The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: Fleecewife on November 30, 2010, 03:01:01 pm

Title: wild birds
Post by: Fleecewife on November 30, 2010, 03:01:01 pm
I know it's a struggle for us all in this weather but please, if you can, spare a thought for the wild birds.  Put out some seed, peanuts, fat blocks or even bread for them and a dish of water.  They will repay you in the spring when they mop up the caterpillars from the veggies to feed their young.
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: Hilarysmum on November 30, 2010, 04:34:28 pm
Brilliant idea, although they tend to share the chicken and pig feed here.
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: faith0504 on November 30, 2010, 04:59:07 pm
i putting extra hen food out and bread and instant noodles, also made them a bowl of porridge with corn mixed into it, they loved that
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: morri2 on November 30, 2010, 05:06:35 pm
Yep!  Were doing our bit here.  Bird feeder has been filled up three times today - there are loads of birds coming to feed, even a woodpecker and a jay earlier today.  Hung up some 'fat balls' (ahem!!)  and throwing them lots of scraps.  Water is difficult because it keeps freezing within minutes, but there is a river not far away. 
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: Fergie on November 30, 2010, 05:10:07 pm
Since we scatter vast quantities of poultry grain for the hens, I think we're feeding a much wider population of birds than just the ones who live in the henhouse.

John
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: ballingall on November 30, 2010, 05:44:12 pm
I have several different types of feeders on the rowan tree which our kitchen window looks out to. There must be at least 40 small birds coming to it during the day- all day. Seen birds we never normally see, like a pair of Thrush's, Chaffinches as well as the more normal Blue Tits, Bullfinches and the Robin. The bigger birds tend to steal from the chicken food, and the sparrows (of which we have many) live in the goat shed and they eat goat food.

Beth
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: Brucklay on November 30, 2010, 05:46:18 pm
Our duck/hen/wild bird feed area is heaving at the moment - lots of finches, sparrows, quite a few black birds who spend more time chasing each other than eating, wood pigeons, pheasant, red leg partridge but not see the woodpecker yet - he only comes now and again - possible when his local source is on holiday!!
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: sheardale on November 30, 2010, 08:27:32 pm
I think we are all doing our bit for the birds. 
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: doganjo on November 30, 2010, 08:47:34 pm
I'm doing my bit for the rats too it seems - my 4 year old granddaughter told me on Sunday that she saw one run up into the leylandii tree in the duck run - eeeeeyyyyykkkk
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: Rosemary on November 30, 2010, 10:13:22 pm
We've got our bird feeders out and we put softbill mix out twice a day for the blackbirds and the robins. And Dan puts out dried mealworms for them too. I love watching the wild birds at any time of year.
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: northfifeduckling on November 30, 2010, 10:52:48 pm
we had a woodpecker at the feeder yesterday!  :&>
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: Fleecewife on November 30, 2010, 11:52:42 pm
Oh good - top marks everyone  ;D

We have 8 feeders out for the wild birds plus some fat blocks and any stored apples which start to rot, but I must admit the sparrows, chaffinches and blackbirds share the hen food too.  There is also a family of jackdaws which wait impatiently each afternoon for us to come round with the sheep food.
Today the sparrow hawk was flying slowly just above us - maybe she was hoping we would frighten some birds which would fly up straight into her claws. 
I find it amazing that such tiny birds can survive quite cold temps just by fluffing themselves up and snuggling together.

Keep up the good work  :)
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: Sylvia on December 01, 2010, 10:50:10 am
I feed the birds in the garden and would like to feed the ones in the fields but no sooner do I put grub out for them then the bl***y squirrels come along and eat it. Anyone have plans for a squirrel-proof feeder?
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: OhLaLa on December 01, 2010, 12:10:15 pm
I always put some extra grain out for the wild birds when the weather turns icy. Also, if the snow is deep the picnic table gets a piece of wood almost a large as the table put on it, and that gets covered in mixed grain. It doesn't take long to get eaten.
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: Hilarysmum on December 01, 2010, 03:20:58 pm
I feed the birds in the garden and would like to feed the ones in the fields but no sooner do I put grub out for them then the bl***y squirrels come along and eat it. Anyone have plans for a squirrel-proof feeder?

All our squirrels have gone into hibernation, very sensible; le chasse consider them fair game.  We only get red ones here so doubly sad when they do get shot.
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: Rosemary on December 01, 2010, 08:44:25 pm
I feed the birds in the garden and would like to feed the ones in the fields but no sooner do I put grub out for them then the bl***y squirrels come along and eat it. Anyone have plans for a squirrel-proof feeder?

RSPB do squirrel proof feeders.
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: Sylvia on December 02, 2010, 12:33:23 pm
Thank you, will get in touch with them :)
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: Fleecewife on December 26, 2010, 11:19:51 pm
Well, in spite of daytime temps as low as minus 15 here - night the same - we do still have wild birds around.  This week we are delighted to have a flock of Yellow Hammers (Yites) in the front garden.  I haven't seen them for several years although I have heard them occasionally singing their 'little-bit-of-bread-and-no-cheeeese' song.  It's a lovely sight to see such bright little birds in this whiteout.  We have also got Bramblings this year - well, I think we have had them before but I couldn't work out what they were  ::)  When we lived in Yorkshire many years ago there were Bramblings there but they had black caps.  So I looked up these new creatures and found that in winter Bramblings don't have the black caps, just light and dark grey stripes on their heads. If in doubt, read the instructions  ;D
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: Cobra on December 27, 2010, 12:58:58 am
Been chucking a scoop at the wild birds for the last month or so now. Down the pig pens I have Robins, Green Finch, Gold Finch, Redwings etc home much the same plus the sparrows and starlings.

(http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg295/UK-Cobra/Smallholding/RobinCrop.jpg)
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: Fleecewife on December 27, 2010, 11:44:14 am
Aw - cute robin with a cold foot  :)  The birds really are appreciating the extra rations everyone is putting out for them.  The berries and seed heads round here are long gone so not a lot else to eat.
Redwings - they occasionally fly past here but once they have snaffled all the berries, they're off again, but it's mainly fieldfares here.
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: Rosemary on December 27, 2010, 12:22:03 pm
The wrens are my favourite, I think.
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: princesspiggy on December 27, 2010, 12:43:03 pm
my hens have to literally fight off pheasants to get theyre food, though the ducks will chase the pheasants away. wer going through feed at astonishing rate, must be 30 pheasants in sight from kitchen window. birds seem to know all the feeding spots, cant beat the cute little robins tho.
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: faith0504 on December 27, 2010, 05:35:20 pm
we had a pair of wax wings in our front garden yesterday having a feast on the things i had left out for them they are very pretty birds
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: ballingall on December 27, 2010, 07:23:24 pm
Hmmm I didn't realise there were Yellowhammers in your area Fleecewife. We used to have a pair in our garden when we lived in Kinross, but I've not seen any here.

Beth
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: Fergie on December 27, 2010, 07:50:02 pm
Hmmm I didn't realise there were Yellowhammers in your area Fleecewife. We used to have a pair in our garden when we lived in Kinross, but I've not seen any here.

Beth

We have Yellowhammers too, in North Lanarkshire.  Locally they're called "Scotch Canaries".

John
Title: Re: wild birds
Post by: faith0504 on December 27, 2010, 08:29:53 pm
We get them up in buckie also  :wave: