Hi everyone, this is my first post and I hope you can help with my concerns.
I’ve been feeding and providing a safe home/watering hole for garden birds for about 15 years now. It’s a large garden with several different trees, bushes and hedges with wild parts/wild flowers and it’s been a joy to watch the many different birds over the years. Sadly, I’m going to be moving soon and need to know how to get the birds used to not being fed anymore. Do I decrease gradually over the next few weeks to get them prepared? It would be wonderful if the new tenants carried on the plan but from past experience new tenants moving in a after I’ve left usually results in getting rid of ‘nature’ so they have a blank slate.
Any advice welcomed, thanks.
Pete
Birding is for everyone no matter how good or bad we are at it,enjoy it while you can
Hello mellow and firstly welcome to the community. We moved house a couple of years ago after 9 years which had a very large garden with two feeding stations and about 7 feeders, including a dish of live mealworms). As soon as we knew we were on the move and several weeks before we reduced the feeders down to two ( sunflower hearts and berry suet nibbles in the other one but kept the mealworms going) As you are already considering, I think reducing the feeding, especially at this time of year when there is an abundance of natural foods around which will remain into mid autumn will be the best way to go until you are eventually down to the one feeder with only enough food to last the birds until mid morning; the birds will then have to forage elsewhere for the rest of the day but are more than capable at finding their own food locally. It does always feel rather sad to us humans taking food away which they have been used to on a daily basis but by easing off it will encourage the birds to seek other foods elsewhere so when you leave. It may be a good idea to ask the new tenant (if you get the chance) if they are interested in watching the birdlife in the garden, telling them what types of birds you see and offer to leave them one of your feeders and a bit of seed to get them started but if not, the birds will be absolutely fine and hopefully you will be able to continue the joy of watching birds around your new home. Good luck and start taking those feeders away !!!
( X-post with Pete )
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Regards, Hazel
I'm of the same view as Pete and Hazel, particularly as food will be abundant.
If the new owners want to encourage the birds to the garden, it won't take them long to return, and they'll be able to enjoy what you've enjoyed for the last 15 years.
Good luck with the move.
Mike
Flickr: Peak Rambler
One tree we've found to really attract birds, is the two apple trees we have, though the privet hedge and cherry tree do provide respite from potential ground predators.
I had read somewhere, apple branches are supposed to be good for birds, but I don't recall if that was domestic (ie budgies, canaries etc), wild, or all birds.