What is wrong with my suet?

It started a year ago when I hung up the first 'tube' it was attached by starling and blackbirds who ate two tubes one after the other. The third one was only half used!

This year when the RSPB offered energy tubes at special rates I quickly ordered quite a few ready for the winter ~ but non of my birds likes them at all. They just ignore them, well the odd bird has a half heated nibble but nothing more.

I also ordered some of the buggy nibbles and they have shared the same fate, not interested!

While this has all been going on the last of the individually sealed round suet cake from last year has all also been shunned.

My birds won't eat suet, which is crazy.

Is last years cake now stale and the birds know it? But what about the new RSPB suet products what can be the reason that cold and starving birds won't give it a look!

David

  • Squirrel B said:

    I found out this afternoon that my "gang" like grapes - but they much prefer the red to the green... here we go again ☺☺☺ LOL

     

    Snap!!!!!!  I grabbed a few loose grapes from the bottom of the fruit shelving in Sainsburys yesterday (they fell out of a split packet and into my pocket, but please don't tell the store detective, and it wasn't me Gov who split the packet). There was one green one and a few red ones. I cut them all in half. All the red ones have gone. The green one is still there!

    Cheers, Linda.

    See my photos on Flickr

  • LOL the birdmum! In my case it results in a lot of high-maintenance birds who bring all their friends and rellies who then also become high-maintenance birds! My gang always bring their off-spring and show them the ropes (on the lines of "don't bother with elsewhere, kids, this place is the creme de la creme").

    The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.

    The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!

  • Hi Sparrow, the trouble with that is I prefer the red ones as well!

    The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.

    The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!

  • You can send the green ones to me as I like those best!! ;-)

    "All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)

    My photos on Flickr

  • Will do MarJus LOL.

    I've been thinking (always a dangerous occupation with me!) and I remember reading years back about birds eating berries and which ones they went for first out of red, orange and yellow - and it was the red berries. All I've got to do now is remember where I read it! This could take some time........ 

    The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.

    The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous 07/01/2010 23:52 in reply to Rockwolf

    The Blackies love the Green Grapes here.  They gobble them up in no time

    Funnily they seen to not be able to see Red Grapes - maybe it is their eye sight and the colour is a dark red

    Anyway suet is one thing that birds go mad for now in winter time

    Need to remember to take the coconut in before it freezes solid tonight

    Regards

    Kathy and Dave

     

     

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous 08/01/2010 00:35 in reply to Anonymous

    LOL Squirrel!

    (on the lines of "don't bother with elsewhere, kids, this place is the creme de la creme").

    I agree I am sure they do this. My robins always bring their babies to meet me. I am sure their are 3 generations of "meet the birdmum, she's alright!"

    You know it could be the best 'pulling trick' aswell, "Hey you wana check my garden out, it's got everything: mealworms, grapes, suet pellets, cake, sultanas, everything! Her indoors is pretty good at making sure we always have loads to eat, she even panders to our strops."

    I think they are more intelligent than we realise

  • i have this with collared doves seem to have been ther every year since i moved in 8 years ago no it can not be same pair so it is like they do pass on to there kin wher to go what to do have three in garden at mo one has no tail new cat in neighbour hood sure he has attacked him.Have had tit box up for years 1 went in very night but never a pair think  he just used it as batcherlor pad to get away from her in daw's .My friends neighbour had one on her window seals  nested 2 years not so lucky me have moved it this year might be lucky

     

  • Hi Squirrel,

    Have bought from them previously at Birdfairs and will now order online.  Usually we go to our Local RSPB shop, but I have to say they're really expesive, sorry RSPB but when the weathers like this and they need so much feeding, I'm afraid YOU'RE the charity not me lol

  • Hi Susan, welcome aboard the Berry Suet Pellet Train (LOL) - I agree they aren't the cheapest of foods but when I weigh the cost against buying other things and eventually throwing them away I would rather pay for what they will eat. However, I have recently discovered a Wildlife Trust reserve not too far from me which has feeders for wild birds and squirrels. They operate on donations only so any "bad" purchases (bad as in not liked, not bad as in gone off) I will give to them in future as they will surely be able to make use of it.

    The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.

    The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!