to come and some mild tweaking
to do!)

On 13/6/08 12:36, in article ,
"AriesVal" wrote:

On Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:13:09 +0100, Sacha wrote:

On 13/6/08 10:10, in article , "Broadback"
wrote:

[12 quoted lines suppressed]

The peanuts here are in a special nut feeder and we had a woodpecker on it a
week or two ago but I don't think it's returned. I filled both seed feeders
yesterday and have just looked at them. Both are almost half empty!

I also save any fat from cooking and set it with seeds in empty cat tins and
freeze them as lovely food for Winter birds.

Yes we do that but find they prefer suet to lard! Otherwise, we buy the
balls of fat and seeds from a feed merchant and hang them around all over
the place. They never last long!
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online but not completed - shop to come and some mild tweaking
to do!)

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
People often ask here if they should go on feeding birds at this time of
year. Judging by our experience, I have to say "yes, please, please do!"
We have two seed feeders in just one small area of the garden and I am
having to completely refill them every two days. I think adult birds must
be using them for easy nourishment for themselves while racing around
finding food for babies. Even in winter I've never known their levels
drop
so quickly. By contrast, the peanuts are hardly being touched.

--
Sacha

Quite a few sites say that one shouldn't make Peanuts available whilst birds
are feeding chicks.

Have no fear. I have many photos of birds taking the peanuts, chewing then
well and THEN feeding the chicks.

YES

YES

YES

Continue to feed the birds all the year..

ALSO, if you are into photography as I am now, put a large dish of water
down, I use a pot saucer some 18" diameter and the birds love it.

I have a performance on stage in a short while but I will post pictures on a
web site tomorrow

Mike