We had a very heavy frost last night. I knew it was coming so took all my feeders indoors overnight to stop them freezing up. This morning I had dozens of birds waiting for me. I rushed out to replace them all, still in my dressing gown and slippers, and scattered food on the ground for the ground feeding birds. I was rewarded with them all coming for breakfast. Poor little things must have been so hungry. The ground is solid, like rock. I also had to pour tepid water on the bird baths, which were frozen solid all the way down. And all this before my own cuppa and still in slippers!! What a saint!!
Cheers, Linda.
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Hi Squirrel,
That is exactly my problem, and I also have a few feral pigeons who have learnt to use the feeders. This is despite having a bird table with cereal and grain seeds especially for the pigeons, and non-cereal seeds in feeders elsewhere for the small ones. I even end up with the pigeons on the feeders and the sparrows on the bird table. I have a small number of starlings who hang about with the smaller birds, and they are fine, but of course the larger flocks arrive and cause chaos. Most of it then goes on the floor because they are too busy squabbling to actually eat anything. I do have a globe caged feeder the sparrows use. They get inside and eat in comfort. The starlings can peck through the cage but don't go inside. Not yet, anyway! I find the starlings go mad for fat, so I have moved some of my fat hangers away from the small bird area. It hasn't worked!!!
Hello Wildshots,
What a lovely photo. These greenfinches are becoming quite rare, so lovely to see a healthy one. Buy your neighbour's cat a collar with loads of bells on for Christmas!
So with a very severe freeze forecast for last night, I defrosted all my birdbath/bird water saucers around the garden and added this stuff bought from a bird food catalogue, it stated it prevents water from freezing, is organic and totally safe for the birdys.
The measurements required where quite high and as the stuff was not 'cheap' i only refilled 3 bird baths.
This morning i went out to see how the stuff had faired, not only where all 3 baths/saucers totally frozen stiff, my naff birdbath pedestal effort had frozen, got top heavy, fell over, broke in two.
Never liked the thing, at always seemed to hold several gallons and only attract wood pigeons.!
Think the moral of the tale is... fill up the water in the morning, not the night before.. and don't believe all the hype about additives to prevent freezing.!
Hi Juno
That bird bath you have is the same as ours - ours has lasted for a long time so far!
The Woodpigeons love to sit their 'parts' in it for hours on end in the hot weather LOL
I understand adding a plastic ball in the water can prevent the water freezing over,
Not tried it - heard it mentioned many times!
Gosh never seen a frozen feeder before - and it has broken in two {eeek}
Our feeders are all metal except the Nyger feeder - costly but worth it
Regards
Kathy and Dave
Oh dear! At least Juno you have a good excuse to buy a nice new bird bath.
I have a stone bath on a pedestal that I have had for years, and also a plastic dish type from the RSPB shop. Both have frozen solid these past few nights. I have been out in dressing gown and slippers (yes, in the snow) breaking the ice with a hammer. This morning the hammer wouldn't touch it, so out came a kettle full of boiling water. That worked. I know you will all now tell me that hot water freezes quicker than cold - although I have never been able to understand the logic behind this theory. Anyway, within a few minutes the starlings were having a bath - and the water was still hot. I almost went out with some bubble bath for them!!!!
I take all my feeders in on frosty nights, not just for the sake of the feeders, but because the seed and nuts freeze up! I don't know if my birds would appreciate peanut lollies.
@ Sparrow LOL
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!