The budget for feeding da boidies is as large as you want to make it. I shudder when I think of how much we spend annually, but then again, the rewards are just as great.
In the nestling season, it'd be a good idea to give the peanuts a whacking in a bag, to break them up into small pieces. It gives the squabs a better chance of swallowing the food rather than choking on large pieces.
Pete B is ornithologically correct although trying to be amusingly pedantic in the way he said it
Gulls are land birds that often feed at sea, there are no pelagic gulls and there is no species of gull properly called a seagull or sea gull.
But everyone calls them sea gulls don't they? It's a cultural term not a scientific one Icall them seagulls even though I know its wrong.
The 'classic' seagull is of course the herring gull.
The gulls around here seem not to care about my feeders, the biggest birds that have had a go are crows, but mostly I have spuggies, finches and tits.
Habitat is going to be a key feature for how many and what type of birds you can attract - someone living near a wood said they can't encourage any into the garden, maybe they simply find enough food and cover in the wood?
Interesting that some of you find peanuts popular, my peanuts don't seem to go down unless the sunflower hearts run out, and even then they go down more slowly. I don't know if this is because there are lots of places to get peanuts, or if the birds are preferring different food at this time of year, or if they just take a lot more work to get out than seeds?
Also - I don't think whole peanuts fit through feeder mesh do they? Surely the birds have to break them to get them out, thus rendering advice about breaking irrelevant if you use a cage feeder - maybe something to think about if you leave them on a tray or table though?
One thing I have noticed is the effect of different feeders. I bought some inexpensive feeders that worked well, but after another minor vandalism incident one got broken I bought a couple of really really cheap ones that outwardly look similar, but on further investigation supply seed at a slower rate and have the holes much further above the base of the feeder. Side by side with the same food as the other feeders, the birds ignore the cheaper ones until the others are empty. The better design of feeders the birds will cheerfully empty in a day, so no concerns about food going mouldy, the cheaper ones, well I went on holiday for a week and one was still half full when I got back. I don't know how you can tell which feeders are good or bad, good value or unecessarily expensive, but if you are struggling to attract birds and you know there are birds about, it might be worth considering that maybe your feeders are too difficult for them....
Thanks for your comment, Boater, straw or otherwise. Words are just so much fun, and playing the pedant is great for just entertainment or exploration. Have you read GULLivers Travels ? I bought it for peanuts.
I agree about the breaking up of the nut by the birds, but sometimes, whole nuts get carted off to nestlings, and I would bear a cross of guilt forever if a squab choked on one of MY nuts ! Y'see, even Pedants have a conscience !
Posts
Flippin 'eck! What would this village do if its Waitrose closed! Half the inhabitants would starve - mind you - OH would be kept busy in the farm shop
The budget for feeding da boidies is as large as you want to make it. I shudder when I think of how much we spend annually, but then again, the rewards are just as great.
It's better than watching the telly
I might just cancel the telly and spend the savings on Lager for me and live Mealworms for the young birdies.
my birds cost more than the dog to feed by miles but i don't mind as get so much pleasure from having them in the garden
I think I'll be ordering peanuts by the lorry load soon instead of sacks full. Lovely though to see them all.
In the nestling season, it'd be a good idea to give the peanuts a whacking in a bag, to break them up into small pieces. It gives the squabs a better chance of swallowing the food rather than choking on large pieces.
Pete B is ornithologically correct although trying to be amusingly pedantic in the way he said it
Gulls are land birds that often feed at sea, there are no pelagic gulls and there is no species of gull properly called a seagull or sea gull.
But everyone calls them sea gulls don't they? It's a cultural term not a scientific one
Icall them seagulls even though I know its wrong.
The 'classic' seagull is of course the herring gull.
The gulls around here seem not to care about my feeders, the biggest birds that have had a go are crows, but mostly I have spuggies, finches and tits.
Habitat is going to be a key feature for how many and what type of birds you can attract - someone living near a wood said they can't encourage any into the garden, maybe they simply find enough food and cover in the wood?
Interesting that some of you find peanuts popular, my peanuts don't seem to go down unless the sunflower hearts run out, and even then they go down more slowly. I don't know if this is because there are lots of places to get peanuts, or if the birds are preferring different food at this time of year, or if they just take a lot more work to get out than seeds?
Also - I don't think whole peanuts fit through feeder mesh do they? Surely the birds have to break them to get them out, thus rendering advice about breaking irrelevant if you use a cage feeder - maybe something to think about if you leave them on a tray or table though?
One thing I have noticed is the effect of different feeders. I bought some inexpensive feeders that worked well, but after another minor vandalism incident one got broken I bought a couple of really really cheap ones that outwardly look similar, but on further investigation supply seed at a slower rate and have the holes much further above the base of the feeder. Side by side with the same food as the other feeders, the birds ignore the cheaper ones until the others are empty. The better design of feeders the birds will cheerfully empty in a day, so no concerns about food going mouldy, the cheaper ones, well I went on holiday for a week and one was still half full when I got back. I don't know how you can tell which feeders are good or bad, good value or unecessarily expensive, but if you are struggling to attract birds and you know there are birds about, it might be worth considering that maybe your feeders are too difficult for them....
Thanks for your comment, Boater, straw or otherwise. Words are just so much fun, and playing the pedant is great for just entertainment or exploration. Have you read GULLivers Travels ? I bought it for peanuts.
I agree about the breaking up of the nut by the birds, but sometimes, whole nuts get carted off to nestlings, and I would bear a cross of guilt forever if a squab choked on one of MY nuts ! Y'see, even Pedants have a conscience !