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hi there
I have to say we have had our selection of birds in our garden, We have bought all types of food stuffs to keep them happy. So the more unusal foodstuffs comes as this:
Red Leistershire Red cheese (sp) (they love this cheese)
Sultanas - soaked until soft (not raisins)
Current scones crumbled (cheap Tescos 32p for 6 or similar)
Any fruit cores, or apple cores cut up go down a treat.
Grapes Seedless Green over Red - cut up in small pieces
All fruits as Thrushes love them a lot
Just other food stuffs to consider as all birds just love them.
Regards
Kathy and Dave
Funny as my birds only take sultanas as well! Won't look at raisins!!
Alas I don't have thrushes but do get blackbirds, so when a local grocers dropped a couple of small punnets of blueberries, as they were destined for the bin, I asked if I could take them for the birds. I put them out a week ago and they are still there! I really thought that the blacks and starlings would make short work of those but then I guess it's down to what they're used to!
What does the '(sp)' mean after the red Leicester cheese Blackbird?
"All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)
My photos on Flickr
Hello.
Honestly I've been very surprised that people have mentioned that their birds are keen for sultanas but wouldn't touch raisins with a barge pole. I must admit that if the starlings that visit my garden were to turn their beaks up at just about anything I put out, I'd be terribly worried about them, as they could quite easilly eat for Scotland. So the raisins tend to fly off the bird tables at a high rate of knots, or perhaps roughly the speed of sound is slightly more accurate analaysis.
To be honest I've never soaked any vine fruit, and am starting to get worried that I might be doing something wrong. Although I've never had any problems, I am slightly apprehensive that I should be soaking the raisins and sultanas before I put them into the homemade food mix. Does it depend on weather conditions or the purpose of use e.g. mixes or as straght food?
Paul
Warning! This post contains atrocious spelling, and terrible grammar. Approach with extreme edginess.
I don't soak my sultanas either Paul!
I suppose you could soak 'em in brandy as a special Christmas treat... ☺☺☺ (sorry, couldn't resist that!)
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!
No way! What's the matter with a good single malt?
I never used to soak sultanas until I started on this forum but now I do - would be interested to know what's the best way. I know they should be soaked during the breeding season but does it matter outside of it? Have to say birds don't seem to mind either way but obviously more convenient for me to just put them out straight from the bag.
Kerry
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kezmo6310/
I don't soak mine either and would appreciate advice on this. How long should they be soaked for? I have never heard of this before. I hope I haven't choked anything!
My birds don't like cheese very much.
In the age old discussions about nyjer or sunflower hearts for goldfinches, I had both out all summer and autumn and no goldfinches. I was about to remove the nyjer altogether when lo and behold, a few days ago I had my first goldfinches. I now have 5 who come and go all day. They split the feeders between them, 2 on the nyjer and 3 on the sunflowers, then they swap over!!! They of course get the nyjer feeder to themselves but have to share the SH's with the other birds. They are feisty little things, and despite the thuggish nature of my sparrows, one tweet from a goldfinch and they are off and away!!
Cheers, Linda.
See my photos on Flickr
Sultanas are fine straight out of the packet outside the breeding season. Why we recommend soaking them during the breeding season, is that blackbirds will readily take them to feed their chicks with. Chicks in the nest get all their moisture from the food, and so if they are fed a lot of something dry they can suffer from dehydration.
In all this rain all my dried fruit is soaked! The birds here take all kinds and like Blackbird's birds they relish fruit scones and the ocassionally left over piece of fruit pie and blackcurrant cheesecake (bluetits like that) Pears, bananas, apples, raspberries and strawberries are all taken with relish. Jackdaws are rather partial to canned hotdogs (dont know if they should have them but they do get very excited if I chop a couple and put them out.
Left over cheesecake???????? How is there ever any left over? (I LOVE cheesecake!! ;-))