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Yep. Same old problem different newbie :)
We live in a detached house in a busy yet well kept nice estate. And as you can imagine, we live in and around people that have cats (yes that dredded word for all bird watching fans.)
I have always wanted to have feeders and the old nest box up in my garden and we have two lovely trees (one i don't know what it is, however its larger than a cherry blossom tree and blossoms with little pink flowers, so any help in naming it would be appresiated...? the other is a willow tree) from which I could situate feeders and possible a box too. Also our garage backs onto the garden and this would be an ideal place to put a box.
So here are my questions:
I'm more than capable of putting up feeders and a table in either the extended branchies of either tree, or making a feature off the side wall of the garage. But the cats concern me a great deal. They can get onto the roof of the garage, but the side wall is large enough to place equipement fair enough away from them to debate trying to jump on any unsuspecting feathered friend. Plus the tree's have branchies that will not take the weight of a cat but will a feeder and something eating off of it.
So, what advice can people give to us that will improve our chances of having visitors come to the garden, but avoid any terrible accidents of them being caught by the cats?
I really want this to work as we have great views of our back garden from the kitchen or the lounge. Please help us!
Regards
Chappers (and the Wife.)
'Educate' me, on the wonders of nature.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chappers360/
Hi Chappers,
I am also a newbie, we have just moved from quite an urban/suburban area but I always used to put seed feeders, nut feeders and fat ball feeders up in our trees at the back of the garden. I also owned a cat (she lives with my Mum now) who could get on to roofs etc, but if you have a tree that has no easy access for the cat you should be fine. Mine tried to chase the odd squirrel (she never managed it!), but never really bothered with the birds. We were lucky that we had quite a few ash trees at the bottom of the garden and we just put the feeders on there with a nice view from the kitchen. I would stick with putting your feeders in the tree branches anyway, my birds like to have a nibble and jump back and forth on to the tree branches anyway, for safety I assume. My neighbours at the time had no trees and a gravelled garden and put bird feeders out (no cat!) and got no birds whatsoever. so I assume they like the safety of trees! The majority I got were blue tits, great tits and long tailed tits, with a pair of robins and a pair of blackbirds feeding from the ground, even with a cat! I did put up a table but it wasn't used, but the feeders had daily activity on the branches.
Good luck with it and hope this helps a little!
Janie :-)
Fish are friends not food :-)