If you want just one type of birdfood, I'd go with sunflower hearts. One feeder will attract goldfinches, greenfinches, bluetits, robins, sparrows and on the ground will attract robins, blackbirds, dunnocks, chaffinches (which may be common but are gorgeous) and unfortunately woodpigeons Be sure to clean feeders regularly, esp. as greenfinches are prone to trichimonas.
I don't have any trees in my back garden but my neighbours do and I have climbers/shrubs on the fence and an ivy-covered post which the birds love. They also like my very small (bathtub) pond.
I also have a wire feeder for suet pellets-- which attracts bluetits, sparrows and STARLINGS and put out some dried mealworms which the starlings hoover up and the blackbirds also like.
I don't even much like birds--I"m afraid of them-- but I've come to enjoy watching them (from a window--if they don't get too close!) I wish I'd see them eating aphids etc like they are supposed to. I feel I've made them lazy.
I think we should have a comp for the best names for the little sods. Like my /wren, called Christopher, a staring called Grace, a spuggie called Hoppy Spadge, Dennis Dunnock, and so on.
For staring, read STARLING. Neighbours have cats, but we don't ! I want to spray the lotty with tiger and lion urine. THAT'D put the sods off using our lotty as a pathway to pussy riot !
I think we should have a comp for the best names for the little sods. Like my /wren, called Christopher, a staring called Grace, a spuggie called Hoppy Spadge, Dennis Dunnock, and so on.
Any takers ???
We have a pair of wood pigeons - according to my OH one of them is called Pea Brain
“I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh
It's my OH that names them too, we have 'Joe Crow' - public enemy number one and artful fat ball thief and 'My little mate' who is a robin that fledged last year he would sit under the wheelbarrow every time I got it out and wait for worms. He's more grown up now and a bit more wary of people but is still a regular visitor. That's him in my avatar. I'm more likely to think up names for bits of garden equipment, like Ronnie the Rotovator...
Watery, sprinkle some of the suet pellets on the ground. I did it when we moved here and it encourages blackbirds and thrushes to rummage, and finding slugs and snails at the same time.
I am SO JEALOUS. We do everything we can to attract birds and other wildlife; plentiful feeders, wildlife-friendly plants, not too tidy garden. We back onto a small wood. You'd think we'd teem with birds, but no. We get blue, great and coal tits, robins, blackbirds mainly, plus biggies like magpies and woodpigeons. Now and then nuthatches. Very occasionally a wren or dunnock. NO sparrows, starlings, thrushes, bulfinches, goldfinches, or anything much else. I have no idea why! I'd be thrilled to see sparrows, starlings or thrushes which are so common to other gardens. I don't know what else to do! We live in leafy suburbia, not a desert. What else can I do to attract other birds?
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If you want just one type of birdfood, I'd go with sunflower hearts. One feeder will attract goldfinches, greenfinches, bluetits, robins, sparrows and on the ground will attract robins, blackbirds, dunnocks, chaffinches (which may be common but are gorgeous) and unfortunately woodpigeons Be sure to clean feeders regularly, esp. as greenfinches are prone to trichimonas.
I don't have any trees in my back garden but my neighbours do and I have climbers/shrubs on the fence and an ivy-covered post which the birds love. They also like my very small (bathtub) pond.
I also have a wire feeder for suet pellets-- which attracts bluetits, sparrows and STARLINGS and put out some dried mealworms which the starlings hoover up and the blackbirds also like.
I don't even much like birds--I"m afraid of them-- but I've come to enjoy watching them (from a window--if they don't get too close!) I wish I'd see them eating aphids etc like they are supposed to. I feel I've made them lazy.
I think we should have a comp for the best names for the little sods. Like my /wren, called Christopher, a staring called Grace, a spuggie called Hoppy Spadge, Dennis Dunnock, and so on.
Any takers ???
best advice on attracting birds. DON'T HAVE A CAT.
For staring, read STARLING. Neighbours have cats, but we don't ! I want to spray the lotty with tiger and lion urine. THAT'D put the sods off using our lotty as a pathway to pussy riot !
We have a pair of wood pigeons - according to my OH one of them is called Pea Brain
It's my OH that names them too, we have 'Joe Crow' - public enemy number one and artful fat ball thief and 'My little mate' who is a robin that fledged last year he would sit under the wheelbarrow every time I got it out and wait for worms. He's more grown up now and a bit more wary of people but is still a regular visitor. That's him in my avatar.
I'm more likely to think up names for bits of garden equipment, like Ronnie the Rotovator...
I'm still admiring Jim's garden
In the sticks near Peterborough
I've got a spade called 'Sam'. He's very hard to detect ! ! ........reads me like a book !
Watery, sprinkle some of the suet pellets on the ground. I did it when we moved here and it encourages blackbirds and thrushes to rummage, and finding slugs and snails at the same time.
I am SO JEALOUS. We do everything we can to attract birds and other wildlife; plentiful feeders, wildlife-friendly plants, not too tidy garden. We back onto a small wood. You'd think we'd teem with birds, but no. We get blue, great and coal tits, robins, blackbirds mainly, plus biggies like magpies and woodpigeons. Now and then nuthatches. Very occasionally a wren or dunnock. NO sparrows, starlings, thrushes, bulfinches, goldfinches, or anything much else. I have no idea why! I'd be thrilled to see sparrows, starlings or thrushes which are so common to other gardens. I don't know what else to do! We live in leafy suburbia, not a desert. What else can I do to attract other birds?