Birds aren’t feeding from my feeders

Hi Michelle,
1st off you may wanna change your username as this is a public forum you may get inundated with unwanted emails
As for your feeding situation...well I suspect yhe birds are in your neighbours tree as they feel safe there perhaps observing your feeders from a distance...birdtable was easier to land on and take of from I guess....feeders against a fence not so easy IMO
Is there no way you can put your birdtable back? IMO Birds like greenery and places to dive for cover from predators .
Hopefully others may offer some other helpful advice ;-)

(Pardon the Scottish Accent)

You could try getting a freestanding bird table. Robert Dyas currently have one reduced by £20 to £19.99. Personally, I'd find a way of weighting down the base of a freestanding bird feeder e.g. large bag of sand or ballast, say from Wickes or other DIY stores.

Alternatively, build a hanger which you can hang on the fence to make your feeders stand away from fence.

I think the birds are trying to figure out the new feeders; firstly working out that they are feeders, and then if it is safe to approach them.

90% luck, 5% field craft, 5% camera skills.

In reply to Linda257:

Hi

Thank you for replying and letting me know about my user name … I didn’t realise, I’ve changed it now

My bird table was a bit tatty so I threw it away, I don’t mind buying a new one but it would need to be at the side, it was in the middle before with lots of bushes. Maybe I should try it and see if they come back.

Thanks

Michelle

In reply to Angus M:

Thank you for the info re Robert Dyas, I have ordered one to be delivered tomoro, I did like the fact it had the bird feeder attached

We do have cats over the road but it didn’t bother the birds before, if anything, the cats don’t have many places to hide now the garden is concreted and open, I hope the bird table entices them

Thanks for replying.

I think the lack of greenery around maybe a problem aswell now that you mentioned the table used to be surrounded by bushes...birds need places to dive for cover away from cats and other predators ..maybe some potted dwarf trees or bushes next to the table or feeder..am afraid it's just gonna be trial and error Michelle but please do let us know how you get on ;-)

(Pardon the Scottish Accent)

Tesco are selling standard roses for £12. Buy a couple, pop them into 45cm plastic pots - square if possible.  Use a mixture of compost and John Innes, I'd say half and half. The John Innes gives the pots a little weight to help stop them being blown over in wind.  The roses will give a little cover for the birds.

If you are feeling brave, get a bit of trellis, attach to back of pot (or insert in soil, and grow ivy up it.  The trellis bit will back against your fence.  This will give loads of cover, when the ivy grows up; which it will do so quickly.

90% luck, 5% field craft, 5% camera skills.

Thank you to everyone for replying, unfortunately I think you are right, there isn’t enough greenery.

I put the bird table on the ground on the left hand side near my neighbours tree but it was quite low to the ground, so I’ve fastened it on top of my bench and put some pots round it, I will take your good advice and try some taller bushes next to / around it, in a hope to attract the birds. It’s been out a day and no birds, I did see one fly over it.

I have fastened a bird feeder to the top of my front porch, which is high up and 2 on the fence in the back, but I’m not holding any hope on the back, due to my dog ,  he doesn’t live outside but is loud enough when he does go out.  Im hoping that the feeder on the porch isn’t  too close to the house, however in summer last year there were birds nesting in the front guttering, I was lucky enough To keep capturing photos on my cctv (attached)

I will keep trying different ways to feed the birds, hopefully I will succeed

It might take time for birds to get used to your new feeder. They are very wary, and will not be familiar with by your feeder and the surrounds.

When I installed my feeder in my garden, it took months for birds to realise what it was. Numbers really took off when parent birds (who were brave enough or hungry enough to visit my feeder) taught their fledglings about it. Long tailed tits took three years to realise there was a reliable, available, safe food source.

At least you have a sort of head start in that you had a feeder previously.

Your dog shouldn't bother birds too much, once they realise it can't get them. I've seen bird feeders in much smaller front gardens, which are very open, with dogs in house, still attract large numbers of birds. You just have to keep topping up the bird feeder and make sure it doesn't run out of food.

90% luck, 5% field craft, 5% camera skills.

Hi Michelle, a source of fresh water may help, but as others have said, patience is the word. I remember it taking 3 months for anything to visit a new feeder I put up, barely 10 yards from the old feeder.

Thanks everyone for the useful comments - I will bup a bird bath 
I have a bit of progress, a bird was feeding off the drive, some seeds may have blown off, then it moved to the seat, then the fence - then went into next doors garden … didn’t quite make it to the bird house but getting close