Hi Nick and welcome to the community; I think it's more a matter of what food is on offer rather than the colour of the feeding station. The feeding station may also be a little too close to both fences especially if you have local cats in the area that can use the fence to pounce on birds. I would suggest moving your feeding station another metre and half out from the fence line, and fill one feeder with sunflower hearts which is one of the most popular seeds with most garden birds. I can't make out what type of feeder you have on the left as it doesn't look like a standard feeder; you may be better to use the feeder on right and replace the left feeder with a fat-cake feeder and slip a block of fat-cake into it as birds are particularly partial to fat products during these colder months.
other forum members might give alternative or additional advice but good luck and hope the birds are returning soon.
I would agree with Hazel's comments.
Also it can sometimes just take the birds a while to get used to a new feeding station. When I last started a new one, I only got 1 or 2 blue and great tits using them for weeks. It took 2-3 months before the long-tailed tits became regulars on the fat feeders and 5-6 months before the goldfinches were daily visitors to the seed feeders. I hope that doesn't put you off as it is worth it when the birds do become regulars and if the food is there and safe from cats then I'm sure they will.
Hi Nick, welcome from me up in Caithness at the very top of Scotland. I agree with what Hazel has said, move the feeder away from the fence. A couple of feeders with seed, sunflower seed, Niger seeds would be okay to start with and a fat cake/balls to see what interest you get. Some find that peanuts are not taken much but today I had many different birds taking them. They like to have somewhere to fly back and forth to so the cover by the shed would be good. You could try to make your own pastry, buy shops own flour and lard and mix half fat to flour and add grated cheese, suet, dried fruits, seeds, chopped nuts and add a little water, enough to mix and put in a bag in the fridge for a few hours. You can pull pieces and shape to fit in a feeder or fill any home made little pots, coconut shells or even pull small pieces and squeeze around branches or on the frame of the bird feeder to start with. I am sure once they find you, they will be back. Good luck, do let us know how you get on.
Thank you for your reply. It was very helpful. I will try moving the feeder away from the fence. Before we didn't have a problem because there was a hedge where the fence is now.
Unknown said: Thank you for your reply. It was very helpful. I will try moving the feeder away from the fence. Before we didn't have a problem because there was a hedge where the fence is now.
I also think that caged feeders are more attractive to small birds.
My theory is that birds conceive of the cages as the branches of shrubs - hence they are so adept at getting in and out of what to us seem quite unusual objects. So within a cage they are more relaxed feeding as they feel that they are inside a bush.
Hi Ian S, from Ian S. I am not sure how the RSPB has allowed two users with the same name! Would you like to change yours? Ian
It's entered as Ian Spencer - it is the forum truncating the display. I'll see what it does with something else...
Yep, it's just a display thing, I'll go for my alternate identity.
Hi Ian, thanks (the other) Ian!