Moving home

If it was me I would reduce feeding gradually but not too slowly, this is probably the best time of year to do a move as far as bird feeding is concerned as there should be plenty of natural food available. Good luck with your move

Thanks for your quick reply Pete. Ok, will do that.

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 )

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.

Hello Hazel,

Thank you so much for your reply - you’ve understood the emotion behind it I think. It’s hurting my heart to be honest, I love birds and feel like I’m letting them down, stupid I know! Neighbours either side have no care (one hates nature and loves concrete and the other has 4 cats and uses floor feeders to entice birds for their cats to devour). There’s no chance of meeting the new tenants unfortunately, though I will leave the feeders up with a bag of seed but I fear the council will remove them. It’s been a long battle to provide a sanctuary here and well worth it. The blackbirds come to my back door every morning for their treats. There’s families (generations, I think) of finches, sparrows, tits and robins. The bright side is there are woods not too far away so I hope they’ll find sanctuary there.

Thanks Mike!

By the way - anyone new to attracting birds to their garden plant a pear willow!! Mine’s 10 years old now, beautiful and absolutely full of birds all year round.

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.