Brilliant! I've just moved to Wales from Sussex, where my bird feeder was covered in small birds of all sorts. Now, my fatballs get massacred by jackdaws within minutes and the little birds don't bother.
I shall try you hanging basket trick and see what happens.
Such a clever idea. Thanks
Spring is always in the air.
Hello Tania
One year on and the hanging baskets are still fending off any birds larger than a starling. They have worked very well for me. The squirrel is proving more of a challenge though. He learnt very quickly how to prise open the hanging baskets, and can even squeeze through the wires of the larger sized baskets. I have started to use cable ties on the lower edges of the baskets ands secure the top edges with OXO bag clips which can be opened easily with one hand. Very important with lots of feeders to fill! Must admit that to seriously deter the squirrel, a guardian should be used in conjunction with the large sized hanging baskets. The little birds don't worry in the least about negotiating two sets of wires - just use them as a perch to wait their turn....
Good luck with you Welsh birds......
Jill
Should have read your Welsh birds :)
What a great piece of improvisation! There are many crows in the vicinity of my garden, but they always fly over and (so far) do not visit. I had one that did, quite some time ago, but it was more interested in a drink than eating and was soon on it's way. The magpies are also to be seen flying back and forth, but other than pecking at the moss on the garage roof, they seldom visit the garden itself. Once again, great idea!
Unicum arbustum haud alit duos erithacos
(One bush does not shelter two Robins)
Zenodotus (3rd Century B.C.)
Our local crows seem to prefer feeding at some height - we actually use our (almost) flat shed roof as a feeding station. They're quite happy to feed there and have yet to bother the small birds at the hanging feeders.
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.
Hello Lucydot and everyone - I have just joined. Sorry to resurrect an old thread but it is such a brilliant idea I thought others might benefit too.
I found this forum whilst searching for a solution to rooks eating ALL the seed from my feeders. I was up at 5am (heavy rain here) watching what they did, even tho I'd suspended the feeder between 2 wires they STILL got it.
Now just got to find out who pinched the fat balls that were wired to trellis with thin garden wire - the whole lot went over night. May be rats?
Looks like a great forum so thanks rooks for helping me find it _ I do feed them too as I know they have huge great babies to feed.
Hi, Barbara - no need to apologise as this is such a great thread with some good ideas on it. It's also nice to see some thought being given to the corvids who do have families to feed, though I'll agree that rooks have possibly the biggest appetite of all the visiting birds!!
Hi - was searching the internet the other day to find out how to stop rooks and jackdaws eating all the food from our bird feeders before small birds got a look in. Have subsequently tried Lucydot's idea of using hanging baskets to protect the feeders. It's working fantastically! It's been entertaining watching the rooks and jackdaws trying to work out how to get to the food and their frustration at not being able to. However, they are still getting food because they now get the bits that fall onto the ground which is good as I didn't want to totally deprive them. The smaller birds also appear to feel safer even when the big ones are around as they are protected by the outer shell of the hanging basket cage. Thanks!!