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New to feeding garden birds - (Peanuts or Nijer Seed)

Joe94
10/12/2020 14:23

Hey all,

Hope everyone is well? I’m new to this forum & new to Garden Bird feeding.

Bit of background.....

So over the last several months, through shielding I have gained an interest in photography, which then turned into a particular interest of bird photography, which has now led me, to gain a huge passion for garden birds. So because of this, a few weeks ago I set up a full feeding set up in the garden, to hopefully attract some more species to the garden & touch wood so far things are looking good. Since having this set up I have not attracted 3 Robins that come back daily & have even spotted a Blue tit feeding, both of which I have never seen in the garden before Slight smile

Iv always had sparrows around & also large groups of Starlings (especially in the winter, when they do group together more than the summer), being in Wiltshire and so they’re loving the new feeding hub, especially the starlings, which yes although they can get through a whole feeder of suet pellets in a day, I actually don’t mind because they are beautiful birds in my opinion & thankfully they don’t seem to be affecting other birds, who also still get a go at the.

So currently I have set up a metal branched type feeding station, with various different feeders hanging: Suet pellets, fat balls, sunflower hearts, good mix seed & crushed peanuts...

Touch wood so far they all seem to be being used, suet pellets mostly, then the sunflower hearts, then the fat balls. The mix seed hasn’t been touched too much, but I understand birds prefer fattier thing in the winter & mixed seed in the hotter months. Along with this station, I also have a roofed table which I had a selection of the above + dried mealworms, which again a variety seem to use including the odd pigeon & magpie. Then the final thing I have is a ground feeder which again I put a mix of things with meal worms, which is mainly used at the ml and loved by the Robins. So yeah touch wood everything seems to be working well & hopefully more things will come soon, although I appreciate it only been a few weeks & can take months for new birds to arrive Slight smile

Following all this, I just have one question & that whether I should stick with the peanuts or should I have put up a nijer seed feeder? The reason I ask is I have read very mixed things about both & currently the peanuts haven’t been touch (but again I appreciate it’s only been a few week)?

Many thanks all & I look forward to getting to know you Slight smile

  • 0 12/12/2020 22:21 in reply to THOMO
    Hello Ian,

    Firstly thank you for your experience on the Nyger seed, it really does appear that birds seems to now prefer the sunflower hearts, so yeah I think I will stick with them.

    But that relates to my second thank you, for your insight into the history of wild bird feeding. It’s amazing to hear how much has changed in actually such a relatively small amount of time. And as you say thankfully we have much more available at ease now and including things such as sunflower hearts, which thankfully many birds seem to really enjoy :)

    Thanks again for sharing this with me, very interesting indeed & very much appreciated :)
  • 0 13/12/2020 21:12
    That's a good tip from Alan re: smashing peanuts up.
    I always find the peanuts are the last to go but the Tits do enjoy them if there isn't any suet left on the feeder.
    GSW here prefer the suet over anything else, too.
    I find it amusing when they're on the Sunflower Hearts with that unwieldy, long bill.
    Interesting to see how this year's brood of Tits are now big and confident to feed alongside the Woodpeckers. Earlier in the year, if a GSW landed on the feeder, they'd be well out of the way!
    Re: Njger, the Goldfinches seem to have a preference for Sunflower Hearts here presently but happily accept Nyger, too.
    Once they're on it, the Nyjer doesn't last long at and I've even seen Blue Tits feeding in it. I can't begin to imagine how frustrating it must be for them to remove the husk!

    Keep up the good feeding; looking forward to hearing about your species list increasing and also seeing a few photos too :)
  • 0 13/12/2020 22:20 in reply to Bricker
    Thank you for your reassurances of the tips & you extra tips too, very much appreciated :) After Alan mentioned the peanuts I crushed them up, so hopefully they will start to attract some tits.

    It’s interesting to hear how different birds reacts to others around food & as you say it definitely is fun to watch them :)

    As for suet, this definitely seems to be the most popular as you say, alongside sunflower hearts. Before I set up this new multi feeding station, then only thing I had in the summer was a suet pellet feeder on a fence hook, which always got eaten by sparrows & starlings & they seem just as popular in the winter too as they are in the summer. But as you say hopefully now with the other offerings, more things will attract in the coming weeks :) And I certainly look forward to updating you all with hopefully some new visitors :)
  • 0 04/01/2021 19:45
    Dear Joe,

    I am new to the forum too, but not to feeding birds. I have been doing it for years and have tried different kinds of seeds and nuts.

    I came across your question just now and maybe it's too late for an answer. But I just wanted to give you one tip.
    All the birds I have had coming to my balcony (tits, robins, blakbirds, redstarts) if, given the choice, will go for the pine nuts (pine nuts not peanuts!)

    It might be something well known to very experienced bird photographers, because I like watching Paul Dinning's bird videos from Cornwall and he seems to be using pine nuts (as well as meal worms).

    The only thing you would have to be careful with is avoiding the Chinese/Siberian ones, because the tits very much prefer the European ones: I did some researching and apparently they have different flavours and nutritional values. Unluckily the "good" ones are more expensive ....

    The best of luck for your new hobby (it's a great one!!)

    Paola