Back in September my bird feeders were covered in greenfinches, colat tits,
blue and great tits, the odd tree sparrow too.

In October they suddenly stopped coming so I threw the peanuts away and put
up fresh - they returned.

A few weeks ago I spent 20 quid on a large sack of peanuts, and guess what,
yes they've deserted me. It it likely to be the peanuts (they are also
ignoring the black sunflower seeds).

I've noticed the peanuts are all slightly pecked along the full length of
the feeders.

Have I blown £20?

Trevor



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"trevor.appleton" wrote in message
...
Back in September my bird feeders were covered in greenfinches, colat
tits,
blue and great tits, the odd tree sparrow too.

In October they suddenly stopped coming so I threw the peanuts away and
put
up fresh - they returned.

A few weeks ago I spent 20 quid on a large sack of peanuts, and guess
what,
yes they've deserted me. It it likely to be the peanuts (they are also
ignoring the black sunflower seeds).

I've noticed the peanuts are all slightly pecked along the full length of
the feeders.

Don't you have squirrels too? They nibble along the whole length of the
peanut tube. Saw one with a mouthful of grass yesterday, obviously off to do
a bit of dray building.

Yesterday I had at least 20 house sparrows on, around and beneath both
peanut and black sunflower seed feeders. Today at one stage I had about
12-15 starlings after the peanuts. Also one female greater spotted
woodpecker enjoying the peanuts and a couple of nuthatches.

Every now and then something spooks them and they all disappear, including
the squirrels. I would put your problem down to either better pickings
elsewhere or something scaring them away.
--
Terry Harper
http://www.terry.harper.btinternet.co.uk/

trevor.appleton wrote:
Back in September my bird feeders were covered in greenfinches,
colat
tits, blue and great tits, the odd tree sparrow too.

In October they suddenly stopped coming so I threw the peanuts away
and put up fresh - they returned.

A few weeks ago I spent 20 quid on a large sack of peanuts, and
guess
what, yes they've deserted me. It it likely to be the peanuts (they
are also ignoring the black sunflower seeds).

I've noticed the peanuts are all slightly pecked along the full
length of the feeders.

Have I blown £20?


'Have to admit that I always buy peanuts in smallish quantities
because I was concerned that they can 'go off'. I suppose that it is
all down to how you store them. If they are kept cool and air tight -
to prevent moisture evaporation, and dry - to prevent mould, then by
rights they should do OK.
Since I am restocking the feeders every three days, my stock is kept
handy - which might be dry but its not as cool and airtight as it
might be. So, over time, a large quantity tends to dry out and look a
bit sorry.

--
ned

trevor.appleton wrote in message
...
snip.

In October they suddenly stopped coming so I threw the peanuts away and
put
up fresh - they returned.

A few weeks ago I spent 20 quid on a large sack of peanuts, and guess
what,
yes they've deserted me. It it likely to be the peanuts (they are also
ignoring the black sunflower seeds).

I've noticed the peanuts are all slightly pecked along the full length of
the feeders.

Have I blown £20?

Trevor

Hello Trevor
I don't know if it's as wet where you are as it is here? Seems to never
stop raining. One thing I have noticed is that the birds that come to my
feeders, mainly house sparrows, blue tits, great tits, the occasional coal
tit and long tailed tit, do not seem to like the peanuts very much if they
have got wet, and will peck all over the feeder to try them and then reject
them. Lots of people feed birds round here, so they just go and see if
there is a better cafe open ;-)
Putting up fresh ones seems to bring them back again, and if I only just put
fresh out and they got wet overnight I have resorted to emptying the wet
peanuts out and drying them in a slow oven. Then they'll eat them again.

HTH
Tina





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In article ,
(Terry Harper) wrote:

Yesterday I had at least 20 house sparrows on, around and beneath both
peanut and black sunflower seed feeders.

Just grow a nice habitat (such as my clump of Kerria Japonica) and you
don't have to bother feeding them.

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

On Sun, 10 Nov 2002 22:06:00 -0000, "trevor.appleton"
wrote:

Back in September my bird feeders were covered in greenfinches, colat tits,
blue and great tits, the odd tree sparrow too.

Snip the rest ...
.................................................. ............
Several years ago I had exactly the same problem. Unfortunately,
in my case it cannot be solved.

At the time of which I speak, gulls arrived in my district of Plymouth
(UK) Being in a city by the sea one can expect these beautiful birds
turned PEST !!!!! However, this was the first time that they nested.
The problem was added to by unthinking people actually feeding
them.

I said that the problem is unsolvable because I tried all the
legal methods, i.e. the City Council (You must be joking) and
the RSPB. There must be tens of thousands of them in and
around the ciity, fouling as they go; unhindered,as they
are protected.

From the mail (e-type and snail) I have received in reply
to an anguished comment a couple of months ago in another
newsgroup,, many people consider them to be VERMIN.

Yes, they are a beauty to hold, graceful and loved by many
but they definitely have an adverse effect upon other
birds. Even magpies - those magnificent bullies - have
been scared away, let alone the blue tits. I have been
even been deserted by two families of feuding robins.

Nothing I've tried has tempted small birds to overcome
the fear - perhaps of competition - posed by damned gulls.

I might just as well cover my lovely garden with decking :-(((
.................................................. ............................................

"trevor.appleton" wrote in message
...
: Back in September my bird feeders were covered in greenfinches, colat
tits,
: blue and great tits, the odd tree sparrow too.
:
: In October they suddenly stopped coming so I threw the peanuts away and
put
: up fresh - they returned.
:
: A few weeks ago I spent 20 quid on a large sack of peanuts, and guess
what,
: yes they've deserted me. It it likely to be the peanuts (they are also
: ignoring the black sunflower seeds).
:
: I've noticed the peanuts are all slightly pecked along the full length of
: the feeders.
:
: Have I blown £20?
:
: Trevor
:
:
:
: ---
: Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
: Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
: Version: 6.0.394 / Virus Database: 224 - Release Date: 03/10/02

We have 7 feeders in our small suburban garden in SW London, 3 of which have
peanuts, the others mixed seed. The seed is definitely popular, but the
peanuts go too (the squirrels probably get the majority). I bought a small
cage type thing with fat 'cake' which came in various varieties. I chose
the one with insects, as I though it would be less attractive to the
squirrels. It lasted just over a week and was popular with the starlings.
I have had fat balls in the past but the squirrels just take the whole ball!
We've had up to 13 house sparrows in the garden recently.

K

I cant feed the birds where I live the bears eat bird seed and just
adore peanuts. Ed

In article ,
writes:
| I cant feed the birds where I live the bears eat bird seed and just
| adore peanuts. Ed

Lucky you! I should love to live somewhere with bears around.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computing Service,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England.
Email:
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679

On Sun, 10 Nov 2002 22:06:00 -0000, "trevor.appleton"
wrote:

Back in September my bird feeders were covered in greenfinches, colat tits,
blue and great tits, the odd tree sparrow too.

In October they suddenly stopped coming so I threw the peanuts away and put
up fresh - they returned.

A few weeks ago I spent 20 quid on a large sack of peanuts, and guess what,
yes they've deserted me. It it likely to be the peanuts (they are also
ignoring the black sunflower seeds).

I've noticed the peanuts are all slightly pecked along the full length of
the feeders.

Have I blown £20?

Trevor


I think the birds will probably come back to you when the weather gets
colder and times get harder. There's still a lot of natural food
around and probably the birds don't feel the need to make much use of
your feeders.

In my garden there are visiting flocks of chaffinches (and some
brambling too -- rather to my surprise). There are mature beech trees
on the edge of my garden and the finches come and feed on the
beechnuts lying on the lawn. I've only got one nut feeder which the
chaffinches and bramblings ignore at the moment. However, I reckon a
few icy December days (and the end of the beech mast) will make them
more enthusiastic. I do get quite a few greenfinch on the feeder, and
last year great tit, blue tit, coaltit, goldfinch, and also the
occasional sparrowhawk.

Norman Tulloch

In article ,
() wrote:

I cant feed the birds where I live the bears eat bird seed and just
adore peanuts. Ed

*Wild* bears? Where in the UK are you? :-)

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

In article ,
(Nick Maclaren) wrote:

I should love to live somewhere with bears around.

Convert Leylandii, Ground Elder, Bindweed and Horsetail into good
manure? :-)

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

No squirrels no house sparroews no starlings

normally teeming with greenfinches, coal tits and blue tits though, can't
understand where they've all gone


"Terry Harper" wrote in message
...
"trevor.appleton" wrote in message
...
Back in September my bird feeders were covered in greenfinches, colat
tits,
blue and great tits, the odd tree sparrow too.

In October they suddenly stopped coming so I threw the peanuts away and
put
up fresh - they returned.

A few weeks ago I spent 20 quid on a large sack of peanuts, and guess
what,
yes they've deserted me. It it likely to be the peanuts (they are also
ignoring the black sunflower seeds).

I've noticed the peanuts are all slightly pecked along the full length
of
the feeders.

Don't you have squirrels too? They nibble along the whole length of the
peanut tube. Saw one with a mouthful of grass yesterday, obviously off to
do
a bit of dray building.

Yesterday I had at least 20 house sparrows on, around and beneath both
peanut and black sunflower seed feeders. Today at one stage I had about
12-15 starlings after the peanuts. Also one female greater spotted
woodpecker enjoying the peanuts and a couple of nuthatches.

Every now and then something spooks them and they all disappear, including
the squirrels. I would put your problem down to either better pickings
elsewhere or something scaring them away.
--
Terry Harper
http://www.terry.harper.btinternet.co.uk/




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This was the first pint from a £20 quid sack!

Do they prefer the tiny peanuts to the large red?

Trevor
East Yorkshire





"ned" wrote in message
...
trevor.appleton wrote:
Back in September my bird feeders were covered in greenfinches,
colat
tits, blue and great tits, the odd tree sparrow too.

In October they suddenly stopped coming so I threw the peanuts away
and put up fresh - they returned.

A few weeks ago I spent 20 quid on a large sack of peanuts, and
guess
what, yes they've deserted me. It it likely to be the peanuts (they
are also ignoring the black sunflower seeds).

I've noticed the peanuts are all slightly pecked along the full
length of the feeders.

Have I blown £20?


'Have to admit that I always buy peanuts in smallish quantities
because I was concerned that they can 'go off'. I suppose that it is
all down to how you store them. If they are kept cool and air tight -
to prevent moisture evaporation, and dry - to prevent mould, then by
rights they should do OK.
Since I am restocking the feeders every three days, my stock is kept
handy - which might be dry but its not as cool and airtight as it
might be. So, over time, a large quantity tends to dry out and look a
bit sorry.

--
ned




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Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
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I've never noticed any link with the rain fall. Only 2 inches here so far
this month compated with 5 inches in parts of Wales.


Trevor



"Christina Websell" wrote in message
news:3dcee77d$0$17602$afc38c87@vipnews...

trevor.appleton wrote in message
...
snip.

In October they suddenly stopped coming so I threw the peanuts away and
put
up fresh - they returned.

A few weeks ago I spent 20 quid on a large sack of peanuts, and guess
what,
yes they've deserted me. It it likely to be the peanuts (they are also
ignoring the black sunflower seeds).

I've noticed the peanuts are all slightly pecked along the full length
of
the feeders.

Have I blown £20?

Trevor

Hello Trevor
I don't know if it's as wet where you are as it is here? Seems to never
stop raining. One thing I have noticed is that the birds that come to my
feeders, mainly house sparrows, blue tits, great tits, the occasional coal
tit and long tailed tit, do not seem to like the peanuts very much if they
have got wet, and will peck all over the feeder to try them and then
reject
them. Lots of people feed birds round here, so they just go and see if
there is a better cafe open ;-)
Putting up fresh ones seems to bring them back again, and if I only just
put
fresh out and they got wet overnight I have resorted to emptying the wet
peanuts out and drying them in a slow oven. Then they'll eat them again.

HTH
Tina





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Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.394 / Virus Database: 224 - Release Date: 03/10/02






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Version: 6.0.394 / Virus Database: 224 - Release Date: 03/10/02