Author Topic: Garden birds and snow (Read 4626 times)

Possum · « **on:** January 18, 2013, 10:24:58 am »

We have an inch or so of snow here at the moment. I put some drinking water out for the birds first thing this morning, but it's now frozen. Should I keep replacing it, or can garden birds use snow for "drinking" like chickens do?

Fleecewife · « **Reply #1 on:** January 18, 2013, 11:27:27 am »

It will really help them to have warm water. They seem to drink drips as they thaw, but it must reduce their body heat a bit to do so, worse if they have to eat snow. Being so tiny that could make the difference between survival and not.

It's lovely being able to see so many birds close-up on the feeders and knowing they are getting some good nutrition when their normal supply is hidden. I really feel for them trying to find a cosy place to roost.

We are suffering a bit with a squirrel which keeps knocking the feeders down and scaring off the birds. It's a grey but still very pretty. Apparently up here the greys don't carry the virus which kills red squirrels, and anyway we have no reds, so won't be shooting the grey. It annoys the cat and dogs enormously

Dicky · « **Reply #2 on:** January 25, 2013, 10:19:56 am »

Quote from: Fleecewife on January 18, 2013, 11:27:27 am

It will really help them to have warm water. They seem to drink drips as they thaw, but it must reduce their body heat a bit to do so, worse if they have to eat snow. Being so tiny that could make the difference between survival and not.

It's lovely being able to see so many birds close-up on the feeders and knowing they are getting some good nutrition when their normal supply is hidden. I really feel for them trying to find a cosy place to roost.

We are suffering a bit with a squirrel which keeps knocking the feeders down and scaring off the birds. It's a grey but still very pretty. Apparently up here the greys don't carry the virus which kills red squirrels, and anyway we have no reds, so won't be shooting the grey. It annoys the cat and dogs enormously

We had a similar problem and I did shoot it. Tasted good!

Rosemary · « **Reply #3 on:** January 25, 2013, 10:44:20 am »

If you put out clean water for the wild birds, they will be able to bathe properly and clean feathers are more effective insulators than dirty ones.

Just off to cut up some pears for the blackbirds

Blinkers · « **Reply #4 on:** January 25, 2013, 10:51:17 am »

We've had about 12-15" snow here and so the birds have been queing up at animal feeding time. I put little piles of mixed corn on top of each of the pence posts by the Duck run and chuck extra down when feeding the chooks. The Robins nip in and steal the pig nuts and the Black birds are stealing the cat food!!! and of course they dig up the dung lump picking out all the worms. Haven't seen hide nor hair of any Bluetits or any of the Tit family come to that

Hope they're OK.

Fowgill Farm · « **Reply #5 on:** January 25, 2013, 10:59:27 am »

We have squirrel probs too, this morning there were 4 greys, two in the tables and two at the foot, there were also 3 pheasants, 2 rabbits, few sparrows, tits & blackbirds, i feel like i'm feeding all the wildlife around us at present, we have a very cheeky robin & blackbird who live with the pigs and do very well on straw and pig nut crumbs.
mandy

Rosemary · « **Reply #6 on:** January 25, 2013, 01:24:44 pm »

Get your cameras, folks - you're all going to love the new on-line show which is "Winter Wildlife"

ballingall · « **Reply #7 on:** January 26, 2013, 04:20:50 pm »

We have three hens who "free range" every day. They clean up below the bird feeder, and look at up very enviously!

Rosemary, do the birds eat pears? I've tried putting out cut apple out on the basis it's supposed to good or them, but they won't touch it.

Beth

Rosemary · « **Reply #8 on:** January 26, 2013, 06:20:12 pm »

Quote from: ballingall on January 26, 2013, 04:20:50 pm

Rosemary, do the birds eat pears? I've tried putting out cut apple out on the basis it's supposed to good or them, but they won't touch it.

Apples and pears are gone almost before they hit the ground here. We've got dozens of blackbirds, that love them. The hens aren't averse either

Fleecewife · « **Reply #9 on:** January 27, 2013, 11:40:45 am »

We were in Dobbies garden centre the other day, trying to find a new seed feeder with a saucer (plenty of feeders but none of the screw in saucers).
I thought how lovely it was that a recording of a robin singing was being played amongst the wild bird stuff. Then I looked up on the top shelf and saw it was a real robin. It had certainly found the ideal place to sit out the snow - endless bird food (if it could get at it), water from the demo ponds, cosy inside a large building so it could fly around. I think it was a young one as it was singing quite quietly, as they do when they are practising their song.

Rosemary · « **Reply #10 on:** January 27, 2013, 12:51:13 pm »

Quote from: Fleecewife on January 27, 2013, 11:40:45 am

We were in Dobbies garden centre the other day, trying to find a new seed feeder with a saucer (plenty of feeders but none of the screw in saucers).
I thought how lovely it was that a recording of a robin singing was being played amongst the wild bird stuff. Then I looked up on the top shelf and saw it was a real robin. It had certainly found the ideal place to sit out the snow - endless bird food (if it could get at it), water from the demo ponds, cosy inside a large building so it could fly around. I think it was a young one as it was singing quite quietly, as they do when they are practising their song.

How lovely! I'm sure some kind soul would feed it.

sabrina · « **Reply #11 on:** January 31, 2013, 12:23:42 am »

I change the water every day for my wild birds when I top up the feeders. we had a Christmas pudding at the weekend and put out what was left for the birds. the blackbirds went mad for it. Thought afterwards maybe they liked the rum.