Hi all,
We moved to a house back in September after thirteen years in a flat overlooking a harbour - yes, effectively our back garden was water and all we saw were loads of cormorants and razorbills and guillemots, along with an assortment of gulls.
So, in October we bought a feeding station and put Peanuts, Sunflower hearts, and Suet balls up. Within a week they had been found and ever since are frequented by Starlings and Goldfinches mainly. We get the odd blue tits and house sparrows too, but other than starlings occasionally, nothing touches the peanuts!
We used to have trays on the feeders but had to remove them due to Pigeons taking all the Sunflower hearts. What can we do to encourage more peanuts to be used? Or, should we replace the peanuts entirely with an alternative feeder?
We'd like more variety and frequency of birds visiting, but due to renting and our restrictions in what we can do in the garden, we don't have much scope for planting shrubs and trees etc. to attract more.
Ideas on the peanuts in particular would be greatly appreciated as we end up throwing most of it away as it gets wet and mouldy.
Thanks!
Paul
Unicum arbustum haud alit duos erithacos
(One bush does not shelter two Robins)
Zenodotus (3rd Century B.C.)
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Apart from the suggestions about moving the feeders nearer the fence, which I would have suggested, you could try chopped peanuts.
Something else to consider, bearing in mind birds like foliage to give the protection, not just moving the feeders nearer the fence, how about growing some shrubs that would equal the height of the fence, that would give them better protection and probably encourage more bird activity.
Mike
Flickr: Peak Rambler
PAUL B said:Hi Mike,
I understand the issues you have with it being a rented property.
I'm no horticulturist, so I'm not the best person to advise, though I feel silver birch and rowan may not be ideal for large pots. However, if I'm wrong, I hope someone corrects me.
One that may be worth considering is 'red tip photinia', otherwise known as red robin. The leaves in the sunnier weather have a nice colourful red tip and because its a shrub, may be more suited to a pot. You will probably have seen varieties of the red tip photinia in various retail parks where they are used as border shrubs to add some colour.
We have one at the bottom of the garden as a shrub/hedge and it seems to be nice and easy to keep trimmed.